Chaihuo mooncakes are being prepared by local farmers in Zhexiang Village, Wanmo County of southwest China's Guizhou Province. Cherished by the Buyi ethnic group who live along the Hongshui River, the traditional snacks are expected to be ready in time for this year's Mid-Autumn Festival celebrations.

The unique aspect of the traditional chaihuo mooncakes crafting technique in Zhexiang lies in the simultaneous heating and baking in the oven. The upper layer of the oven is fueled with firewood, while the lower layer uses charcoal. This method results in mooncakes that are crispy, fragrant, and delicious.

The first step for Zhexiang villagers in making mooncakes is to knead the dough. They mix fine white flour with vegetable oil and knead it repeatedly. Once the dough is ready, they fill it with ingredients such as walnut kernels, raisins, peanuts, and sesame, then knead and mix them until they are evenly distributed in the nut filling process. After shaping the mooncakes with molds, they are placed in the chaihuo oven for baking. After just over ten minutes, the traditional handmade "chaihuo mooncakes" are freshly baked.