The origin of Zongzi is related to commemorating Qu Yuan. Legend has it that after Qu Yuan jumped into the river, fishermen near the Huanluo River immediately came to the rescue in fishing boats after hearing the news. In order to rescue Qu Yuan's body as soon as possible, some people used wooden boards and poles as paddles, and several people rowed a boat and rushed down the river to Dongting Lake, but they never found it.

The people here were worried that Qu Yuan’s body would be eaten by fish, so they packed rice in bamboo slips and threw it into the water for the fish to eat, so as not to hurt him. In the early years of the Eastern Han Dynasty (1st century AD), there was a man named Qu Hui in Changsha. He was sleeping during the day and dreamed that Qu Yuan said to him: "I heard that you are coming to sacrifice me. I am very grateful to you.

But "Every year, the rice that everyone throws into the water is eaten by the dragon. I hope you can stuff the bamboo tube with neem leaves and wrap it with five-color silk thread, because the dragon is afraid of these things." Aihui did as he said. This is probably the reason why every household makes rice dumplings on May 5th - the Dragon Boat Festival.

Therefore, every Dragon Boat Festival, people have the custom of eating rice dumplings and rowing dragon boats.

Extended information:

Taboos for eating zongzi:

1. Zongzi should not be eaten cold, but must be eaten hot. The main ingredient of Zongzi is glutinous rice, which contains high amylopectin. After the glutinous rice is heated, the amylopectin will gelatinize, which is conducive to being decomposed by digestive enzymes and easier to digest; but once cooled, the starch will age and regenerate, and the coagulation between molecules will be strengthened, making it difficult to be digested.

2. It is best to drink tea while eating rice dumplings to help swallowing and digestion. Eat in moderation, eat less at a time, and choose mini rice dumplings.

3. When eating rice dumplings, you should eat them with cold vegetables and fruit salad to relieve gastrointestinal discomfort.

4. The rice dumplings must be fully heated until they become soft before eating.

5. If you have stomach problems, you can choose white rice dumplings. Don’t dip them in sugar and don’t eat them too sweet.

Baidu Encyclopedia-Zongzi