Commemorating poet Qu Yuan (278 BCE) — one of China's most ancient food traditions still practiced today
Glutinous rice parcels wrapped in bamboo or reed leaves for the Dragon Boat Festival (Duanwu, 5th day of 5th lunar month). Filled regionally: northern (jujube, red bean paste — sweet), southern/Cantonese (pork, egg yolk, salted egg, mushroom, shrimp — savoury). Tied in specific patterns and boiled for 2–4 hours.
Glutinous, deeply fragrant with bamboo leaf aroma, sweet or savoury filling — ritual festival flavour
{"Soaking glutinous rice 8+ hours is essential","Leaves must be blanched — softens and prevents cracking","Folding and tying technique determines shape — pyramid (northern) or log (southern)","Long boiling is essential — undercooked zong is pasty and indigestible"}
{"Cantonese savoury version: marinate pork in five spice, soy, sugar overnight","Add salted egg yolk in centre of savoury version for richness","Zong keeps refrigerated 5 days; freezes well for months"}
{"Insufficient rice soaking — leads to uneven cooking","Overfilling — rice doesn't compact properly","Under-tying — zong falls apart in boiling water"}
Every Grain of Rice — Fuchsia Dunlop