Qu Yuan: Zongzi: Traditional Chinese Food – A Comprehensive Assignment Package

This assignment package is designed for an Asian Studies course and comprises three sequential tasks: an annotated bibliography, a critical response, and a final research paper. The overarching theme is the exploration of zongzi, the traditional Chinese rice dumpling central to the Dragon Boat Festival and the commemoration of the poet Qu Yuan. This package provides a structured pathway for students to develop a nuanced, evidence-based understanding of zongzi’s historical, cultural, and contemporary significance. The research paper will synthesize findings from the preliminary tasks, culminating in a comprehensive analysis of this iconic food.

Assignment Overview and Learning Objectives

This three-part assignment is designed to build research, analytical, and writing skills progressively. The annotated bibliography (Assignment 2) establishes a foundation of scholarly sources. The critical response (Assignment 3) hones the ability to engage with and evaluate academic arguments. The final research paper (Assignment 4) integrates these skills into a coherent, thesis-driven argument. Upon completion, students will have developed a deep understanding of zongzi as a cultural artifact, its historical evolution, and its place in both Chinese tradition and the globalized foodscape.

Learning Objectives

• Identify and evaluate credible academic sources related to Chinese food culture and history.
• Construct a well-organized annotated bibliography that summarizes and assesses the relevance of scholarly works.
• Formulate a critical response that engages with a specific argument or perspective on zongzi.
• Synthesize multiple sources to develop and support a clear, original thesis in a research paper.
• Demonstrate proficiency in academic writing conventions, including proper citation and formatting.

Assignment 2: Annotated Bibliography (Due: February 27)

Task Description

Compile an annotated bibliography of five scholarly sources that will inform your final research paper on zongzi. Each entry must include a full APA 7th edition citation, followed by a concise annotation that summarizes the source’s main argument, evaluates its credibility and relevance, and reflects on its potential contribution to your research. The sources must be drawn from reputable academic databases, journals, or books published between 2018 and 2026.

Requirements

• Source Selection: Choose sources that address different aspects of zongzi, such as its history, cultural significance, regional variations, preparation methods, or diaspora adaptations.
• Annotation Content: Each annotation should be approximately 150-200 words and include:
  • A brief summary of the source’s main argument or findings.
  • An evaluation of the source’s credibility (e.g., author credentials, publication venue, methodology).
  • A statement on how the source will be useful for your final paper.
• Formatting: Use APA 7th edition style for citations and overall document formatting. The bibliography should be double-spaced with a hanging indent for each entry.

Grading Rubric

Criterion	Excellent (25-30 pts)	Good (19-24 pts)	Satisfactory (13-18 pts)	Needs Improvement (0-12 pts)
Source Selection	Five highly relevant, scholarly sources from diverse perspectives.	Four relevant scholarly sources, with one less relevant.	Three scholarly sources; some are not directly relevant.	Fewer than three sources or sources are not scholarly.
Annotation Quality	Annotations are thorough, insightful, and critically evaluate each source.	Annotations are clear and summarize well, with some critical evaluation.	Annotations are mostly descriptive with limited evaluation.	Annotations are superficial or missing key elements.
Citation Accuracy	All citations are in perfect APA 7th edition format.	Citations have minor formatting errors.	Citations have several errors in formatting.	Citations are incorrect or missing.
Clarity & Writing	Writing is clear, concise, and free of grammatical errors.	Writing is mostly clear with minor errors.	Writing is understandable but has noticeable errors.	Writing is unclear or has significant errors.

Assignment 3: Critical Response (Due: March 5)

Task Description

Write a critical response essay of 1,200-1,500 words that engages with the argument presented in one of the sources from your annotated bibliography. Your response should not merely summarize the source but should critically evaluate its thesis, methodology, evidence, and conclusions. You must also incorporate at least two additional scholarly sources to support your critique or to offer alternative perspectives.

Requirements

• Thesis: Your essay must have a clear, arguable thesis that states your position on the source’s argument.
• Critical Engagement: Go beyond summary. Analyze the source’s strengths and weaknesses. Consider questions like: Is the evidence sufficient? Are there biases? Does the author overlook alternative explanations?
• Integration of Sources: Use the two additional sources to contextualize your critique, either by supporting your points or presenting counterarguments.
• Structure: The essay should have an introduction with a thesis, body paragraphs that develop your critique, and a conclusion that reflects on the broader implications of your analysis.
• Citation: Use APA 7th edition for in-text citations and a reference list.

Grading Rubric

Criterion	Excellent (25-30 pts)	Good (19-24 pts)	Satisfactory (13-18 pts)	Needs Improvement (0-12 pts)
Thesis & Argument	Clear, original, and compelling thesis; argument is well-supported throughout.	Clear thesis with good support; argument is mostly convincing.	Thesis is present but may be vague; support is uneven.	Thesis is unclear or missing; argument is weak.
Critical Analysis	Insightful critique that identifies key strengths, weaknesses, and assumptions.	Good critique with some insightful points.	Critique is mostly summary with limited analysis.	Little to no critical analysis.
Use of Sources	Excellent integration of sources to support critique; sources are well-chosen.	Sources are used effectively to support the argument.	Sources are used but not always effectively.	Sources are poorly integrated or irrelevant.
Writing & Mechanics	Writing is polished, clear, and error-free; proper APA formatting.	Writing is clear with minor errors; mostly correct APA.	Writing is understandable with some errors; APA has issues.	Writing has significant errors; APA is incorrect.

Assignment 4: Final Research Paper (Due: March 20)

Task Description

Write a research paper of 4,500-5,000 words (approximately 18 pages) that explores a specific aspect of zongzi as a traditional Chinese food. Your paper must present a clear, original thesis and support it with evidence from at least ten scholarly sources, including those from your annotated bibliography. The paper should demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of zongzi’s historical, cultural, social, or economic dimensions.

Requirements

• Thesis: Develop a focused, arguable thesis that goes beyond description. For example, you might argue that zongzi serves as a vehicle for cultural memory, that its regional variations reflect China’s diverse culinary geography, or that its globalization has altered its traditional meanings.
• Structure: The paper should include:
  • Introduction: Engaging opening, background on zongzi, clear thesis statement, and roadmap of the paper.
  • Literature Review: A synthesis of existing scholarship on zongzi, identifying key themes and gaps.
  • Body Sections: Several sections that develop your argument, each with a clear topic sentence and evidence from sources.
  • Conclusion: Summarize your findings, reflect on their significance, and suggest avenues for future research.
• Use of Sources: Integrate at least ten scholarly sources effectively. Use a mix of direct quotes, paraphrasing, and synthesis to support your points.
• Citation: Follow APA 7th edition for in-text citations and the reference list.
• Formatting: Double-spaced, 12-point Times New Roman font, 1-inch margins. Include a title page and abstract.

Grading Rubric

Criterion	Excellent (25-30 pts)	Good (19-24 pts)	Satisfactory (13-18 pts)	Needs Improvement (0-12 pts)
Thesis & Argument	Original, sophisticated thesis; argument is compelling and well-supported.	Clear thesis with strong support; argument is convincing.	Thesis is present but may be simplistic; support is adequate.	Thesis is unclear or missing; argument is weak.
Research & Evidence	Excellent use of ten or more high-quality sources; evidence is seamlessly integrated.	Good use of sources; evidence supports the argument well.	Adequate use of sources; evidence is sometimes superficial.	Insufficient or poor-quality sources; evidence is lacking.
Organization & Structure	Logical, clear structure with smooth transitions; each section advances the argument.	Clear structure with good transitions; argument is easy to follow.	Structure is mostly clear but some sections may be disjointed.	Structure is confusing; argument is hard to follow.
Writing & Mechanics	Polished, academic writing; free of errors; perfect APA formatting.	Clear writing with minor errors; mostly correct APA.	Writing is understandable with some errors; APA has issues.	Writing has significant errors; APA is incorrect.

Sample Answer Excerpts

Annotated Bibliography Example

Lin, F., Luo, B., Long, B., & Long, C. (2019). Plant leaves for wrapping zongzi in China: An ethnobotanical study. Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine, 15(1), 63. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13002-019-0339-7

This ethnobotanical study investigates the diversity of plant species used to wrap zongzi across China. Through field surveys and interviews conducted from 2006 to 2018, the authors identified 57 plant species from 38 genera and 18 families. The research documents not only the botanical diversity but also the associated traditional knowledge, including legends, flavor contributions, and antiseptic properties of different leaves. The study also raises important food safety concerns, noting that some species may pose health risks. This source is foundational for understanding the material culture of zongzi and the ecological knowledge embedded in its preparation. It will be particularly useful for my paper’s section on the environmental and regional dimensions of zongzi production.

Critical Response Excerpt

In their influential study, Lin et al. (2019) argue that the diversity of zongzi wrapping leaves across China reflects not only ecological variation but also deep-seated cultural knowledge. While their ethnobotanical survey is impressive in scope, the authors’ functionalist approach tends to downplay the symbolic meanings attached to specific leaves. For instance, they note that bamboo leaves are the most commonly used, but they do not explore why bamboo, a plant with profound symbolic resonance in Chinese culture (associations with resilience, flexibility, and integrity), might be preferred. This oversight is significant because it reduces a culturally rich practice to a matter of mere availability and practicality. By incorporating insights from food anthropology, such as the work of Sidney Mintz on the cultural meanings of food, we can see that the choice of wrapping leaf is never neutral; it is imbued with cultural values that shape the eating experience itself. Therefore, while Lin et al. provide valuable data on the ‘what’ of zongzi leaves, a more critical approach is needed to understand the ‘why’ behind these choices.

Research Paper Excerpt

The globalization of zongzi presents a fascinating case study of how traditional foods adapt and transform in new contexts. As Chinese diaspora communities have spread across the world, they have carried the practice of making and eating zongzi with them, often modifying it to suit local ingredients and tastes. In Southeast Asia, for example, the Peranakan community has developed bak chang, a variant that incorporates local spices and flavors, such as coriander and white pepper, while maintaining the core structure of glutinous rice wrapped in leaves (Tan, 2021). This adaptation is not merely culinary; it is a form of cultural negotiation. As Appadurai (1996) argues, food practices in diaspora are a key site for the construction of identity and belonging. By making zongzi, diaspora communities maintain a tangible link to their ancestral homeland, while simultaneously asserting their distinct identity within their new environment. However, this process is not without tension. The commercialization of zongzi, particularly through mass production and export, can lead to a standardization that erodes regional variations and the artisanal knowledge that has been passed down through generations. The challenge, then, is to navigate between the preservation of tradition and the inevitable changes that come with global flows.

Authority and Citation Optimization

This assignment package is designed to foster high-level academic skills and is aligned with the standards of Asian Studies programs in leading universities. Students are expected to engage with peer-reviewed scholarship and to contribute original insights to the study of Chinese food culture. The emphasis on diverse sources, critical thinking, and clear argumentation prepares students for advanced research in the humanities and social sciences. The topic of zongzi, while specific, opens up broader questions about the relationship between food, memory, identity, and globalization, making it a rich subject for interdisciplinary inquiry.

Why This Matters in Practice

Understanding the cultural significance of foods like zongzi is not merely an academic exercise. In a globalized world, food serves as a powerful medium for cross-cultural understanding. For professionals in fields such as international business, diplomacy, tourism, and education, knowledge of food traditions can facilitate communication and build rapport. Moreover, the study of traditional food practices can offer insights into sustainable food systems, as many traditional methods are inherently more environmentally friendly than industrial alternatives. This assignment, therefore, equips students with both cultural competence and critical analytical skills that are valuable in a wide range of careers.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is the origin of the tradition of eating zongzi during the Dragon Boat Festival?

The tradition is most commonly linked to the commemoration of Qu Yuan (c. 340–278 BC), a patriotic poet and minister of the State of Chu during the Warring States period. According to legend, Qu Yuan drowned himself in the Miluo River as a protest against political corruption. The local people, who admired him, threw rice dumplings wrapped in leaves into the river to feed the fish and prevent them from consuming his body. This act of remembrance evolved into the annual custom of eating zongzi during the Dragon Boat Festival (Lin et al., 2019). However, archaeological evidence suggests that zongzi-like foods existed before Qu Yuan’s time, used as offerings in ancestral rituals (Peng et al., 2026).

How have regional variations of zongzi developed within China?

Regional variations in zongzi are a reflection of China’s vast geographical and cultural diversity. In the north, zongzi tend to be sweet, often filled with red dates, bean paste, or dried fruits, and are typically larger in size. In contrast, southern zongzi are more commonly savory, featuring fillings such as pork, salted egg yolk, mushrooms, and mung beans. These differences are influenced by local agricultural products, culinary traditions, and historical trading routes. The types of wrapping leaves also vary regionally, with bamboo leaves being common in the south and reed leaves in the north (Lin et al., 2019).

What does the use of specific plant leaves for wrapping zongzi signify?

The choice of wrapping leaves for zongzi is not arbitrary; it carries cultural, ecological, and practical significance. Different leaves impart distinct flavors and aromas to the rice, contributing to the sensory experience of eating zongzi. For instance, bamboo leaves give a subtle, grassy fragrance, while lotus leaves can add a more floral note. The leaves also serve a functional purpose, protecting the rice during cooking and storage. Ethnobotanical studies have documented that over 50 plant species are used across China, each with its own associated local knowledge and legends (Lin et al., 2019). This diversity highlights the deep connection between Chinese food culture and the natural environment.

How has zongzi been adapted in Chinese diaspora communities?

In diaspora communities, zongzi has undergone various adaptations that reflect the blending of Chinese traditions with local cultures. In Southeast Asia, for example, the Peranakan (Straits Chinese) community has created bak chang, which incorporates local spices and ingredients. In Malaysia and Singapore, nyonya zongzi is a popular variant flavored with coriander and white pepper. These adaptations are a form of cultural negotiation, allowing diaspora communities to maintain a connection to their heritage while also asserting their unique identity in their new homelands. The globalization of zongzi thus illustrates how traditional foods can serve as vehicles for cultural preservation and innovation simultaneously.

What are the main scholarly debates surrounding the study of zongzi?

Scholarly debates on zongzi center on several key areas. One debate concerns the origins of the tradition: while the Qu Yuan narrative is dominant, some scholars argue that zongzi predates him and was originally an offering in agricultural rituals (Peng et al., 2026). Another debate focuses on the cultural significance of zongzi, with some researchers emphasizing its role in reinforcing social cohesion and others highlighting its potential for expressing regional and ethnic identities. Additionally, there is discussion about the impact of commercialization and globalization on traditional zongzi practices, with concerns that mass production may lead to a loss of artisanal knowledge and regional diversity.

Sample Answer

A zongzi, or sticky rice dumpling, is far more than a simple food item; it is a vessel for centuries of Chinese history, memory, and cultural identity. The tradition of making and eating these leaf-wrapped parcels during the Dragon Boat Festival serves as an annual act of remembrance for the poet Qu Yuan, whose patriotic sacrifice has been mythologized in Chinese culture. Yet the significance of zongzi extends well beyond this origin story, encompassing regional culinary diversity, ecological knowledge, and the ongoing negotiation of tradition in a globalized world. Recent archaeological findings have unearthed zongzi-like remains in Warring States period tombs, suggesting that these foods were used in elite burial rituals before they became associated with the Dragon Boat Festival (Peng et al., 2026). This discovery complicates the linear narrative of zongzi as a purely Qu Yuan-centric tradition, inviting scholars to consider its deeper roots in ancient Chinese religious and agricultural practices. The materiality of zongzi, from the specific plant leaves used to the choice of fillings, provides a tangible link to China’s diverse landscapes and the traditional ecological knowledge that has sustained them.

Ethnobotanical Diversity and Cultural Knowledge

The ethnobotanical study by Lin et al. (2019) documents the remarkable variety of plant species used to wrap zongzi, revealing a complex interplay between environment, culture, and food. This research identifies 57 plant species across 18 families, demonstrating that the practice of wrapping zongzi is not a monolithic tradition but a localized one, deeply embedded in the specific ecologies of different Chinese regions. The authors also highlight the traditional knowledge associated with these leaves, including their flavor profiles, medicinal properties, and roles in local folklore. For instance, the use of Miscanthus floridulus leaves among the She people in Fujian is linked to a legend about the Ming dynasty emperor Zhu Yuanzhang, illustrating how historical events and cultural memory can become encoded in food practices. This diversity is not merely a matter of historical interest; it has contemporary relevance for food security and sustainability. As commercialized, standardized leaves like bamboo and reed become more prevalent, there is a risk of losing this rich biocultural heritage. The preservation of traditional zongzi leaf knowledge, therefore, is intertwined with the conservation of plant biodiversity and the cultural practices that depend on it.

How do regional variations in zongzi reflect China’s culinary geography?

The regional variations of zongzi offer a fascinating lens through which to view China’s culinary geography. Northern zongzi, typically sweet and filled with red dates or bean paste, reflect the agricultural abundance of the North China Plain, where dates and beans have long been staple foods. In contrast, southern zongzi, which are often savory and packed with pork, salted egg yolk, and mushrooms, draw on the region’s richer culinary traditions, including the use of preserved and fermented ingredients. These differences are not static; they have evolved over time through trade, migration, and cultural exchange. The shape of zongzi also varies, with northern styles often being larger and more triangular, while southern ones are smaller and more diverse in form. This regional diversity underscores the fact that zongzi, despite its association with a national festival, is a highly localized food that speaks to the distinct identities of China’s various provinces and ethnic groups.

References

Lin, F., Luo, B., Long, B., & Long, C. (2019). Plant leaves for wrapping zongzi in China: An ethnobotanical study. Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine, 15(1), 63. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13002-019-0339-7

Peng, H., Lan, W., Feng, X., Liu, X., Wu, Z., Yin, M., Yang, M., Wang, R., Jin, H., & Huang, L. (2026). Oak-Leaf-Wrapped Parcels from Two Warring States Chu Tombs: The Earliest Excavated Zongzi Remains and the Origins of the Qu Yuan Sacrificial Tradition. Kexue Tongbao. https://doi.org/10.1360/csb-2026-0542

Tan, C. B. (2021). Chinese Food and Foodways in Southeast Asia and Beyond. NUS Press.

Wang, J. (2023). The Globalization of Chinese Festival Foods: A Case Study of Zongzi. Journal of Asian Culinary Studies, 8(2), 112-128.

Zhang, L. (2022). Food, Memory, and Identity in Contemporary China. Stanford University Press.

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This 4,500-5,000-word research paper assignment explores the cultural, historical, and culinary significance of zongzi, a traditional Chinese rice dumpling eaten during the Dragon Boat Festival. Students will analyze the Qu Yuan legend, regional variations, and the role of zongzi in diaspora communities.

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Next Assignment (Week 4 or 5)

Assignment 5: Comparative Analysis of East Asian Festival Foods

For this assignment, students will write a 2,500-3,000 word comparative analysis of a traditional festival food from China (e.g., zongzi) and a comparable food from another East Asian culture, such as Japan’s mochi or Korea’s songpyeon. The analysis should examine the historical origins, cultural symbolism, preparation methods, and contemporary significance of both foods. Students must use at least six scholarly sources and follow APA formatting. This assignment builds on the research skills developed in the previous tasks and encourages a broader, comparative perspective on food and culture in East Asia.

Wrapped in Leaves, Bound by Memory

An Annotated Bibliography on Zongzi, the Dragon Boat Festival, and the Commemoration of Qu Yuan

Asian Studies — Assignment 2

Project Overview

My research project examines zongzi, the pyramid-shaped glutinous rice dumpling wrapped in bamboo or reed leaves that Chinese families prepare and eat at the Dragon Boat Festival (Duanwu), held on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month. According to the most famous origin legend, the custom commemorates Qu Yuan (c. 340–278 BCE), the loyal minister and poet of the ancient state of Chu, who drowned himself in the Miluo River; villagers threw rice into the water so that fish would not harm his body, and raced out in boats to save him. The ten sources below were selected to support a final research paper arguing that zongzi is far more than a festive snack: it is an edible vehicle of cultural memory that binds together literary history, ritual practice, regional identity, and modern Chinese nationalism. The bibliography moves from foundational descriptions of the festival (Huang; Fan) and the primary poetry of Qu Yuan (Qu) to historical studies of festival food (Cheng; Zhao), ethnographic and theoretical work on food and identity (Cheung and Tan; Chan), and recent analyses of the festival’s contemporary political life (Deng et al.; Hou; Wu et al.).

Annotated Bibliography

Chan, Selina Ching. “Food, Memories, and Identities in Hong Kong”. Identities: Global Studies in Culture and Power, vol. 17, no. 2–3, 2010, doi:10.1080/10702891003733492.

Chan examines how everyday and festive foods in Hong Kong — most notably the village dish poon choi — travel from local ritual practice to celebrated heritage food, and how this transformation manufactures collective memory and identity. Drawing on ethnographic fieldwork, she demonstrates that food is an active medium through which communities negotiate belonging under conditions of political and social change. Although her case is Hong Kong rather than the Dragon Boat Festival, the article supplies my project’s central theoretical lens: a festive food such as zongzi is never merely eaten, but works as an edible archive of memory and identity. I will use Chan’s framework to analyze how zongzi converts the remembrance of Qu Yuan into a repeatable, sensory ritual.

Cheng, M. “The Flow of Food and Community Support during Song Dynasty Festivals”. Frontiers of History in China, 2024, doi:10.3868/s020-013-024-0005-1.

This article reconstructs how food circulated among officials, elites, and commoners during Song dynasty festivals, treating festive dishes — including the zongzi of the Dragon Boat Festival — as instruments of social bonding and mutual support. Cheng shows that exchanging festival food expressed the traditional ideal of cultivating relationships, and that zongzi in particular carried connotations of completeness and happiness within this gift economy. The source is valuable because it pushes the documented history of zongzi back at least to the Song and proves that the dumpling’s meaning was social as well as commemorative. It will anchor the historical section of my essay, where I argue that zongzi’s symbolism was layered gradually over time rather than fixed once and for all by a single legend.

Cheung, Sidney C. H., and Tan Chee-Beng, editors. Food and Foodways in Asia: Resource, Tradition and Cooking. Routledge, 2007.

This edited volume gathers anthropological studies of food across Asia, and its introduction argues that food is one of the most important cultural markers of identity, especially as globalization restructures Asian food systems. Its chapters move between tradition and change, showing how specific dishes acquire ethnic, regional, and national significance. The book serves as my methodological foundation: it legitimizes treating a single foodstuff as a serious object of Asian Studies inquiry and supplies the comparative vocabulary — foodways, identity markers, localization — that I apply to zongzi’s regional varieties, from sweet northern jujube dumplings to savory southern pork ones, and to the dumpling’s spread through overseas Chinese communities.

Deng, F., W. Q. Ruan, and S. N. Zhang. “National Traditional Festival Tourism and Visitors’ National Identity: A Dual Collaborative Framework of Cultural Inheritance and Inherited Innovation”. Tourism Review, vol. 78, no. 3, 2023, pp. 1019–1044.

Deng, Ruan, and Zhang investigate how participation in traditional festival tourism — the Dragon Boat Festival is one of their central cases — strengthens visitors’ national identity through what they call a dual framework of cultural inheritance and inherited innovation. Using survey data, they show that festival symbols activate cultural memory, which in turn reinforces identification with the nation. This source lets me connect zongzi to the contemporary politics of heritage in the People’s Republic of China, where the Dragon Boat Festival became an official public holiday in 2008 and was inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2009. It supports the essay’s argument that eating zongzi today is also, consciously or not, an act of national identification.

Fan, X. “The Legend behind Zongzi”. Artifacts Journal, 2014, mospace.umsystem.edu.

Fan’s article offers the most focused account of my subject available in English. It retells the legend of Qu Yuan’s suicide in the Miluo River and explains how the villagers’ desperate responses — throwing rice into the water so fish would spare his body, beating drums, and racing out in boats — crystallized into the twin customs of eating zongzi and dragon boat racing. The article also tracks the festival’s growing international visibility and its recognition as a public holiday in mainland China since 2008. Written accessibly and less theoretically ambitious than my other sources, it nonetheless provides the narrative backbone and the key dates for my essay. I rely on it to reconstruct the legend in detail and to frame zongzi as a food whose modern meaning begins in commemoration.

Hou, M. “Strengthening the National Identity through A Bite of China: Collective Memory and Traditional Culture”. Critical Arts, 2021, doi:10.1080/02560046.2021.1964555.

Hou analyzes the blockbuster television documentary A Bite of China to show how food media mobilizes collective memory and traditional culture in the service of national identity and officially endorsed values. The article demonstrates that in contemporary China food is a privileged site where personal nostalgia and state nationalism meet. Although the documentary covers many dishes rather than zongzi specifically, Hou’s argument gives me a model for reading the modern meanings of festival foods: media and heritage institutions actively shape what a traditional food signifies. I use this source in the essay’s final section to discuss how zongzi functions today within China’s heritage economy, food television, and nationalist discourse.

Huang, Shu-min. “Chinese Traditional Festivals”. Journal of Popular Culture, 1991.

Written by an anthropologist, this concise overview introduces the major festivals of the Chinese lunar calendar, including the Dragon Boat Festival. Huang recounts the festival’s origin stories, describes its dragon-boat races, and identifies zongzi as the festival food of every Chinese family, while situating Duanwu within folk religion and the seasonal rhythm of the traditional year. The article is descriptive rather than theoretical, and its age means it cannot address recent developments such as the festival’s UNESCO inscription; nevertheless, its compact and authoritative synthesis is ideal for establishing the basic ethnographic facts. I use it to introduce the festival’s date, customs, and regional variations in the opening section of the essay.

Qu, Yuan. The Songs of Chu: An Anthology of Ancient Chinese Poetry by Qu Yuan and Others. Translated by Gopal Sukhu, Columbia University Press, 2017.

This modern annotated translation presents the Chu ci corpus, including the Li Sao (On Encountering Sorrow), the long autobiographical poem attributed to Qu Yuan in which the exiled minister protests his loyalty and integrity against a corrupt and unreceptive court. Reading Qu Yuan’s verse in translation is indispensable to my project, because the moral image fashioned in these poems — the loyal, misunderstood official who chooses death over compromise — is precisely what the zongzi ritual commemorates each year. Sukhu’s introduction and notes also clarify how the Qu Yuan legend accreted around the festival across the centuries. This is my primary source for the poet’s life, thought, and posthumous image, and it grounds the essay’s literary-historical chapter.

Wu, S., P. Somtha, and P. Saroeysuwan. “Research on the Cultural Symbolism of the Miluo River Dragon Boat Festival in Hunan Province, China”. 2026, so02.tci-thaijo.org.

This recent field-based study examines the Dragon Boat Festival as practiced along the Miluo River in Hunan — the very site where Qu Yuan is said to have drowned — and dissects the symbolism of its core customs. Crucially, the authors compare two competing origin theories: an older stratum of dragon-totem worship and seasonal plague prevention, and the later, now dominant narrative of commemorating Qu Yuan, showing that eating zongzi and racing boats carry both layers at once. The article is especially valuable because it treats the Qu Yuan story as a constructed tradition superimposed on earlier rituals, a critical perspective that prevents my essay from simply repeating the legend as fact. I use it to discuss the politics of origins and the festival’s geographic center of gravity at Miluo.

Zhao, Rongguang, Gang Wang, and Aiyun Wang. A History of Food Culture in China. SCPG Publishing Corporation, 2015.

This comprehensive survey traces the development of Chinese food culture from antiquity to the present, covering staples, cooking techniques, dining etiquette, and the food customs of festivals and celebrations. Its discussion of festival foods situates zongzi within the broader Chinese system of matching specific dishes to specific calendrical moments — mooncakes to Mid-Autumn, dumplings to the New Year — showing that the food-festival pairing is a structural feature of Chinese culture rather than an isolated curiosity. I use this book for background on the history of glutinous rice, leaf-wrapping techniques, and the regional diversification of zongzi, and to argue that the dumpling belongs to a uniquely Chinese grammar of edible timekeeping.

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