As a food, Yuanxiao has a long history in China. In the Song Dynasty, a novel food for the Lantern Festival was popular among the people. This kind of food was first called "Floating Yuanzi" and later called "Yuanxiao", and businessmen also called it "Yuanbao". In ancient times, the price of "Yuanxiao" was relatively expensive, and a poem said: "Guests look at the Imperial Street with a hook curtain, and the treasures in the city come at one time. "The flower stand in front of the curtain has no way to go, and no money can be returned."

The North "rolls" Yuanxiao and the South "wraps" Tangyuan, which are two foods with different practices and tastes.

There are also stories related to the Lantern Festival in modern times. Yuan Shikai is not content to be a great president, and he still wants to be an emperor. Because his dream can't come true, he is troubled all the time. One day, his aunt said that she wanted to eat Yuanxiao. As soon as the words came out, Yuan Shikai slapped her in the face. Since "Yuanxiao" and "Yuan Xiao" were homophonic, Yuan Shikai gave an order to his men, and they were not allowed to say "Yuanxiao" again, but only "Tangyuan". Later, someone wrote a doggerel on this matter: "The poem goes back to the previous dynasty, and the water floats when it is steamed and boiled." Hong Xian issued a ban that Yuanxiao was not allowed to be shouted along the street.

With the passage of time, there are more and more activities in the Lantern Festival, and many local festivals have added traditional folk performances such as playing dragon lanterns, playing lions, walking on stilts, rowing dry boats and dancing yangko, and playing Taiping drums. This traditional festival, which has been passed down for more than 2,000 years, is not only popular on both sides of the Taiwan Strait, but also celebrated year after year in areas inhabited by overseas Chinese.