1. Why eat rice dumplings

People in Jiangnan have always had the custom of eating "five yellows" during the Dragon Boat Festival. The "five yellows" include yellow croaker, cucumber, salted egg yolk, realgar wine and eel. It is said that "drinking realgar wine will make all diseases go away."

The Dragon Boat Festival is one of the four major festivals throughout the year. May is the poisonous month, the fifth day is the poisonous day, and the noon on the fifth day is the poisonous time, ranking at the top of the three poisons. The Dragon Boat Festival is also called "May Dragon Boat Festival". May is the beginning of the hot weather. The five venomous snakes become active and ghosts and monsters become rampant. These will bring disaster to people, especially children who are unscrupulous and unable to resist. We must concentrate on this day at the end of May. To prevent disasters and viruses for children, people also call the end of May as "Children's Day" or "Doll's Day".

There are many activities during the Dragon Boat Festival, which start at dawn in the morning and last until noon.

On the morning of the end of May, every family eats rice dumplings to commemorate Qu Yuan. They usually wrap the rice dumplings the day before, cook them at night, and eat them in the morning. Zongzi is mainly made of tender reed leaves that are abundant along river ponds. Bamboo leaves are also used, collectively called zongzi leaves. The traditional form of rice dumplings is triangular, and they are generally named according to the inner pulp. Those made with glutinous rice are called rice dumplings, those with adzuki beans mixed in rice are called adzuki rice dumplings, and those mixed with red dates are called jujube rice dumplings. At most, children who want to study can get the top prize early by eating it. In the past, scholars would eat jujube rice dumplings in the morning on the day they took the imperial examination. Today, parents also make jujube rice dumplings for candidates to eat on the morning of the entrance exams for middle schools and universities.

Be sure to boil eggs in the pot for cooking rice dumplings, and if possible, boil some duck eggs and goose eggs. After eating sweet rice dumplings dipped in sugar, you should eat eggs dipped in salt to top them off. It is said that eating boiled eggs in the rice dumpling pot in May will prevent you from getting sores in the summer; putting duck eggs and goose eggs boiled in the rice dumpling pot in the sun at noon for a while before eating will prevent headaches throughout the summer.

2. What to eat during the Dragon Boat Festival in the South

1. Fujian

The family banquet of the Dragon Boat Festival in Fuzhou must be at noon, and there must be rice dumplings, realgar wine, Lotus leaf buns, rice noodles and meat, etc. After the family dinner, children wear new clothes, red bellybands, and uniquely shaped and brightly colored sachets made of mothballs wrapped in various colored silk threads, such as rice dumplings and lanterns. They also wash calamus soup, and some children even have to put it in their mouths and noses. A piece of realgar smoked fat is stuck between them, and then the adults take them to the riverside to watch the dragon boat race.

In Jinjiang, Fujian, every household eats "Jiandui" during the Dragon Boat Festival. The so-called jiandui is made of flour, rice flour or sweet potato flour and other ingredients into a thick paste, and then fried into a large piece in a pan. Legend has it that in ancient times, it was the rainy season in southern Fujian before the Dragon Boat Festival, and it rained continuously. Folks said that God had penetrated a hole and wanted to "repair the sky." After eating "Jiandui" during the Dragon Boat Festival, the rain stopped, and people said that the sky was repaired. This food custom comes from this.

2. Chongqing

Chongqing is known as the "Land of Bayu". The so-called "Ba" means snake. In ancient times, Chongqing people worshiped snakes and worshiped snakes as totems. In the past, snakes were not edible, but since the 1980s, Chongqing people have chosen to cook snake soup on the Dragon Boat Festival of the year and eat it to protect themselves.

The main reason why people in Chongqing eat snakes is the influence of fertility culture. Snakes are a symbol of totem worship. Women believe that after eating snakes, they will reproduce. Similar to "There is a daughter of the Tai family, Jiang?, There is a legend that Hou Ji was born after stepping on the footprints of a giant. Others also believe that after eating a snake, their ancestors will enter the body and be with them. However, snakes cannot be killed indiscriminately, nor can they be cooked at home. Usually, a pot of snake soup is cooked on the threshing floor and shared by the whole village.

3. Guangxi

In southern Guangxi, such as Ningming, Chongzuo, Longzhou and other places, during the Dragon Boat Festival, cool brown rice dumplings are wrapped, called "grey water rice dumplings". Before making rice dumplings, go to the mountains and cut down some branches and leaves of trees such as the neem tree. When they are half dry in the sun, they are piled on the ground and burned. The ashes are then put into a bamboo container and rinsed with clean water. Finally, use the filtered brown water to soak the prepared glutinous rice.

After soaking, the glutinous rice will reveal a unique fragrance of plant ash in the original aroma. The rice dumplings will be light yellow or brown after being cooked.

4. Guangdong

Guangdong rice dumplings are the representative variety of southern rice dumplings. They are larger in size and unique in shape, like a cone. There are many varieties, including egg yolk rice dumplings, assorted rice dumplings, roasted duck rice dumplings, etc., which have a unique southern flavor and have long been famous. Chaozhou's double-spliced ??rice dumplings are a style of their own, with salty ingredients on one side and sweet ingredients on the other, so there are two flavors in one rice dumpling, so it's called "double-spliced ??rice dumplings".

In Conghua County, people wash their eyes with burning talisman water at noon on the Dragon Boat Festival and then splash it on the road, which is called "sending disaster". During the Dragon Boat Festival in Xinxing County, people from nearby temples advocated the parade of gods and goddesses. The wizard also uses dharma water and amulets to drive away evil spirits. During the Dragon Boat Festival in Shicheng County, children fly kites, which is called "flying disaster".

5. Jiangsu

On the Dragon Boat Festival, Yangzhou people enjoy eating "Twelve Reds". Which "Twelve Reds"? Braised fish, braised pork, braised chicken, braised old goose, braised cucumber, braised lettuce, braised radish, sword beans, amaranth, salted duck eggs, mustard mustard, braised vermicelli or vermicelli.

Besides the "Twelve Reds", there are many more. For example, on this day, those who open bathrooms use calamus and mugwort leaves to boil water. Calamus and mugwort leaves are put in the pool. The water emits a burst of fragrance, which invigorates the spirit and makes the whole body refreshed and fragrant. It is known as "washing mugwort water". Some bathrooms with this custom still exist today.

Common people also buy calamus and mugwort leaves and stick them on the door. It is said that they can drive away plague and eliminate filth.

6. Anhui

Zongzi are eaten during the Dragon Boat Festival in both urban and rural areas across Anhui Province. Zongzi are gifts given by relatives and neighbors. "Dragon Boat Festival" is also eaten in the Huaining area in western Anhui. This kind of Dragon Boat Festival cake is made of refined flour and fermented rice wine, placed on green paulownia leaves or lotus leaves, fermented and then steamed. It has a sweet, fragrant and unique flavor. In Hexian area, during the festival lunch, which is called "Shanghai Wu", one has to drink ale and eat meat dishes such as anchovies and dried goose. At noon, chopsticks are placed in the court to check whether it is noon.

In Dangtu area, people eat rice dumplings and "five red" dishes, namely shrimp, eel, salted duck eggs, amaranth, and realgar wine. In some places, they fry broad beans for children to eat on this day, saying that they are "fried insects and ants" so that the children will not be disturbed by insects and mosquitoes. There is a proverb in the Shucheng area of ??Liu'an in western Anhui: "Eat an apricot during the Dragon Boat Festival and you will not get sick when you are old; eat a peach at the Dragon Boat Festival and you will not have to worry about it when you are old."

7. Zhejiang

Jiaxing rice dumplings in Zhejiang have a long history. Jiaxing rice dumplings are rectangular and include fresh meat, bean paste, eight treasures, chicken rice dumplings and other varieties. In many places in Chun'an, in addition to eating rice dumplings, more places eat steamed buns and other pasta. Because during the Dragon Boat Festival, it is when the local wheat matures. In the past, the conditions were not good and there were many children, so in time for the Dragon Boat Festival, wheat flour was used to make steamed buns. Steamed buns are the best, and they can only be eaten during the Dragon Boat Festival.

In some places, eating eggs, killing chickens, and killing ducks is also a way to eat better during the festival and eat something that is rarely available in normal times. As an old saying in Ningbo goes, "If you are busy, don't forget the yellow in May." In the past, during the Dragon Boat Festival, Ningbo people always ate "five yellow and six white" to celebrate the festival. Every year on the Dragon Boat Festival, the housewife gets up very early and boils garlic and eggs prepared in advance for breakfast for the family.

What to eat during the Dragon Boat Festival in the South? There are also some Dragon Boat Festival delicacies in the south that have local characteristics. The editor will introduce them to you below.

8. Shanghai

When Shanghai people celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival, the customs they pay attention to are similar to those in the Jiangnan area. There is a folk custom of eating "five yellow" during the Dragon Boat Festival in the south of the Yangtze River. "Five Yellows" refers to eel, yellow croaker, cucumber, salted egg yolk and realgar wine.

There is also a saying about the Dragon Boat Festival, which is called: "On May 5th, five yellows and three whites celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival." May is also called the five yellow months, so during the Dragon Boat Festival, you should eat realgar wine, yellow croaker, cucumber, eel and salted duck egg yolk. ; Also eat wild rice, salted duck egg protein, and white cut meat. In addition, you should also eat "Yihong", which refers to Khancai (the vegetable soup will be red after being stir-fried with garlic).

9. Hubei

Before the Dragon Boat Festival, married daughters in Zigui County, Hubei Province basically rush back to their parents’ homes to celebrate the festival. This is a major local custom. In Jiuwanxi Village, many houses posted Dragon Boat Festival couplets and hung moxa leaves and calamus on their doors. Everyone sat around making rice dumplings, boiling salted eggs, making realgar wine, talking and laughing, and were very busy.

Bahe Town in Huanggang City welcomes Nuo people during the Dragon Boat Festival, with flower crown tattoos and gold medals to ward off epidemics. The Dragon Boat Festival in Zigui County, Yichang City is particularly popular on May 13th, 14th and 15th. There are also activities such as offering sacrifices and summoning spirits to commemorate Dr. Qu. On this day, there is also the custom of bathing children with water. Put it in the sun in a basin of water, and when the water is hot, give the child a bath. It is said that it can wash away dirt and diseases. May 15th is also called the "Big Dragon Boat Festival", and May 25th is also called the "Duanyang Festival". People eat rice dumplings and drink Pujiu, the same as the Dragon Boat Festival.

10. Hunan

The customs of the Dragon Boat Festival along the Miluo River include hosting a family banquet, eating rice dumplings, hanging mugwort and hanging calamus, drinking realgar wine, racing dragon boats, watching dragon boats, returning to one's parents' home, and saying goodbye. In addition to the Dragon Boat Festival, there are also dragon and worship customs with unique cultural connotations such as stealing sacred wood, carving dragon heads, singing praises, launching dragon boats into the water, making red dragon heads, and going to temples. "As good as the May Boat" and many other Dragon Boat Festival ballads.

On Dragon Boat Festival, people in Phoenix also have the custom of drinking realgar wine and eating rice dumplings. It is said that drinking realgar wine can attract poison. Children who cannot drink it will write the character "王" on their foreheads, which also indicates that it attracts poison. The custom of sending rice dumplings is a multiple of 6, which means good luck!

11. Jiangxi

In the Nanchang area of ??Jiangxi, boiled tea eggs and salted eggs are eaten during the Dragon Boat Festival. Eggs include chicken eggs, duck eggs, and goose eggs. The eggshell is painted red, packed in colorful mesh bags, and hung around the child's neck, which means to wish the child good luck and safety.

Jianchang Prefecture in Jiangxi Province uses Baicao water to bathe during the Wu Festival to prevent scabies. Xinchang County drinks it with realgar and cinnabar wine, which is called "eye-opening".