Dragon Boat FestivalDragon Boat Festival Cuisine

• Category: Grain staple
• Popular Regions: Nationwide
• Main Ingredients: Glutinous rice, zongzi leaves (bamboo leaves, reed leaves, wild-rice leaves, etc.), fillings (red dates, red bean paste, pork, egg yolk, ham, etc.)
• Alternative Names: Jiaoshu (角黍), tongzong (筒粽), guozong (裹粽), nianshu (黏黍)

Zongzi are among the traditional foods with the deepest accumulation of cultural meaning in Chinese history. Their origins reach far beyond the later legend commemorating Qu Yuan. They began as a midsummer sacrificial food custom in antiquity, carrying the early intention of honoring heaven and earth and remembering one’s ancestors.

The earliest form was known as tongzong (筒粽), made by packing glutinous grain into bamboo tubes and cooking it in water mixed with plant ash. Distinguished by its color, aroma, and flavor, it was also regarded as a seasonal food capable of clearing heat, reducing internal “fire,” and regulating the stomach and intestines. The appearance of zongzi marked the seasonal transition into summer, signaling a turning point in the annual cycle of life; originally, it carried no special commemorative significance. By the Spring and Autumn period, glutinous grain was increasingly wrapped in leaves of gu—wild rice or Manchurian wild rice—and shaped like ox horns for offerings to ancestors and deities. This form was known as jiaoshu (角黍), literally “horned millet.” The horn shape derived from ancient sacrificial practice: animals with horns were often used as offerings, and their horns were believed to possess a sacred quality linking humans with the divine, through which people prayed for abundant grain and full granaries.

The legend of Qu Yuan’s death by drowning gave zongzi a powerful humanistic dimension. During the Warring States period, Qu Yuan, a minister of the state of Chu, was remembered for his patriotism and concern for the people, but was later harmed by slanderous court officials. According to legend, he threw himself into the Miluo River (汨罗江) on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month. Grieving his death, people began associating it with the Dragon Boat Festival and threw jiaoshu into the river to prevent fish, turtles, shrimp, and crabs from damaging his body, expressing reverence and mourning for a heroic figure. Wu Jun’s (吴均) Xu Qi Xie Ji (《续齐谐记》), written during the Liang dynasty of the Southern Dynasties, was the first text to connect zongzi explicitly with Qu Yuan. It is the earliest surviving written record to unite these two cultural symbols. Historical sources indicate that zongzi were formally established as a Dragon Boat Festival food during the Jin dynasty.

By the Tang dynasty, the rice used for zongzi was described as “white and lustrous as jade,” and shapes such as diamonds and cones appeared. Zongzi became both festival foods and popular local delicacies. The Song dynasty saw the emergence of candied-fruit zongzi, with fruits incorporated into the filling. After the Yuan dynasty, wrappers were no longer limited to wild-rice leaves, with bamboo and reed leaves becoming increasingly common. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, zongzi acquired still more auspicious associations. Tradition holds that candidates sitting the imperial examinations would eat a long, slender zongzi shaped like a writing brush before the test. Known as bizong (笔粽), its name echoed bi zhong (必中), “certain to succeed.”

The Jin-dynasty scholar Zhou Chu (周处) provided the earliest detailed account of the custom of eating zongzi at Duanwu in his Fengtu Ji (《风土记》). When fresh millet ripened in midsummer, people selected full, fresh grains, wrapped them in wild-rice leaves into neat ox-horn shapes, and offered them to heaven, earth, and the ancestors. In earlier periods, the summer solstice and Duanwu fell close together, and the food traditions of the two observances gradually blended. After centuries of development, by the Tang and Song dynasties eating zongzi had become firmly established as a distinctive Dragon Boat Festival custom, continuing for a thousand years without interruption.

At its core, the Duanwu custom of eating zongzi reflects ancient health wisdom adapted to the climate of midsummer. In traditional Chinese medicine, glutinous rice is considered sweet in flavor and warm in nature; it is said to tonify the center, replenish qi, strengthen the spleen, and harmonize the stomach, thereby countering the weakness of the spleen and stomach and loss of appetite associated with midsummer dampness. The bamboo and reed leaves used to wrap zongzi are likewise regarded as natural medicinal materials: cool in nature and sweet in flavor, they are traditionally associated with clearing heat, dispelling dampness, detoxifying, and aiding digestion, thus balancing the heavy, sticky quality of glutinous rice. Warm rice and cooling leaves, one nourishing and one clearing, one warming and one moistening, together create a balance of yin and yang that closely accords with the ancient summer health ideal of nurturing the spleen and stomach while dispelling turbidity and warding off impurity.

The symbolism of zongzi operates on several levels. First, “honoring worthy figures of the past.” Zongzi began as offerings to ancestors and deities and later became associated with the legend of Qu Yuan, turning them into a medium for commemorating revered figures and expressing admiration. Second, “praying for descendants.” The sound of zongzi was associated with zhongzi, interpreted as “gaining a son,” and folk custom held that eating zongzi could bring the birth of a boy. Third, “praying for scholarly success.” Bizong (笔粽) sounds like bi zhong (必中), “certain to succeed,” and therefore symbolized success in the imperial examinations. Fourth, “driving away evil.” According to tradition, wrapping zongzi with chinaberry leaves and multicolored silk threads could protect against aquatic dragons. Fifth, “following the rhythms of heaven.” As a midsummer seasonal food, zongzi embody adaptation to the turning of the four seasons and the harmonization of yin and yang between heaven and earth.

• Ingredients: 500 g glutinous rice, 300 g pork belly, 20 zongzi leaves, cotton string, 2 tbsp light soy sauce, 1 tbsp dark soy sauce, 1 tbsp white sugar, salt to taste
• Steps:

1. Soak the glutinous rice for 4 hours, drain, and mix with light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, and salt. Cut the pork belly into pieces and marinate for 2 hours with light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, and white sugar.
2. Soak the zongzi leaves in warm water until soft, then wash them thoroughly. Layer 2–3 leaves and fold them into a funnel shape.
3. Add a layer of glutinous rice, place a piece of pork belly in the center, and cover with another layer of rice.
4. Fold the leaves over tightly and secure firmly with cotton string.
5. Place in cold water, bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to low heat and cook for 3–4 hours.

Tip: Do not soak the glutinous rice for too long, or the final texture may become overly soft. Pork belly with a good balance of fat and lean meat works best; the fat melts during cooking, making the zongzi moist, fragrant, and glutinous. Keep the zongzi fully submerged while boiling and add water if necessary.

Across China, zongzi display an extraordinary range of forms and flavors. The differences between north and south reflect a traditional culinary wisdom of adapting to climate and local produce. Broadly speaking, northern China tends to favor sweet zongzi, while southern China prefers savory varieties.

• Beijing: Beijing date zongzi are among the most classic, filled with red dates or red bean paste and often eaten with sugar. Their texture is sticky and resilient, with a clean fragrance. They are commonly shaped as slanted quadrilaterals or triangles.
• Shaanxi: Chilled honey zongzi are popular. They have no filling and are served without their wrappers, simply drizzled with honey or syrup for a cool, sweet, moist taste.
• Xinjiang: Yogurt zongzi are plain white zongzi topped with yogurt or fruit jam, producing a distinctive sweet-and-sour flavor.
• Shandong: Yellow-millet zongzi with red dates are a regional specialty, made by wrapping red dates in large yellow millet. They are sticky and resilient, with a rich date aroma.
• Jiaxing: Jiaxing meat zongzi are representative of the savory southern tradition. Made with glutinous rice and pork belly, they are rich without being greasy, glutinous without becoming overly sticky, and are celebrated as the “King of Zongzi.”
• Huzhou: Huzhou pillow-shaped zongzi resemble cushions and feature a wide range of fillings, including fresh pork, salted egg yolk, and red bean paste.
• Guangdong: Cantonese savory pork zongzi combine glutinous rice, mung beans, salted egg yolk, and pork belly, wrapped in bamboo leaves for a deeply savory aroma. Guangdong also has alkaline-water zongzi, golden in color and commonly dipped in sugar.
• Southern Fujian: Southern Fujian roasted-pork zongzi are filled with glutinous rice, pork belly, mushrooms, chestnuts, and salted egg yolk, developing a rich aroma after cooking.
• Sichuan: Sichuan spicy zongzi incorporate Sichuan peppercorn, chili, and other seasonings into the glutinous rice, producing a distinctive combination of saltiness, heat, freshness, and fragrance.
• Yunnan: Yunnan bamboo-tube zongzi are made by placing glutinous rice together with ham, red bean paste, and other ingredients inside bamboo tubes, then roasting or steaming them so that the rice absorbs the fresh fragrance of bamboo.
• Taiwan: Taiwanese zongzi are broadly divided into northern and southern styles. Northern-style zongzi are stir-fried before steaming, while southern-style zongzi are boiled in water. Common fillings include pork, egg yolk, chestnuts, and mushrooms.

• Category: Composite banquet
• Popular Regions: Jiangnan region, especially Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Shanghai
• Main Ingredients: Yellow croaker, rice-field eel, cucumber, salted duck egg yolk, realgar wine
• Alternative Names: Five Yellows Meal, Five Yellows and Six Whites

The Five Yellows (五黄) are a traditional Dragon Boat Festival food custom of the Jiangnan region, referring to five yellow-colored foods: rice-field eel, yellow croaker, cucumber, salted duck egg yolk, and realgar wine. A Jiangnan saying goes: “On the fifth day of the fifth month, celebrate Duanwu with the Five Yellows and Three Whites.” The fifth lunar month is also called the “Month of the Five Yellows,” which is why the Five Yellows are eaten at Duanwu.

The same Duanwu saying—“On the fifth day of the fifth month, celebrate Duanwu with the Five Yellows and Three Whites”—also points to the custom of eating the Five Yellows Meal at noon on the festival day, when the five yellow foods are eaten together. In Jiangnan tradition, the Five Yellows are rice-field eel, yellow croaker, cucumber, salted egg yolk, and realgar wine. In Ningbo, in addition to alkaline-water zongzi and wadou zongzi, people may prepare an elaborate banquet known as the “Five Yellows and Six Whites,” in which the Five Yellows are large yellow croaker, rice-field eel, cucumber, salted duck egg yolk, and realgar wine.

Folk belief holds that eating the Five Yellows at Duanwu helps ward off evil and harmful influences. Traditional Chinese medicine theory also associates the period around Duanwu with the time when rice-field eel is at its richest and most flavorful, while yellow croaker moves into shallower coastal waters with the tides and becomes easier to catch. The Five Yellows are also linked to the legend in The Legend of the White Snake (《白蛇传》), in which Lady White (白娘子) reveals her true form after drinking realgar wine. Among the Five Yellows, yellow croaker comes from the sea, rice-field eel from freshwater, cucumber from the seasonal vegetable garden, salted egg yolk from preserved foods, and realgar wine from medicinal drink traditions. Together, the five yellow foods encompass a broad range of regional produce and reflect both the abundance of Jiangnan and the refinement of its food culture.

The Five Yellows Banquet is not a single dish but an entire table comprising five predominantly yellow foods. Because realgar is toxic, modern diners commonly substitute ordinary huangjiu—Chinese yellow rice wine—for traditional realgar wine.

• Yellow croaker: Steam or red-braise a large yellow croaker, at its richest around Duanwu.
• Rice-field eel: Prepare xiangyou shanhu (响油鳝糊) or garlic-braised eel—“Dragon Boat Festival eel rivals ginseng.”
• Cucumber: Serve as a cold cucumber salad or accordion-cut cucumber, crisp and refreshing.
• Salted egg yolk: Halve salted duck eggs so that the rich, oily yolk can be eaten together with the white.
• Realgar wine: Traditionally, powdered realgar and shavings of sweet-flag root were added to wine and associated with detoxifying and sterilizing effects. Today, ordinary huangjiu is more commonly consumed instead.

Tip: The Five Yellows Banquet is traditionally eaten at noon on the Dragon Boat Festival. Consuming all five yellow foods together expresses the idea of “using yellow to overcome poison.” Rice-field eels must be killed and cooked fresh; dead eels can develop toxic substances and should not be eaten.

• Category: Salt-cured food
• Popular Regions: Nationwide, especially Gaoyou in Jiangsu
• Main Ingredients: Duck eggs, salt, plant ash, yellow clay, etc.
• Alternative Names: Xianyuanzi (咸杬子), qingguo (青果)

Salted duck eggs are unquestionably one of the Dragon Boat Festival’s “golden supporting players.” China has a long history of preserving duck eggs. The Northern and Southern Dynasties agricultural classic Qimin Yaoshu (《齐民要术》) already described methods for salting duck eggs and recorded that large quantities were being prepared around Suzhou and Yangzhou. The Northern Song writer Qin Guan (秦观) referred in his poetry and prose to duck raising and salted-egg making in Gaoyou, and is said to have presented duck eggs to his teacher and friend Su Dongpo (苏东坡). The Qing-dynasty writer Yuan Mei (袁枚) declared, “Salted eggs are best from Gaoyou.” His Suiyuan Shidan (《随园食单》) records them even more explicitly: “Salted eggs are best from Gaoyou; their color is delicate and they contain abundant oil. Duke Gao Wenduan was especially fond of them.”

Around the Dragon Boat Festival, ducks have plentiful food available to them, producing eggs of high quality and rich flavor. Hence the saying, “Dragon Boat Festival duck eggs rival crab.” Eating salted duck eggs is traditionally associated with nourishing yin, clearing the lungs, dispelling harmful influences, and improving appetite, making them an essential Duanwu food in many regions.

In earlier times, people believed that yang energy reached its greatest intensity at Duanwu and that salted duck eggs could “hold down” the Five Poisons. The ancients also considered salted duck eggs to resemble the shape of the heart, believing that eating them could protect the heart, qi, and spirit from the effects of heat toxins. From the Ming dynasty onward, Jiangsu and Zhejiang incorporated salted duck eggs into the Duanwu system of the Five Yellows, with the reddish color of the yolk symbolizing the expulsion of evil and poison. In many regions, people both eat and exchange salted duck eggs during the festival, conveying wishes for health and protection from epidemic disease and harmful influences.

• Ingredients: 10 fresh duck eggs, 200 g salt, 500 ml water, a small amount of high-proof baijiu
• Steps:

1. Wash the duck eggs and allow them to dry completely.
2. Bring the water to a boil, add the salt, and stir until fully dissolved. Allow the brine to cool.
3. Place the eggs in a clean glass jar, pour in the cooled brine, and add a small amount of high-proof baijiu.
4. Seal the jar and leave it in a cool place for 20–30 days.
5. Remove the eggs, boil them until cooked, cut open, and serve.

Tip: The eggs must be completely dry before salting or they may spoil. Adding baijiu helps with sterilization and fragrance. The longer the eggs are cured, the more oil develops in the yolks.

• Category: Pastry
• Popular Regions: Beijing and northern China
• Main Ingredients: Flour, white sugar, sesame, oil, etc.
• Alternative Name: Wudu bobo (五毒饽饽)

Five Poisons Cakes are a distinctive seasonal Duanwu food of northern China. Early summer is precisely the season when venomous creatures multiply and become active, so the ancients ate these cakes as a way of wishing for freedom from illness, bodily strength, and good health. The Qing-dynasty Yanjing Suishi Ji · Duanyang (《燕京岁时记·端阳》) records: “Before each Duanyang, noble households behind vermilion gates exchange zongzi, accompanied by cherries, mulberries, water chestnuts, peaches, apricots, Five Poisons Cakes, rose cakes, and other foods.”

Five Poisons Cakes are round pastries specially made for the Dragon Boat Festival, stamped with images of the Five Poisons—snake, scorpion, centipede, toad, and gecko. Eating them was said to strengthen resistance, eliminate harmful creatures, and avert disaster. Two historically recorded forms of Five Poisons Cakes are known. In old Beijing, Duanwu was called the “Fifth-Month Festival.” In addition to zongzi, pastry shops sold round, taosu-style cakes molded with designs of snakes, centipedes, scorpions, spiders, and toads; these were known as Five Poisons Cakes.

If hanging mugwort and sweet flag, or applying realgar wine to the ears and nose, was intended to “avoid poisonous insects,” then eating Five Poisons Cakes symbolically meant eating the Five Poisons themselves, leaving them unable to harm people—a practice infused with the humor and wit of Beijing folk culture. Early summer was the season when venomous creatures proliferated, and the ancients stamped their images onto food and then slowly chewed them, giving the custom an almost playfully “teeth-gritting” quality while also expressing the principle of “using poison to counter poison.” Old Beijing even had the saying: “If you do not eat Five Poisons Cakes at Duanwu, insects will bite you all year.” The Five Poisons appeared on these cakes because the fifth lunar month of early summer was known in some regions as the “Poison Month,” a time when harmful creatures became especially active. Eating Five Poisons Cakes therefore symbolized immunity from poisons, illness, and disaster.

• Ingredients: 200 g flour, 50 g white sugar, 1 egg, 50 g cooking oil, sesame to taste
• Steps:

1. Combine flour, sugar, egg, and cooking oil and knead into a smooth dough. Let rest for 30 minutes.
2. Roll the dough into a thin sheet and cut out round pastry blanks with a mold.
3. Brush the surface with beaten egg and sprinkle with sesame.
4. Preheat the oven to 180°C and bake for 15–20 minutes until golden and crisp.

Tip: Traditional Five Poisons Cakes are stamped with wooden molds carved with the Five Poisons. At home, simple surface patterns may be made with a fork or similar utensil instead. The cakes are crisp, flaky, fragrant, and sweet.

• Category: Pastry
• Popular Regions: Nationwide
• Main Ingredients: Mung bean flour, white sugar, oil or fat, etc.
• Alternative Name: Xiaoshu gao (消暑糕), “summer-heat-relieving cake”

Mung bean cake is a traditional Dragon Boat Festival food and has long held an established place among the festival’s characteristic delicacies. The custom of eating it at Duanwu is said to be very old and is traditionally linked to the commemoration of Wu Zixu (伍子胥), a minister of the state of Wu in the late Spring and Autumn period. According to this tradition, people prepared his favorite mung bean cake every Duanwu in his memory, and over time the practice became established as a festival custom. Another legend tells that during the Eastern Han dynasty, summer heat was severe and miasmatic influences unusually intense; epidemics and febrile illnesses were especially widespread around Duanwu. Moved by human suffering, Heaven sent a divine figure who made mung beans into cakes and distributed them among the people. In Xiaotian (晓天镇), the local custom of eating mung bean cake at Duanwu can be traced to the Ming and Qing dynasties. Local elders say that mung beans are cooling and detoxifying in nature, and because Duanwu falls just as summer heat begins to rise, eating the cake carries the meaning of driving away evil and impurity.

In lüdougao (绿豆糕), the character gao (糕, “cake”) is homophonous with gao (高, “high”), giving the food auspicious associations with flourishing prosperity and “rising higher step by step.” In many places, people therefore not only eat mung bean cake during Duanwu but also bring several boxes when visiting relatives and friends, conveying good wishes for peace and health. Traditional Chinese medical texts across different periods, together with folk practice, describe mung beans as useful for clearing heat, relieving summer discomfort, quenching thirst, promoting urination, reducing swelling and itching, supporting tissue recovery, benefiting the eyes, and counteracting various forms of poisoning. Eating mung bean cake at Duanwu is closely connected with these traditional ideas. Li Shizhen (李时珍) also discussed the medicinal value of mung beans in the “Grains · Mung Bean” section of the Bencao Gangmu (《本草纲目·谷·绿豆》).

• Ingredients: 200 g mung bean flour, 50 g white sugar, 30 g cooking oil, water as needed
• Steps:

1. Steam or dry-fry the mung bean flour until cooked, removing its raw taste.
2. Boil the sugar with water to make a syrup, then allow it to cool.
3. Mix the cooked mung bean flour with the syrup and cooking oil, working it into a loose, crumbly texture.
4. Sift to make the mixture fine, then press firmly into molds.
5. Gently unmold and serve.

Tip: Mung bean cake is commonly divided into northern and southern styles. Northern versions contain no added fat and have a soft yet relatively dry texture; southern versions include oil or fat, giving them a softer and finer mouthfeel. Either style may be chosen according to preference.

• Category: Freshwater food
• Popular Regions: Nationwide, especially the Jianghan Plain and Jiangnan
• Main Ingredient: Rice-field eel
• Alternative Names: Shanyu (鳝鱼), changyu (长鱼)

In the Jianghan Plain and other regions, rice-field eel is an essential Duanwu food. At this time of year the eels are plump and full-bodied, with tender, flavorful flesh and abundant nutrients, giving rise to the folk saying: “Dragon Boat Festival eel rivals ginseng.” The ancients valued the principle of “not eating out of season,” and rice-field eels around Duanwu are considered to be at their fattest and most tender. They were prized not only for flavor but also for their nourishing qualities. The fifth lunar month is the season when rice-field eels are harvested, and at this time their flesh is regarded as especially delicate, delicious, and restorative.

Rice-field eel is also considered the foremost of the “Five Yellows of Jianghuai.” Eating it at Duanwu is both a way of enjoying seasonal freshness and an expression of health wisdom aligned with the rhythms of the year. Duanwu eels are plump, tender, flavorful, and nutrient-rich; beyond their taste, they are also traditionally regarded as nourishing. Ancient medical texts recorded their functions as replenishing deficiency, dispelling wind and dampness, and strengthening muscles and bones.

“Dragon Boat Festival eel rivals ginseng”—to compare the excellence of eel with ginseng is among the highest forms of praise for a seasonal ingredient. The ancients also believed that the eel’s yellow color could drive away a hundred poisons. Rice-field eel ranks first among the Duanwu Five Yellows and occupies the foremost place in the Five Yellows Banquet. From the perspective of traditional health preservation, eating eel in summer was said to have benefits that “rival ginseng,” while eel itself is rich in protein, phosphorus, calcium, iron, vitamins, and other nutrients.

• Ingredients: 500 g rice-field eel, sliced ginger, garlic, huangjiu, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, white sugar, cooking oil
• Steps:

1. Kill and clean the eel, then cut into sections about 5 cm long.
2. Heat a wok and oil, then stir-fry the ginger and garlic until fragrant.
3. Add the eel pieces and stir-fry quickly over high heat until the surface turns slightly pale.
4. Add huangjiu, dark soy sauce, and white sugar, stir well, then add a small bowl of boiling water.
5. Cover and simmer over medium heat for a little over ten minutes, until the sauce thickens.

Tip: Rice-field eels must be killed and cooked fresh. Dead eels can develop toxic substances and may cause poisoning if eaten. Adding huangjiu during cooking helps remove strong odors and enhance fragrance.

• Category: Egg dish
• Popular Regions: Rural areas of Henan, Shandong, Zhejiang, and other provinces
• Main Ingredients: Chicken eggs or duck eggs, garlic, mugwort leaves
• Alternative Names: Suandan (蒜蛋), aiye dan (艾叶蛋)

In rural parts of Henan, Zhejiang, and other provinces, the woman of the household traditionally rises especially early on the day of the Dragon Boat Festival and boils together garlic and eggs prepared in advance for the family breakfast. In some places, several mugwort leaves are added to the pot as well. Breakfast may consist of garlic, eggs, and pan-baked oil bread. This way of eating is said to help ward off the Five Poisons.

Duanwu falls during a period of heat and humidity, when intestinal illness is traditionally regarded as especially common. Garlic contains allicin, which has antibacterial properties. Some areas of Shandong and Henan still preserve the custom of boiling garlic eggs.

Garlic eggs embody a traditional health principle of “sterilizing and dispelling harmful influences.” During Duanwu, heat and dampness coincide and epidemic illness is thought more likely to arise. Garlic is associated with sterilization and disinfection, eggs provide nourishment, and mugwort drives away evil and impurity. Together, the three offer both bodily protection and symbolic resistance to harmful influences. The custom reflects the ancient Chinese idea that “medicine and food share the same origin”—using the power of food to resist threats from the natural environment.

• Ingredients: 6 eggs, 1 head of garlic (about 10 cloves), several mugwort leaves (optional)
• Steps:

1. Wash the eggs and peel the garlic.
2. Add water to a pot and place in the eggs, garlic, and mugwort leaves if using.
3. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to low heat and cook for 10 minutes.
4. Remove the eggs, gently crack the shells, return them to the pot, and cook for another 5 minutes so that the flavors can penetrate.
5. Remove and serve.

Tip: Cracking the shells allows the aromas of garlic and mugwort to permeate the eggs more fully. Boiling softens garlic’s sharp pungency and gives it a tender texture, so it may be eaten directly.

• Category: Fried pastry
• Popular Regions: Southern Fujian, Guangdong, and other areas
• Main Ingredients: Wheat flour, rice flour, sweet-potato starch, white sugar, etc.
• Alternative Names: 煎䭔, jianchui (煎锤), matuan (麻团), maqiu (麻球), youdui (油堆)

In the Jinjiang area of Fujian, every household traditionally eats jiandui (煎堆) during the Dragon Boat Festival. In this local form, flour, rice flour, or sweet-potato starch is mixed with other ingredients into a thick batter and fried in oil into a large cake. According to legend, in ancient southern Fujian the period before Duanwu was the rainy season, with continuous overcast skies and prolonged rain. Folk tradition said that Heaven had developed a hole and needed to be “mended.” After people ate jiandui at Duanwu, the rains were said to stop.

Jiandui are also known as matuan (麻团) or maqiu (麻球) and are a popular snack or sweet in many parts of China. In Guangdong, they are a customary Dragon Boat Festival food, made from glutinous rice flour with sugar and fillings such as crushed fried peanuts, coated with sesame seeds, and fried in oil. In Quanzhou, Fujian, the belief that eating jiandui at Duanwu helps “mend the sky” has also been passed down.

The word jian (煎, “to fry”) in jiandui sounds like jian (艰, “hardship”), producing the auspicious interpretation of “frying away misfortune.” The Fujian custom of eating jiandui to “mend the sky” reflects the ancient folk logic of “using form to restore form.” The round jiandui symbolizes the sun, whose power is imagined to repair the breach in the heavens, bringing the rainy season to an end and restoring sunlight. Its round form also symbolizes family reunion, expressing the wish that the household remain sweet, harmonious, and united. Among Hakka communities, the food is called youdui (油堆) and may reach 20 centimeters in diameter.

• Ingredients: 200 g glutinous rice flour, 50 g white sugar, 150 ml warm water, sesame seeds as needed, cooking oil
• Steps:

1. Combine glutinous rice flour, white sugar, and warm water and knead into a smooth dough.
2. Take small portions of dough and roll them into balls; red bean paste or crushed peanuts may be enclosed as filling.
3. Moisten the surface and roll the balls in sesame seeds.
4. When the oil is at medium-low frying temperature, add the balls and fry slowly over low heat until golden and expanded.
5. Remove and drain.

Tip: The oil should not be too hot, or the exterior may burn before the center is cooked. Press gently with chopsticks during frying to help them heat evenly. Jiandui are best eaten while hot.

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