Eating Zongzi (also known as "glutinous rice dumplings") is a tradition to celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival. On June 1, Guangdong Technion - Israel Institute of Technology held a Zongzi DIY activity on campus. Through the festive event, participants know more about Chinese folk customs and Chaoshan cuisine.

Chaoshan-style Zongzi is one of the traditional local delicacies. It contains both sweet and savory fillings. The savory part includes pork belly, small shrimps, spiced glutinous rice, lard, dried mushrooms and salted duck egg. For the sweet part, the protagonists are the sweet red bean paste and glutinous rice embellished with ginkgo, leaving a touch of sweetness between lips and teeth.

Zheng Shaojun, the founder of Lao Chaoxing and the provincial intangible heritage inheritor of Kueh, introduced the culture of Chaoshan Zongzi to the teachers and students, explained the methods of making it and demonstrated the steps. 

The steps are as follows. Layer two bamboo leaves together with the smooth surface inwards and the rough side outwards. Hold the leaf stalk, then fold the tip of the leaf upwards into a V shape. Press the bottom edge of the V shape with the thumb and fold the leaf into a funnel shape. Leave about 1/5 of the leaf tip and petiole. Put the fillings in, compact them. and fold it into a triangle along the edge of the funnel. Fold the extra leaves to one side of the Zongzi, and gently press it into a tetrahedron. Finally, secure the shape of the Zongzi with a twine.

The teachers and students were eager to make Zongzi by themselves. Take the leaves, fill the glutinous rice, put the fillings, tie the rope... all the participants enjoyed a great time making lovely and exquisite Zongzi with their hands. 

After the DIY session, everyone could not only bring back their own fruits, but also tasted the authentic Zongzi made by professional masters there.

"This is my first time celebrating the Dragon Boat Festival in China. I think it is a very unique festival. I am very excited and happy to participate in this event, and it also enables me to learn about the culture of traditional Chinese festival." Raanan Adin, Senior Consultant to Vice-President for Innovation and Industry Relations of GTIIT, said.

Huang Lei, one of the GTIIT students participated in this activity, said that making Zongzi was very interesting, and he learned about the unique culture, too. "I got to know that wrapping leaves have smooth and rough surfaces. This is also my first time making Zongzi. Now I know how to wrap it into a triangle."

Text: Zhan Tianrui, GTIIT News & Public Affairs

Photos: Zhong Haoran, GTIIT News & Public Affairs