Introduction: Qingming is one of the 24 solar terms in China, a traditional Chinese festival, and a day for ancestor worship and tomb-sweeping. Besides ancestor worship, tomb-sweeping, and spring outings, tasting seasonal delicacies is also a major feature. Savoring unique foods during this special time not only allows one to feel the atmosphere of the traditional festival but is also more about cherishing the memory of ancestors.
To learn more about traditional Qingming Festival foods, we recommend the special feature: Food Customs of the Qingming Festival
"During the Qingming Festival, the rain drizzles endlessly; on the road, travelers' hearts are breaking." This poem, passed down for thousands of years, always interprets the unbroken affection of ancient times. It seems that it rains every year during Qingming. Although the rain is related to the solar term, I prefer to believe that the rain during Qingming is the sad rain, the tears of our remembrance for the departed. Qingming is one of the 24 solar terms in China, a traditional Chinese festival, and a day for ancestor worship and tomb-sweeping. The Qingming Festival, also known as the Spring Outing Festival, falls between April 4th and 6th each year. It is precisely the time when plants and trees sprout new green leaves, making it a perfect season for people to go on spring outings. Therefore, the ancients had the custom of spring outings during Qingming.
Originally, Qingming was a very important solar term. When it arrived, the temperature would rise, making it an excellent time for spring plowing and planting. Hence, there is the agricultural proverb, "Around Qingming, plant melons and beans," and "For afforestation, there is no better time than Qingming." Later, because the date of Qingming was close to the Hanshi (Cold Food) Festival, and Hanshi was a day when people would extinguish fires and sweep tombs, gradually, Hanshi and Qingming merged into one. Hanshi not only became another name for Qingming but also a custom of the festival. On this day, no fire is lit, and only cold food is eaten.
Besides ancestor worship, tomb-sweeping, and spring outings, tasting seasonal delicacies is also a major feature. Savoring unique foods during this special time not only allows one to feel the atmosphere of the traditional festival but is also more about cherishing the memory of ancestors. During the Qingming Festival, Qingtuan (green rice balls) are an indispensable delicacy. The custom of eating Qingtuan has existed in the south since ancient times. The green color and fragrant aroma, the unique scent of mugwort—what kind of taste is that? It's a bit astringent, yet with a touch of melancholy. The slightly sweet filling, the jade-green skin with a hint of fresh grassiness. Due to different dietary customs in various regions, besides Qingtuan, what else is there? Next, let's take everyone to taste the unique flavors of Qingming—8 seasonal foods of the Qingming Festival.
One, Fried Sanzi—"Hanju" Food of the Hanshi Festival with a 2,640-Year History
Reason for recommendation: Fried Sanzi originated in Hongtong County, Linfen, Shanxi. Hongtong County is one of the birthplaces of ancient Chinese civilization. This land experienced the largest-scale migration in Chinese history, so now, Sanzi is made in both the north and the south. "Sanzi" were anciently called "Hanju" of the Hanshi Festival and were a famous seasonal food. Because fire was forbidden during the Hanshi Festival, the day before was called "chuishu" (cooking day). On this day, people would prepare all kinds of cold food to eat for the following days until the Qingming Festival ended.
Snack feature: Li Shizhen's "Compendium of Materia Medica. Grain Section" clearly explains: "Hanju is also called Xuan (fried twisted dough sticks). It is made with glutinous rice flour and a little salt, kneaded into ropes and twisted into ring or bracelet shapes... it is crispy and shatters in the mouth like frost and snow." This shows the antiquity of Xuanzi is incomparable to other foods.
Two, Zitui Steamed Cake—A Traditional Snack of the Hanshi Festival with a 2,500-Year History
Reason for recommendation: Zitui Steamed Cake, commonly known as Steamed Cake, is a traditional food in Shanxi. It is said to have a history of over 2,500 years. Zitui Steamed Cake is said to be a cooked food passed down from the Hanshi Festival. To commemorate the loyal and steadfast Jie Zhitui, people did not light fires or eat hot food on the day of his death. This day was then called the Hanshi Festival. So, what did people eat on this day? They ate food prepared in advance, which was eaten cold. The main food was steamed cake, and because it was to commemorate Jie Zhitui, it was also called Zitui Steamed Cake.
Snack feature: Zitui Steamed Cake is made from refined flour, pork fatback, green onions, sesame oil, Sichuan peppercorn powder, and alkali, through many processes such as kneading dough, fermentation, adding alkali, kneading again, rolling, adding fillings, dividing, shaping, and steaming. It is soft, delicious, and suitable for all ages!
Three, Qingming Swallow—A Shanxi Noodle Food with the Theme of Loyalty and Filial Piety
Reason for recommendation: "Qingming Swallow" is one of the noodle sculptures Shanxi people must make during the Qingming Festival. It is shaped like a swallow from flour and threaded together with sour jujube branches or willow twines, then hung on the lintel to express "remembrance" of the ancient sages. This custom has continued in Shanxi for 2,500 years and is still vividly and vigorously active in people's lives, showcasing the ideological connotation of "loyalty and filial piety." During this short holiday, you can try this interesting noodle food. It's not only about commemorating Jie Zhitui's loyalty and filial piety, but more importantly, about passing on the traditional virtues of the Chinese nation—respecting parents, spending more time at home, and not waiting until it's too late to feel sorrow.
Snack feature: The "Qingming Swallow" is made to commemorate Jie Zhitui, so it is also called "Zitui Swallow." One can make one, or three swallows placed together to form a "品" (pǐn, character for "product" or "quality") shape, symbolizing Jie Zhitui's noble character.
Four, Printed Qingtuan—the Most Classic Qingming Fruit
Reason for recommendation: The Q (chewy) texture, the green color and fragrant aroma, the unique scent of mugwort that cannot be replaced by any other vegetable juice—eating it is full of the taste of Qingming. Next, let's share the most classic Qingming fruit—the Printed Qingtuan. During this short holiday, you can give it a try, taste this unique flavor with your family, remember the departed, and also be grateful for the relatives by your side now.
Snack feature: What kind of taste is that? A bit astringent yet with a touch of melancholy, a slightly sweet filling, a jade-green skin with a hint of fresh grassiness. The green color, the breath of spring, the flavor of Qingming.
Five, Qingtuan—A Qingming Ball with a Jiangnan (Southern China) Flair
Reason for recommendation: People in Jiangnan (the region south of the Yangtze River) call eating the first Qingtuan of spring "tasting spring" (cháng chūn), savoring the taste of spring. From ancient times to the present, people have used Qingtuan to worship ancestors. Besides being used for sacrificial offerings, during the Qingming season, it is also popular in Jiangnan to eat "Qingtuan," which is actually Qingtuan (green rice balls). Because "Qingming" (清明) is a homophone for "congming" (聪明, meaning "smart"), there is a saying that a child born on this day will be the smartest. Many people would take their babies to ask their neighbors for "Qingtuan" (green rice balls), a practice called "asking for smartness." Here, the green rice ball also serves as a way to seek good fortune.
Snack feature: Only at this specific time, with this specific ball, can such a unique Qingming flavor be experienced—fragrant, astringent, and sweet.
Six, Lazy Version Qingtuan—Make Qingtuan Directly with Mugwort Powder
Reason for recommendation: Although Qingtuan are popular during the Qingming Festival, some regions don't have mugwort leaves. What should be done? How to make a meaningful little snack for this special festival? You can easily make Qingtuan directly with mugwort powder, and it's even simpler than using fresh leaves! A blessing for the lazy, haha! The finished product, both in color and taste, is very fitting for the Qingming solar term, with a hint of light bitterness.
Snack feature: Take a bite and savor it slowly. In the sweet chewiness, there is a hint of light bitterness, a feeling of reminiscing about past hardships and appreciating the present sweetness. Life has its bitterness and sweetness; being able to live each day to the fullest is happiness.
Seven, Vegetable Juice Qingtuan—A Qingtuan Recipe Made with Vegetable Juice
Reason for recommendation: Cooking is like life; as long as you think about it, there's always a way. Just like with Qingtuan, you don't necessarily have to use mugwort. For those who don't have mugwort leaves or powder, just use the most common vegetable juices. Any green vegetable juice will do. Seeing that touch of green can also make you feel the strong festive atmosphere. During the three-day holiday, friends who are interested can also try this very special seasonal food.
Snack feature: The sweet and chewy texture carries a hint of vegetable fragrance. Although it lacks the light bitterness of mugwort, the vibrant green is still gratifying. Eating food is not just about the taste; appreciating its essence is the true meaning. Remember our ancestors, cherish the present, and hope for everything to go smoothly at all times. Nothing is set in stone. If you put your heart into it, you will always have unexpected rewards.
Eight, Stir-fried River Snails with Bean Paste—"Qingming Snails, as Good as a Goose"
Reason for recommendation: There has always been a folk saying, "Qingming snails are as fat as a goose." This saying comes from the past when people were poor. Families who couldn't afford a goose would go to the river or pond to catch basin snails during the Qingming period. They would raise them in clear water for two days, then clip off the tails, add some scallions, ginger, and chili, and cook them. The delicious snails could rival the deliciousness of goose meat. Stir-fried river snails with bean paste is the most common yet classic way to cook snails. The aroma of the bean paste beautifully complements the rich and tender snail meat. It's so delicious you wouldn't want to stop eating even if you were beaten!
Snack feature: It's mouth-watering just to look at it. The spicy and fragrant taste, the delicious snail meat. Drinking some old wine and slurping the snails is so pleasant! In the past, life was hard, and eating river snails around Qingming was considered even more delicious than goose meat. We are fortunate to live in an era of abundance and should be grateful to the struggles of our ancestors, which have earned us the good life we have today!
Besides eating some special seasonal foods, the Qingming Festival is also a time when plants and trees turn green, making it a great season for people to go on spring outings. Therefore, the ancients had the custom of spring outings during Qingming. With the spring breeze on your face, a hundred flowers blooming, and the willows turning green, the Qingming season is the most suitable for outings to appreciate spring. In this vibrant season, bring your family or invite a few good friends to go feel the birds and flowers of spring, breathe the purest breath of nature, and appreciate the beautiful life gifted by nature. Everything is so pleasant.