How much do you know about the origin and legend of tangyuan?

Mondo Culture Updated on 2024-02-21

As a traditional food with profound cultural connotations, the origin and legend of tangyuan are closely related to traditional festivals and history in China.

Origin: 1Historical origins: The history of tangyuan can be traced back to the pre-Qin period, when Mingzhou (now Ningbo, Zhejiang Province) had a round dessert made of glutinous rice flour, which was eaten during the winter solstice to symbolize reunion and happiness. According to the record of "Huainanzi", there was a food similar to tangyuan in the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, called "Yuanzi".

2.Development: During the Northern and Southern Dynasties, Emperor Wu of Liang of the Southern Dynasty ate a sweet food called "reunion stuffing" in winter, which laid the foundation for the later custom of eating tangyuan. During the Tang Dynasty, the production method of tangyuan was improved and developed, and it became a food rich in local characteristics. During the Song Dynasty, tangyuan has become one of the representatives of the New Year's food, and people make tangyuan on the day of the Lantern Festival, calling it "Lantern Festival".

Legend: 1Zhang Zhongjing and Tangyuan: There is a popular legend related to Zhang Zhongjing, a famous medical scientist in the Eastern Han Dynasty. It is said that Zhang Zhongjing saw that people had frostbite in their ears because of the cold on the day of the winter solstice, so he invented a medicinal diet called "dispelling cold Jiao'er soup", which used mutton, chili peppers and some warm herbs to cook into soup, and then kneaded the dough into the shape of ears, cooked in a pot, and distributed to people to eat to keep warm from the cold. This food later evolved into tangyuan.

2.The legend of the Lantern Festival: The Lantern Festival, also known as the Shangyuan Festival, is related to the custom of eating glutinous rice balls. There are various theories about the origin of the Lantern Festival, one of which is that Emperor Wen of the Han Dynasty was established to commemorate the pacification of the "Zhulu Rebellion". Another theory is that the Lantern Festival originated from the Taoist "Three Yuan Theory", that is, the fifteenth day of the first lunar month is the Shangyuan Festival, and people light lamps to celebrate on this day. There is also a theory that the Lantern Festival originated in the Han Dynasty when people held torches in the countryside to drive away insects and beasts, hoping to alleviate insect infestation and pray for a good harvest.

These origins and legends reflect the important position of tangyuan in traditional Chinese culture, not only as a food, but also as a symbol of people's wishes for reunion, harmony, health and happiness.

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