This year marks the first time in the country's history that the Dragon Boat Festival (this coming Sunday, June 8) has been declared a national holiday. The Chinese people are due for another long weekend after the Pure Bright Festival, otherwise known as Tomb Sweeping festival, on April 4.
The festival that falls on the 5th day of the 5th lunar month is traditionally celebrated by eating zongzi -- glutinous rice dumplings -- and watching dragon boat races.
The Festival originated in the Warring States Period (475-221BC), when the great poet Qu Yuan drowned himself in the name of his political ideals. The common people were so stricken by this sacrificial act that they immediately set about retrieving the former official's body from Miluo River in Hunan, tossing zongzi into the river to distract fish and crabs from devouring the poet's body. Ever since, zongzi making (and eating) and boat racing have been traditional respectful rituals enacted in commemoration of Qu Yuan.
Zongzi recipes vary from region to region. Southerners generally wrap them in bamboo leaves, while northerners use reeds. They are generally pyramid shaped, but sometimes molded into rectangles.
Fillings also vary. People from North China typically stuff their dumplings with glutinous rice and Chinese jujube, while those from South China cram theirs with pork and mashed red beans. A good zongzi has the intermingled fragrance of rice and bamboo (or reed), and the flavor of the stuffing permeates the rice.
As zongzi has become a national food, certain places have specialized in making them. Jiaxing in Zhejiang province, for example, makes the best zongzi with fresh pork stuffing, while Shanghai is famous for ham-stuffed zongzi.
As the Beijing Olympics approach, certain brand names have begun producing Beijing Olympic torch-shaped zongzi, and in the shape of the five Fuwa Olympic mascot, all of which are available at supermarkets. One store at Heping Xijie made a zongzi more than two meters tall that took 150 kilograms of glutinous rice, and 50 kilograms of red jujube.
Because zongzi is made of glutinous rice, health experts suggest it be balanced with fruit and vegetables or a bowl of thin soup. Anyone with gastric complaints should exercise moderation.
As regards the other ritual activity of boat racing, Beijing Tourism Bureau has organized a dragon boat race at the Blue Dragon Lake Park and at Xiadu Park in Yanqing District. Beijing's CBD enterprises have organized another boat race on Gaobeidian Lake, near the Tonghui River.
Two places to try zongzi:
Old Shanghai Chenghuangmiao Snack Restaurant 老上海城隍庙 老上海城隍庙
Zongzi with pork and jujube stuffing are available year-round. Dengshikou branch, 25 Dengshikou Dajie, Dongcheng District. 6527-8261. 东城区灯市口大街25号; Hepingmen branch, 75 Qianmen Xidajie, Xicheng District. 6312-9431 Ext 3261. 西城区前门西大街75号; Xueyuan Lu branch, 242 North Fourth Ring Road, Haidian District. 8621-7000. 海淀区北四环242号
Daoxiangcun Chinese pastry shop 稻香村
This chain is famous for its tasty traditional pastries and dim sum. Dongsi branch. 126 Dongsi Beidajie, 6403-3443. 东城区东四北大街126号; Wangjing branch: 1 Guangshun Nandajie, Wangjing Xincheng, Chaoyang District. 6475-7234. 朝阳区望京新城广顺南大街1号; Chaoyangmen branch: Rm 8, 1/F, Bldg 22, Chaoyangmen Nanxiaojie. 6526-1009. 朝阳区南小街22号楼1层
Dragon boat races are on at:
Qinglonghu Park (Dark-green Dragon Lake,青龙湖公园 )
Races start at 9am and finish at noon on Sunday in Qinglonghu Park, about 20 kilometers from downtown. To get there: Take bus No 917 from Tianqiao to Shihuadong (Stone Flower Cave). Get off at Dougezhuang bus stop. Or, take bus No 917, 922 to Liangxiang, change to minibus No 6 and get off at Qinglonghu. Tickets: RMB 10 6032-1706. 丰台王佐镇青龙湖公园
Xiadu Park (夏都公园)
Final is on Monday, from 9-10:40am. There are 10 boats in the race. To get there: Bus No 919 from Deshengmen goes directly to Xiadu Park. Get off at the Yanqing Dongguan stop. 6918-7575.延庆县妫水北街33号
Tonghui River (通惠河)
To get there: Take the Batong subway line, then get off at Baobeidian. 6655-8009.朝阳区高碑店通惠河畔高碑店湖
Source: China Daily
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