Foods for Qingming Festival (Tomb-Sweeping Day)

As Qingming (“tomb sweeping”) Festival and Cold Food Festival are on the same day, people in some places still have the custom of eating cold food during ... FoodsforQingmingFestival(Tomb-SweepingDay)2015-03-12Differentplaceshavedifferent foodsforQingmingFestival.AsQingming(“tombsweeping”) FestivalandColdFoodFestivalareonthesameday,peopleinsomeplacesstill havethecustomofeatingcoldfood duringQingmingFestival.InJimoof Shandong,peopleeateggsandcoldcake;inLaiyang,ZhaoyuanandChangdaoof Shandong,peopleeateggsandcoldbroomcorn.InTai’an,peopleeatcoldpancake withchicory.ItissaidthateatingQingming Festivalfoodcanmakepeople’seyesbrighter.IncentralShanxi,peopledonot evenusefireforonedaybeforeQingmingFestival.InsouthShanxiProvince, peopleusuallyeatsteamedbreadforQingmingFestival.Thebreadismadeinto theshapeofadragonwithwalnuts,datesandbeansinside.Aneggisstuckin thecentralpartofthedragon,whichiscalledzifu(“goodluckfortheson”). Averylargezifushouldbecookedtorepresentfamilyreunificationand happiness,aswellastooffersacrificetodeceasedancestors.Aftersweeping thetomb,thewholefamilydividesandeatsthezifu.Accordingtoanoldcustom inShanghai,peoplecollectedthesteamedconfectionsinwickerbasketsand driedthemforasacrificeofferingceremony.OnthedayofLixia(beginningof summer),thecandieswouldbefriedinoilforchildren.Itissaidthateating thefoodonLixiacanhelpchildrenpreventsummerfever.InShanghai,peopleeatgreenrice ballsduringQingmingFestival.Peoplemixthebrome-grassjuicewithglutinous riceflourandmakethemintoballswithsweetenedbeanpasteandjujubepaste asstuffing.Then,theballsareplacedonreedleavesandsteamedinsteamers. Thecookedballsaregreenandfragrant.Itisthemostseasonable food duringQingmingFestivalinShanghai.InShanghai,somepeoplelike eatingpeach-blossomporridgeonQingmingFestivalanduseanchovyforsweeping tombsandfordinners.InHuzhouofZhejiang,peoplemake zongzi(akindofpyramid-shapeddumplingmadeofglutinousricewrappedinreed leaves)athomefortombsweeping.Theycanalsobringzongziforhiking.Asthe sayinggoes,“InQingming,zongziisthemajorfood.”AroundthetimeofQingming,snails areveryfat.Thereisaproverb,“AsnailinQingmingisasbigasagoose.”In ruralfamilies,peoplehavethecustomofeatingsnails during the QingmingFestival.Ontheday,peoplepickoutthesnailfleshwith needlesforcooking,whichiscalledtiaoqing.Then,theythrowthesnailshells ontheroofsandthesoundofshellsrollingontheroofcandrivemiceaway. Withoutmice,peoplecanraisesilkwormsathomeafterQingming Festival. DuringtheQingmingFestival,communityfeastsareusuallyheld andfamiliesofthesameancestralhallsgathertogetherforthefeast.For peoplewithnoancestralhall,familieswiththesamegreatgrandfathergather togetherforthefeasts.Thedishesforthefeastsaremainlyfish,meat,tofu andvegetables.Theyalsodrinkhomemadeliquor.InHeshanTownofTongxiangin ZhejiangProvince,thereisasaying,“QingmingFestivalisasimportantasthe SpringFestival.”Atnight,afamilyusuallyhasareuniondinnerwith traditionaldishesincludingfriedsnails,glutinousriceinlotusroots,faya dou(beanswithbuds),andmalantou(akindofwildgreenvegetable).Actually, thesedishesarerelatedtosilkwormcultivation.Peoplethrowthesnailshells ontheroofsandthesoundofshellsrollingontheroofcoulddrivemiceaway. Otherwormswouldinhabittheshellsandwouldnotgoouttoharmsilkworms. Eatinglotusrootsimpliesthehopethatthesilkwormscanproduceplentyof high-qualitysilk.Fayadouimpliesthemeaningofbecomingrichasfayais similarwithfajia(becomingarichfamily)inChinese.Source:ConfuciusInstituteOnline北京旅游网SharetowechatxASatisfyingJourneyforTasteBudsOne-DayTourARelaxingTouralongNorthCanal&UniversalBeijingResortHotRecommendSubwayinBeijing