Duanwu Festival (端午節) or also called The Dragon Boat Festival falls on the 5th day in the 5th month of the Chinese Lunar calendar, it would be on the 28th May this year. It is a festival that is widely celebrated in the mainland of China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau . It has been declared as a public holiday in these countries to commemorate the death of a famous Chinese poet, Qu Yuan.. The main activities for the festival is dragon boat racing, and eat zongzi (rice dumpling).
It is not a public holiday in Malaysia, however, we do celebrate this day by having Dragon Boat racing normally organised by the local Chinese Association. We usually have a good meal with family and of course eat zongzi.
Actually zongzi are being sold everyday in the market here, with the festival approaching, the prices of zongzi will go up a little in respond to the demand. Many mothers will start to roll up their sleeves and show their skills to wrap their own zongzi for the families and friends.
For those who do not have the skills to wrap the zongzi will buy the zongzi with the fillings of their choice in the market. I am one of them. I bought 10 zongzi from my colleague for RM2.00 each. I gave a few to my parents, they love zongzi too.
I am having one of them for my lunch in the office today. Yummy! The fillings are chestnuts, dried shrimp, Chinese mushroom, pork with glutinous rice wrapped in bamboo leaves.