Dragon Boat Festival: Racing Traditions and the Great Zongzi Divide - Are You Team Sweet or Team Savory?

Next Monday, June 14th marks the 2021 Dragon Boat Festival!

Beyond dragon boats, this festival is also about...

As one of China's traditional festivals, the Dragon Boat Festival falls on the 5th day of the 5th lunar month. Originally a summer festival to ward off epidemics by sending away the Five Plague Gods, it later transformed into a commemoration of the patriotic poet Qu Yuan from the Chu Kingdom, who drowned himself on this day during the Warring States period.

The festival's two most important activities are dragon boat racing and eating zongzi (sticky rice dumplings).

Dragon boat racing originated from villagers racing their boats to recover Qu Yuan's body after his drowning. However, this tradition predates Qu Yuan - in places like Gusu, dragon boats were used to welcome the tide god Wu Zixu. Ancient Chinese believed boats could carry away misfortune, and the faster the better, thus giving birth to competitive dragon boat racing.

The zongzi-eating tradition began in the Eastern Han Dynasty when people in the Chu region would throw sticky rice packets into the river as offerings to Qu Yuan - a practice that continues today.

Later, the homophone "bao zhong" (wrapping zongzi) came to symbolize success in imperial examinations. Chinese culinary culture has truly elevated food to an art form.

Though sharing the same name, northern and southern zongzi can be completely different foods. Regional variations abound in shape and filling - from Huzhou zongzi in Zhejiang, to Sichuan's spiced bean zongzi, to Zhongshan's giant reed-wrapped zongzi in Guangdong.

Diverse Shapes and Flavors

Zongzi come in various shapes: triangular, pyramidal, pillow-shaped, pagoda-shaped, or cylindrical. Wrapping materials differ regionally too.

Bamboo leaves are common in the bamboo-rich south, while northerners prefer reed leaves. Northern leaves being narrower often require overlapping. Sizes range from 2-3 jin (1-1.5kg) giant zongzi to dainty 2-inch sweet varieties.

Flavor profiles span sweet and savory. Northern zongzi tend to be sweet, while southern versions favor savory fillings. The ingredients best reflect regional characteristics.

Northern Zongzi

Northern styles include: plain glutinous rice zongzi dipped in sugar; jujube and dried fruit zongzi; and red bean paste zongzi. Some northern versions use millet instead of glutinous rice with jujube fillings - when steamed, the golden millet with red dates earns the poetic name "Gold Wrapping Carnelian."

Zhongshan Reed-Wrapped Zongzi (Guangdong)

These cylindrical zongzi (some as thick as arms) come in sweet (lotus paste, red bean, chestnut, jujube paste) and savory versions (salted pork, roast chicken, egg yolk, scallops, mushrooms, mung beans, BBQ pork).

Huzhou Zongzi (Zhejiang)

Featuring fragrant, soft rice, these come in savory (fresh pork marinated in premium soy sauce, with lean and fatty cuts) and sweet (jujube paste or red bean paste) varieties.

Sichuan Spiced Bean Zongzi

After soaking glutinous rice and red beans, Sichuan peppercorn salt and cured pork cubes are added before wrapping into tetrahedral shapes. After boiling for three hours, they're charcoal-grilled for a crispy exterior and tender interior.

DIY Guide: 3-Minute Zongzi (Northern Style)

Ingredients: Zongzi leaves, red bean paste, glutinous rice, cotton string, nuts/dried fruit.
Soak beans, rice and leaves overnight (especially leaves need thorough cleaning).
Wrap: Form leaves into cones, fill with ingredients, then tightly tie with string.
Cook: Pressure cooking yields optimally soft texture.
Time to get wrapping!

With so many varieties, are you Team Southern or Team Northern Zongzi? Share your hometown's zongzi traditions with iTalkBB!

iTalkBB and Aijia wish everyone a peaceful Dragon Boat Festival!

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