A brief introduction to the historical allusions of glutinous rice balls

1. The origin of glutinous rice balls

It is said that glutinous rice balls originated in the Song Dynasty. A novel food that emerged in Mingzhou at that time, it was stuffed with black sesame and lard, a little sugar was added, and the outside was rolled into a round shape with glutinous rice flour. After cooking, it tasted sweet, soft and glutinous, and left an endless aftertaste. At the same time, glutinous rice balls symbolize family reunion, and eating glutinous rice balls also means family happiness and reunion in the new year, so it is a must-have delicacy during the Lantern Festival on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month.

2. The legend of glutinous rice balls

According to legend, there was a palace maid named "Yuanxiao" in the palace of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty. She stayed in the palace for many years, missing her parents and crying all day long. .

Minister Dongfang Shuo was determined to help her, so he lied to Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty that the God of Fire was ordered by the Jade Emperor to burn Chang'an on the 15th day of the first lunar month. The only way to escape the disaster was to let the "Yuanxiao Girl" in On the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, many glutinous rice balls, which the God of Fire loves to eat, are made and all the subjects light up lanterns to worship them. Emperor Wu got it right, and "Yanxiao Girl" finally met her family. Since then, the Lantern Festival has been formed.

Tangyuan culture

Eating glutinous rice balls is a traditional custom of the Han people, especially popular in Jiangnan. There is a saying among the people that "eating glutinous rice balls makes you one year older". Chen Zhisui's poem "Tangyuan" says: "Every winter solstice, every family cooks, and one year old is added, knowing that there is nothing." A popular saying in Ningbo goes: "Every family in Ningbo pound rice and make glutinous rice balls, and they are content and happy for another day."

< p>Hu Bingyan also wrote a poem: "The fragrant glutinous rice is used to make glutinous rice balls, and the boiling water floats with silver, wealth and salt. The entrance is sweet and smooth, and the whole family is happy and drunk forever." "Ningbo glutinous rice balls" is an essential food, which is made from glutinous rice flour. It is a round dessert, and "yuan" means "reunion" and "completeness". Eating glutinous rice balls during festivals symbolizes family harmony and auspiciousness, so glutinous rice balls are also called "Fu Yuanzi".

On the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, "Ningbo glutinous rice balls" have been used as a food in my country for the Lantern Festival. This kind of food was first called "Fu Yuanzi" and later "Tangyuan", also known as Yuanxiao. "Tangyuan" is filled with sesame, bean paste, walnut kernels, nuts, jujube paste, etc., and is wrapped into a round shape with glutinous rice flour. Meat or vegetarian, with different flavors. It can be boiled in soup, fried or steamed, and has the meaning of happy reunion.