JessiccaThe day of the dumplings - honour
June 19th 2007 02:08
Today marks the 5th day of the 5th lunar month in rememberance of the once patriotic poet and stateman.
Below is an article about the celebrations of this day and how Malaysians celebrate them and the history of this celebration.
Delicacy in honour of a poet and stateman
Malaysia’s multiculturalism is evident, especially from the festivals we celebrate every year. Do you know that there is usually a unique dish synonymous with each of the celebrations? Today, we bring you chang, a dish the Chinese community savour during the Dumpling Festival
By ESTHER CHANDRAN
Photos by CHUA KOK HWA
ALTHOUGH the pyramid-shaped dumplings, wrapped in bamboo leaves, are available throughout the year, it is during the Chang Festival – also known as Duan Wu or Dragon Boat Festival – that members of the Chinese community especially look forward to savouring the sticky glutinous rice delicacy.
Some cooks fashion the Chinese rice dumplings or zongzi (tsung tzu) in tetrahedral or cylindrical shapes, filling the packets with a variety of ingredients covered by the soy sauce-stained rice grains before popping the tightly wrapped dumplings into a pot of boiling water, while others prefer to steam the packets.
Apart from the popular savoury dumplings, there are also plain rice dumplings and sweet rice dumplings with red bean paste filling. Both these varieties are a yellow colour as the glutinous rice is treated with alkali water.
The dumplings are traditionally relished for the Dragon Boat Festival, which is celebrated on the fifth day of the fifth moon of the Chinese calendar.
How it started
There is quite an interesting story to its origin.
The very patriotic poet and statesman Qu Yuan (340-278 BC), from the ruling house of Chu, tried to warn the Emperor and fellow court members of the impending expansionism into the state by the Qins.
His warnings were not heeded.
In 278 BC, the Qin Dynasty general Bai Qi invaded the Chu kingdom’s capital Yingdu, and the fall of the Chu Kingdom upset Qu Yuan (Chu Yuan) terribly.
So overcome with grief was the much-respected poet that he jumped into the Miluo River and drowned.
Qu Yuan’s poetic thoughts are reflected in poems he penned on the affairs of the time, before he departed this life.
On learning that Qu Yuan had drowned, fishermen went out in their boats to retrieve his body, but they found no trace of it.
According to the legend, rice dumplings were thrown into the river to lure the fish away from Qu Yuan’s body while fishermen beat drums and gongs to protect the body from being eaten by the fish or demons of the murky waters.
Apparently, the boats were carved to look like fierce dragons with paddles splashing fast in the river to scare away the fish.
Another version has it that rice and other food was thrown into the river so that Qu Yuan’s soul would not go hungry in the afterlife. However, he appeared in a dream to say that the fish were eating the offerings, so people began wrapping the food in little packages so that the fish could not get at it.
The poet’s patriotic act is still remembered to this day, and celebrated rather elaborately in many Asian countries.
It is believed that the Dragon Boat Festival and races owe their birth to the poet’s demise.
Today, the races take place worldwide –in Singapore, Taiwan, Malaysia, South Africa, Canada, US, Japan, Thailand, China, Hong Kong, Macau, United Kingdom, Slovakia, Hungary and other countries.
Most people are aware of the legend behind the Chang Festival but the dawn of the festival, does not automatically bring to mind Qu Yuan’s patriotic act, it does however to mind the aromatic savoury and sticky rice delight.
This year, the Chang Festival is celebrated today.
Below is an article about the celebrations of this day and how Malaysians celebrate them and the history of this celebration.
Delicacy in honour of a poet and stateman
Malaysia’s multiculturalism is evident, especially from the festivals we celebrate every year. Do you know that there is usually a unique dish synonymous with each of the celebrations? Today, we bring you chang, a dish the Chinese community savour during the Dumpling Festival
Photos by CHUA KOK HWA
ALTHOUGH the pyramid-shaped dumplings, wrapped in bamboo leaves, are available throughout the year, it is during the Chang Festival – also known as Duan Wu or Dragon Boat Festival – that members of the Chinese community especially look forward to savouring the sticky glutinous rice delicacy.
Some cooks fashion the Chinese rice dumplings or zongzi (tsung tzu) in tetrahedral or cylindrical shapes, filling the packets with a variety of ingredients covered by the soy sauce-stained rice grains before popping the tightly wrapped dumplings into a pot of boiling water, while others prefer to steam the packets.
Apart from the popular savoury dumplings, there are also plain rice dumplings and sweet rice dumplings with red bean paste filling. Both these varieties are a yellow colour as the glutinous rice is treated with alkali water.
The dumplings are traditionally relished for the Dragon Boat Festival, which is celebrated on the fifth day of the fifth moon of the Chinese calendar.
Festive treat: The Chinese Rice Dumplings are a treat savoured especially on the Chang Festival.
How it started
There is quite an interesting story to its origin.
The very patriotic poet and statesman Qu Yuan (340-278 BC), from the ruling house of Chu, tried to warn the Emperor and fellow court members of the impending expansionism into the state by the Qins.
His warnings were not heeded.
In 278 BC, the Qin Dynasty general Bai Qi invaded the Chu kingdom’s capital Yingdu, and the fall of the Chu Kingdom upset Qu Yuan (Chu Yuan) terribly.
So overcome with grief was the much-respected poet that he jumped into the Miluo River and drowned.
Qu Yuan’s poetic thoughts are reflected in poems he penned on the affairs of the time, before he departed this life.
On learning that Qu Yuan had drowned, fishermen went out in their boats to retrieve his body, but they found no trace of it.
According to the legend, rice dumplings were thrown into the river to lure the fish away from Qu Yuan’s body while fishermen beat drums and gongs to protect the body from being eaten by the fish or demons of the murky waters.
Apparently, the boats were carved to look like fierce dragons with paddles splashing fast in the river to scare away the fish.
Another version has it that rice and other food was thrown into the river so that Qu Yuan’s soul would not go hungry in the afterlife. However, he appeared in a dream to say that the fish were eating the offerings, so people began wrapping the food in little packages so that the fish could not get at it.
The poet’s patriotic act is still remembered to this day, and celebrated rather elaborately in many Asian countries.
It is believed that the Dragon Boat Festival and races owe their birth to the poet’s demise.
Today, the races take place worldwide –in Singapore, Taiwan, Malaysia, South Africa, Canada, US, Japan, Thailand, China, Hong Kong, Macau, United Kingdom, Slovakia, Hungary and other countries.
Most people are aware of the legend behind the Chang Festival but the dawn of the festival, does not automatically bring to mind Qu Yuan’s patriotic act, it does however to mind the aromatic savoury and sticky rice delight.
This year, the Chang Festival is celebrated today.
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aw... you are so sweet for refering it from your website.
Have a blessed day.
^_^