Zongzi, also called zong or rice dumplings, and sometimes translated as Chinese tamales, is a traditional Chinese rice dish made of glutinous rice stuffed with a range of fillings and wrapped in bamboo leaves. Fillings can be sweet, such as red bean paste, or savory, such as pork belly or Chinese sausage. The bamboo used for wrapping is generally of the species Indocalamus tessellatus, though reed or other large flat leaves are sometimes substituted, and zongzi are cooked by steaming or boiling.
Facts
Partially Attested
Origin Period, From (Year)Approximate: the source dates the making of zong to the end of the Eastern Han dynasty, roughly 200 CE; popular legends of earlier origin are not documented Origin Region FAQs
Why is zongzi eaten at the Dragon Boat Festival?
The best known explanation in China is the story of Qu Yuan. According to China Highlights, after Qu Yuan took his own life in the Miluo River his body could not be found, so local people dropped sticky rice dumplings into the river, hoping the fish would eat the rice rather than the poet's body, and zongzi have been an integral part of the Dragon Boat Festival from then on. The same source adds that zongzi existed long before Qu Yuan, and that it would be more accurate to say he made them more famous.
Connections
In Cuisine
Uses Ingredient
In the Other Atlases
Originated In
Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject originated.
Source Zongzi, Wikipedia
Sources
1. Zongzi, Wikipedia
History
At the end of the Eastern Han dynasty, people made zong
- In Cuisine: Chinese Cuisine, Wikipedia category list
- In Cuisine: Japanese Cuisine, Wikipedia category list
- In Cuisine: Malaysian Cuisine, Wikipedia category list
- Uses Ingredient: Glutinous Rice, Infobox food/dish main_ingredient field
View the SourceReader Challenges (0)
No disputes yet. Spotted an error or a better source? Open the first one.
Sign in to dispute this or suggest a correction.