Why do we eat glutinous rice balls during the Lantern Festival? What is the meaning of glutinous rice balls?

Tangyuan, one of the representatives of traditional Chinese snacks, is a ball-shaped food made of glutinous rice flour. It is usually stuffed and eaten with soup. It is also the most distinctive food of the Lantern Festival and has a long history. Lantern Festival symbolizes a better family reunion. Eating Lantern Festival means a happy family reunion in the new year, so Lantern Festival is a must on the 15th day of the first lunar month. In some areas in the south, people are also used to eating tangyuan instead of dumplings during the Spring Festival. The following is a detailed introduction brought to you by Encyclopedia Knowledge.

Contents of this article

1. Why do we eat glutinous rice balls during the Lantern Festival?

2. What is the meaning of glutinous rice balls?

3. Why do people in the north eat dumplings and people in the south eat glutinous rice balls?

Why do we eat tangyuan during the Lantern Festival?

Eating glutinous rice balls during the Lantern Festival expresses people's yearning and expectation for a better life. "Tangyuan" is similar to "tuanyuan", which means "reunion". Tangyuan symbolizes family reunion and happiness. At the same time, eating glutinous rice balls also means family happiness and reunion in the new year, so it is a must-have food for the Lantern Festival on the 15th day of the first lunar month.

According to the record in Taiping Yulan that "On the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, the Han family worshipped Taiyi from dusk to dawn", the Lantern Festival is a festival evolved from the religious ritual of the ancient emperors "lighting lanterns on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month to worship the Taoist Taiyi God". It is the product of the combination of Buddhist customs and Taoist traditions.

It was Emperor Wen of Han, Liu Heng, who officially named it and ordered the whole country to light lanterns and celebrate on this day every year. During the reign of Emperor Wu of Han, the Lantern Festival was listed as a major national festival and has been passed down from generation to generation since then.

What is the meaning of Tangyuan?

The meaning of glutinous rice balls is to symbolize reunion and family reunion.

Tangyuan, one of the representatives of traditional Chinese snacks, is a ball-shaped food made of glutinous rice flour. It is usually filled with stuffing and eaten with soup.

It is said that glutinous rice balls symbolize a better family reunion, and eating glutinous rice balls means a happy and harmonious family reunion in the new year, so it is a must-have food for the Lantern Festival on the 15th day of the first lunar month. In some areas in the south, people are also used to eating glutinous rice balls during the Spring Festival.

Why do people in the north eat dumplings and people in the south eat tangyuan?

Due to the influence of climate, geographical location and natural conditions, the customs and habits of each region are different. Northerners like salty food and Southerners like sweet food, so Northerners eat dumplings during the New Year and Southerners eat glutinous rice balls.

Tangyuan, one of the representatives of traditional Chinese snacks, is a ball-shaped food made of glutinous rice flour. It is usually filled with stuffing and eaten with soup. It is also the most distinctive food of the Lantern Festival.