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| Zongzi |
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The taste of Zongzi, a pyramid-shaped dumpling made of glutinous
rice and wrapped in bamboo or reed leaves to give it a special flavor,
varies greatly across China. Zongzi is often made of rice mixed
with dates in Northern China, because dates are abundant in the
area. Eastern China's Jiaxing County is famous for its pork-stuffed
Zongzi.In the southern Pro-vince of Guangdong, people stuff Zongzi
with pork, ham, chestnuts and other ingredients, making them very
rich in flavor. In Sichuan Province, Zongzi is usually served with
a sugar dressing. Most people still maintain the tradition of eating
Zongzi on the day of the Duanwu Festival. But the special delicacy
has become so popular that you can now buy it all the year round.
** The Dragon Boat
The day is known as the Dragon Boat Festival, because dragon boat
races are the most popular activity during the festival, especially
in Southern China. A dragon boat is shaped like a dragon, and is
brightly painted in red, white, yellow and black. Usually, a dragon
boat is 20 to 40 meters long, and needs several dozen people to
row it. Boatmen row the boat in cadence with the drumbeats, as the
captain standing in the bow of the boat waves a small flag to help
coordinate the rowing. Befor the race gets underway, a solemn ceremony
is held to worship the Dragon King.
Dragon boat racing is quite a spectacle, with drums beating,colorful
flags waving, and thousands of people cheering on both sides of
the river. Nowadays, it has become a popular sporting activity
in Southern China. International dragon boat races are geld in
Guangzhou and Hong Kong every year.
Old Customs
The Duanwu Festival used to have other interesting customs that
are no longer commonly observed, though you may still find them
practiced in some rural areas.
Ancient Chinese believed the day of Dragon Boat was unluchy because
mid-summer was just around the corner. The hot weather used to
bring various diseases, which could spread rampantly. Dispelling
disease and driving out evil were the main purpose of the festival.
People would paste on their front doors pictures of Zhongkui,a
legendary Chinese Since children are generally the most vulnerable
to disease, they received extra care at this special time. Children
would wear necklaces or bracelets, made of red, yellow, blue,
white and black threads, to keep evil away from them. they would
also receive colorful pouches containing fragrant herbal medicines
as presents. They hung these around their necks, and would compete
with one another to see whose pouch had the finest needlework.
Mothers also made sure to bathe their children in water boiled
with berbal medicines. Modern science has proven that these medicines
are, in fact, quite beneficial to health.
Ancient Chinese believed realgar was an antidote for all posons,
and therefore most effective to drive away evil spirits and kill
insects . So everyone would drink some realgar wine during the
Duanwu Festival ,and children would have the Chinese character
forKingwritten on their foreheads with realgar wine.
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