As the Dragon Boat Festival approaches, the fragrant scent of zongzi—pyramid-shaped glutinous rice dumplings wrapped in reed or bamboo leaves—begins to drift through the streets and alleys of Huizhou. Across the city, each town and village has its own unique take on this traditional treat.
Zongzi. (Photo: Gaotan Town)
In Aobei Village, Shuikou Subdistrict, Huicheng District, there is a special variety called "A'ma Zong." Shaped into sharp-cornered tetrahedrons, these zongzi are packed with glutinous rice, pork belly, salted egg yolks, and other savory fillings. For many villagers, this is the flavor of home.
Meanwhile, in Tongqiao Town of the Zhongkai Hi-tech Industrial Development Zone, returned overseas Chinese from Vietnam prepare a special type of rectangular zongzi during the festival. These generously sized dumplings—about as long as an adult's forearm—are stuffed with mung beans, pork belly, and sticky rice, symbolizing stability and longevity.
In Huangzhou Village, Gaotan Town of Huidong County, another rare variety known as "huishui zong" (alkaline dumplings) offers a unique taste and texture. Semi-translucent with a pale golden hue, these dumplings are soft and subtly fragrant, especially when dipped in sugar or honey.
Zongzi gift box.
Not long ago, Gaotan Town hosted a cultural event to promote local zongzi traditions. Led by local enterprises, the event brought together ingredient suppliers and resulted in several procurement agreements. These partnerships are helping to standardize and scale up Huizhou's zongzi industry. Today, Gaotan zongzi is enjoyed throughout China and in Southeast Asia.
Reporter | Zhang Guowei
Photo | Liang Weichun
Editor | Wei Shen, James, Shen He
