Weboughtgrandpa'sfavoritegifttocelebratehisbirthday.MycousinLelearrivedatmygrandfather'shouseearlyandcalledtourgeus:"areyoustillhere?"
"It'salmosthere.It'sonitsway."Isaidonmymother'scellphone.Wouldyouhurryupyourmotorcycle?Mybrotherisinahurry!
Whenwearrivedatmygrandfather'shouse,wewishedhimahappybirthday.Mybrotheralsobroughthisbelovedaccordionandperformedabeautifulsong"IloveTiananmenSquareinBeijing"forus.Asforme,IperformedSwanDanceandsangafewsongs.Mysisteralsoreportedandsang.Atthebeginning,weperformedourfavoriteprogramsonebyone.Later,mybrotherappearedineveryprogram.Hewasdancingwithme.Itwassolively!
Grandpapreparedfragrantricedumplingsforus,andthereweremanydeliciousfood.MybrotherandsisterandIateanddrank.Thefoodwasreallydelicious!
Wehadareallygoodtimetoday.
Grandmaalsowrappedupzongzi.Itookouttwolargeandsmallzongzileavesinthewayofgrandma,foldedacornerinthewayofgrandma,putabitofsoakedglutinousriceonthefoldedcornercylinder,stuffedalargepieceoffatpork,andcoveredittightlywithglutinousrice.Ibegantofeelalittlecomplacent,thinking:asimplezongzican'thelpthesmartme.ButwhenIcoveredthericedumplingsagain,theglutinousricedidn'tlistentomelikeanaughtychildandjumpedoutoneafteranother.Iwasasanxiousasantsonahotpot.Fortunately,mygrandmotherhelpedmeoutbyremovingsomestickyrice.Iwasrelievedandaheavystoneinmyheartwasputdown.Aftersomesmallsetbacks,Ifinallygottothelaststep-tyingthepalmrope.Thezongzihadtobewrappedtightlybeforetheytastedgood.SoItookthepalmropeandtiedthezongziroundandround.ThenIgaveittograndma.Atthistime,Irealizedthatmakingzongziwasacraft.Itwasverydifficulttowrapit.
ButthistimeIlearnedhowtomakezongzi,nottomentionhowhappyIam!
Thefestivalisbestknownforitsdragon-boatraces,especiallyinthesouthernplaceswheretherearemanyriversandlakes.It'sverypopular.
Thericedumplingismadeofglutinousrice,meatandsoon.Youcaneatdifferentkindsofricedumplings.Theyareverydelicious.AndDragonBoatFestivalisforQuYuan.Heisanhonestministerwhoissaidtohavecommittedsuicidebydrowninghimselfinariver.
Overall,theDragonBoatFestivalisveryinteresting!
TheDragonBoatFestivalisoneofthreemajorChineseholidays,alongwiththeSpringandMoonFestivals.Ofthethree,itispossiblytheoldest,datingbacktotheWarringStatesPeriodin227B.C.ThefestivalcommemoratesQuYuan,aministerintheserviceoftheChuEmperor.Despairingovercorruptionatcourt,Quthrewhimselfintoariver.Townspeoplejumpedintotheirboatsandtriedinvaintosavehim.Then,hopingtodistracthungryfishfromhisbody,thepeoplescatteredriceonthewater.
Overtheyears,thestoryofQu'sdemisetransformedintothetraditionsofracingdragonboatsandeatingzongzi–akindofricewrappedinbambooleaves.Theraceshavecertainlycapturedtheimaginationofpeoplefromallovertheworld.Everyspringtherearenearly60dragonboatracesheldoutsideofChinaincitiesfromVancouvertoSydney,fromGdańsk,PolandtoCapeTown,SouthAfrica.Canadaalonehasnearly50dragonboatteamsandGermanyhasnearly30.
SowhatisitabouttheDragonBoatFestivalthatappealstoforeigners?“It'sanunusualsport,”saysoneracerfromGermany.“It'snotlikeeverybody'sdoingit.That'soneofthereasonsthatthere'ssuchgreatteamspiritinadragonboatteam–everybodyfeelslikewe'redoingsomethingspecial.”Andwhataboutthezongzi?“Ehhh,they'renotbad,Iguess,”hesays.“Somethingofanacquiredtaste.Ijusthaven'treallyacquiredityet.”
Inevermadezongzi,soIsaidtomymother,"Mom,Ican'tmakezongzi.Canyouteachme?"Mothersaid,"OK,it'sgoodtomakezongzi,butit'sdifficulttomakezongziatthebeginning.Youhavetobepatient.First,foldthetwobambooleavesintoafunnelshape.Notethatyoushouldrollthemastightlyaspossible,otherwisericewillleakwhencooking."Ifollowedmymothertomakethericedumplingleavesintoafunnel.
"Thenaddglutinousrice,butdon'tfillittoofull.Ifyouliketoeatredzongzi,youcanputoneortwosmallreddatesinit."
"Beforesealing,sprinklesomewaterontheglutinousrice,andthencovertherestofthezongzileavesonthebigmouthofthefunnel.Nowthezongzihasbecomeatriangularcone,andthenwrapthezongzitightlywiththerestofthezongzileaves.Finally,tiethezongzitightlywitharopeorMalanleaves."Thisstepisverycritical.Itiseasytosaybutdifficulttodo.Thelittlericedumplingleafisverynaughty.Itjustdoesn'tlistentomeand"teases"meforalongtime.WhenIwantedtowrapthezongzitightly,therewasalwaysriceleakingoutofit.IwassoangrythatIcriedout.Finally,undertheguidanceofmymother,Iwrappedazongziwithgreatefforts.Althoughtheshapedoesn'tlookverybeautiful,thisisoneofmybags.
Next,let'sstartcookingzongzi.Firstplacethezongzineatlyinthepot,pressthepotcurtainonthezongzi,andthenputabasinofwateronthepotcurtain.Finally,pourwateralongtheedgeofthepotandcookitoverhighheatfor40minutes.Thefragrantzongziwillcomeoutofthepot.
OnthemorningoftheDragonBoatFestival,mymothertiedcolorfulthreadstomeandtoldmenottobreakordiscardthematwill,butonlyinthefirstrainaftertheDragonBoatFestival.Mymotheralsotoldmetheoriginofthemulticoloredthread,whichsymbolizesthemulticoloreddragon.Itcansubdueghostsandtakeawayalldiseases.Wealsoplantedwormwoodatthedoorandhungpapergourds,whichfilledthehousewithafestiveatmosphere.
Afterallthisworkinthemorning,today'sprotagonist,zongzi,finallyappeared!Thewhitezongzidippedinwhitesugarisreallyfragrantandsweet,softandsticky,anddelicious.
May5istheDragonBoatFestival.Thedoorisfullofincense.Eatzongzi,sprinklesugar,andletthedragonboatgointothewaterhappily.