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♥ Tuesday, August 19, 2008♥

Story behind the traditional food

1st story: Qu yuan , born in 340BC, during the warring states period was the deputy prime minister of Chu state, while drafting foreign policy, he saw the danger passed by the ambitious Qin state. At that time, there were seven states fighting among themselves to unify China. Qu Yuan proposed government reforms and a alliance with the neighboring Qi state as a way to ensure Chu's safety. But the king of Chu did not agree with his stance and Qu Yuan was finally sent into exile for 20 years. Qu Yuan watched his beloved country become weaker and weaker. On the fifth day of the lunar month, he drowned himself in the Milo river, because de despaired for his country's future. During the Duan Wu festival, the day of Qu Yuan's death, people race dragon boats to honous his memory. This festival also represents how the people of Chu tried, at that time, to recover Qu Yuan's body from the Milo river. Zong Zi the pyramid shaped dumplings were thrown in the river to feed the fish, so they would not eat Qu Yuan's body.


Another story behind the traditional food

In ancient China, agriculture was their daily life. Therefore, water was extremely important for their livelihood. People believed that the dragon was the water god that is used for agricultural cultivation. On the day of Duan Wu, people raced dragon boats to entertain the god and treat him with zong zi so that the god would grant them a year of favourable weather.




The symbolism for Zong Zi is...........

Zong Zi wraps up a meal in one


my donut-addict STOPS!