Traditionally, the origin of zong’zi has been linked to the death and commemoration of the official Qu Yuan, but experts have suggested that the original prototype dates back before the Spring and Autumn Period (771-476 BCE). Still, some even proposed that the original zong’zi can be linked to the prehistoric times when our ancestors used tree leaves to wrap their food for cooking. Regardless of when the zong’zi first appeared, it is undeniable that the zong’zi has become a staple in the Dragon Boat Festival since the Jin Dynasty (266-420 CE).
Over time, people began to experiment with various fillings to pair with the glutinous rice. People in Northern China generally prefer to use red beans (whole or as a paste) or red dates as their filling. The types of fillings are more diverse in Southern China with egg yolks, chestnuts, shrimps, peanuts, and pork all being possible ingredients. All of these zong’zi can be roughly divided into two categories: sweet zong’zi and salty zong’zi. Each side has many diehard supporters, each claiming superiority over the other side.
Zong’zi also comes in all sorts of shapes and sizes. Some of the more common forms a zong’zi can take are cones, pyramids, and a pillow-like rectangular prism. The type of leaves used to wrap the glutinous rice and fillings plays a role in how the final product looks and tastes. For example, reed leaves (used mainly in Northern China) are smaller in size, so they require two to three leaves to wrap a zong’zi, while a single bamboo or rice dumpling leaf can do the trick. In some places, the Chinese mugwort is used instead, adding the special fragrance of the plant.
With at least 2500 years of history and constant innovations in the type of fillings, the zong’zi is truly a wonderful mix of the new and the old. Have you tried zong’zi before? What does zong’zi look and taste like where you’re from?
