Historical origins of mochi and hand-held noodles
The sticky rice is called mochi, and the rice cake is made of late rice. It is the custom of Xinchang folk to make mochi at Qingming and rice cake at New Year. In the past, it was customary to share the mochi when visiting the grave of Taigong at Qingming. It was the turn of the priest to make preparations in advance, to be swept points, in front of the grave altar on the spot according to the people to share the mochi. The folk said "Qingming take mochi, see the head of the sub-mochi" said out of this. Xinchang County Records: "the clan's Taigong grave, grave sweepers more than ...... after the sacrificial meal, sub-granting meat and mochi." After the founding of the People's Republic of China, Qingming sub-mochi habit has been rare, but the Qingming Festival to do mochi is more common. However, the meaning of mochi is not only for grave-sweeping. In Xinchang, there is also the custom of sending mochi on Qingming. This is a kind of etiquette before the marriage of two families after the marriage. This custom has been popular in the rural areas all over the county since a long time ago. This is also true in the rural areas neighboring Shengzhou and Xinchang. When a family wants to marry a daughter-in-law, the male family usually sends Qingming mochi to the female family before the Qingming Festival, which is a sign that the new daughter-in-law will come to marry before the next Qingming Festival. After the daughter is married, the parents of the female family to the Qingming Festival and have to send back to the male family Qingming mochi. It is said that this is to wish the two young married couple days can live a glutinous nourishing, sweet.