At the mention of the Dragon Boat Festival, people will automatically think of Zongzi, also named "Jiao Shu" or "Tong Zong." Legend has it that after Qu Yuan drowned himself, the locals threw food into the river to commemorate his death. However, the people were told later in a dream that animals in the river had eaten most of the food. Therefore, the next time they threw rice into the river, they first wrapped it in bamboo leaves and wound it tight with colorful thread. That is the origin of today's Zongzi.
Eating Zongzi during the Dragon Boat Festival became popular during China's Wei and Jin Dynasties. Historical records indicate that Zongzi, which is named Zong and Shu, were eaten from the fifth day of the fifth month of lunar year to the Summer Solstice.
During the Tang Dynasty, Zongzi developed into a kind of gift. Since then Zongzi can be easily purchased at markets. Today, we still eat Zongzi during the Dragon Boat Festival. There are different kinds of Zongzi in different regions. In the south of China, Zongzi are stuffed with Chinese dates, chestnut and meat. In the north, Zongzi are always stuffed with Chinese dates and preserved fruit. It seems that Zongzi have become a symbol of Chinese traditional culture and become a favorite of the Chinese people.
