Zongzi(粽子): Bite into a Traditional Dragon Boat Festival Treat

Have you ever tasted zongzi? If not, you’re missing out on a delicious rice dish packed with savory fillings and cultural significance.

Zongzi are pyramid-shaped dumplings made of glutinous rice wrapped in bamboo or reed leaves. They are a traditional food eaten during the Dragon Boat Festival in early June to commemorate the death of Qu Yuan, a famous Chinese poet.

So what’s inside those intriguing little leaf packets? Sticky rice, of course, gives zongzi their characteristic chewy texture. The rice absorbs the subtle fragrance of the leaves as it cooks. Meat fillings such as pork belly, chicken, duck or egg yolk are also commonly used. For a sweet treat, red bean paste or dates are popular options.

Cooking zongzi is an art form. Glutinous rice is wrapped around the fillings, then folded into a triangular shape and securely tied with string. They are then boiled for several hours until the rice becomes tender. The result is a bundle bursting with umami flavors from the marriage of meats and aromatics with nutty rice.

Zongzi in North China

Beijing Zongzi

Beijing Zongzi is the representative of northern zongzi, which are characterized by their large size and oblique quadrangular or triangular shape.

There are three main types of Beijing rice zongzi:

The first is the white zongzi made purely from glutinous rice, which is steamed and dipped in sugar or honey;

The second type is the small date dumpling, which is filled with dates and dried fruit;

The third type is bean paste zongzi, which are relatively rare.

Shaanxi Honey Rice Zongzi

Henan zongzi

Zongzi in South China

Jiaxing meat Zongzi

Guangdong zongzi

Yunnan Bamboo Zongzi

Fujian Roasted Pork Zongzi

Sichuan Spicy Zongzi

Common Questions about Zongzi

What is zongzi Chinese?

In Chinese, zongzi literally means “rice dumpling.” It is a traditional dish eaten during the Dragon Boat Festival.

Is zongzi a tamale?

Zongzi is similar to a tamale as both contain fillings wrapped in a starchy dough and leaf wrapper. However, zongzi is a traditional Chinese dumpling made of sticky rice whereas tamales originate from Mexico and Central America and use corn dough.

What is zongzi filled with?

Zongzi fillings are usually red bean paste, juicy pork belly, Chinese sausage, chicken, duck egg yolk or chestnuts. Both sweet and savory versions are common.