Chinese zongzi transcends time and taste buds
中国的粽子跨越时光与味蕾
he battle between salty and sweet flavors never stops......
咸甜之争永不停歇......
And the zongzi brothers of the world
而世界的粽子兄弟们
But it has evolved into these strange shapes
却演变成千奇百怪的模样
What cultural codes lie behind them?
它们背后，藏着怎样的文化密码？
日本Chimaki与柏饼
The Japanese zongzi originated from the "koshu" in the Tang Dynasty
日本的粽子（Chimaki）起源于唐代“角黍”
In the early stage, it was wrapped with thatch or calamus leaves
早期以茅草或菖蒲叶包裹
It is shaped like a long sword, symbolizing the cutting off of disasters and misfortunes
形似长剑，象征斩断灾厄
After the Heian period, localized kashiwagi gradually became mainstream
平安时代后，本土化的柏饼逐渐成为主流
Red bean paste is hidden in the glutinous rice ball wrapped in oak leaves
槲树叶包裹的糯米团内藏红豆馅
The back of the leaves faces outward to prevent sticking, and the delicate fragrance of grass and trees interweaves with sweet and glutinous texture
叶背朝外防粘，草木清香与甜糯交织
From: 日本国驻沈阳总领事馆
越南Banh Chung与Banh Tet
Vietnamese zongzi is the soul of the Spring Festival
越南的粽子是春节的灵魂
It wraps glutinous rice, mung beans and fat pork in leaves
北方方粽（Banh Chung）以柊叶包裹糯米、绿豆与肥猪肉
Symbolizing "the sky is round and the earth is square"
象征“天圆地方”
And Banh Tet is shaped like a bundle of rice
南方圆柱粽（Banh Tet）则形似稻捆
It implies a prosperous foundation for agriculture
寓意农业根基兴旺
Legend has it that the square zongzi originated from the story of Prince Lang Liao sacrificing his ancestors
传说中，方粽源自王子郎辽献祭祖先的故事
It carries the cultural gene of "remembering the source when drinking water"
承载着“饮水思源”的文化基因
From: VCG
新加坡娘惹粽
Nyonya zongzi that blends Chinese and Malay flavors
融合华人与马来风味的娘惹粽
The butterfly pea flowers are dyed to create a light blue outer skin like blue and white porcelain
以蝶豆花染出青花瓷般的淡蓝色外皮
The filling is stir-fried with coriander powder, winter melon strips and lean meat, creating a blend of salty and sweet flavors
内馅用芫荽粉、冬瓜条与瘦肉混炒，咸甜交织
Its birth can be traced back to the Nanyang immigrants during Zheng He's voyages to the Western Seas
其诞生可追溯至郑和下西洋时期的南洋移民
It is a taste symbol of the cultural identity of the "Baba Nyonya" ethnic group
是“峇峇娘惹”族群文化认同的味觉符号
From: 新华社
泰国甜咸双粽
Thai zongzi are divided into two types: sweet and salty
泰国的粽子分甜咸两派
The sweet zongzi is wrapped with shredded coconut milk and glutinous rice
甜粽以椰奶糯米包裹椰丝
The salty zongzi are filled with sweet meat stuffing
咸粽则填入甜味肉馅
After the overseas Chinese from Chaoshan brought in the customs of the Dragon Boat Festival
潮汕华侨将端午习俗带入后
The locals transform zongzi with tropical ingredients
当地人以热带食材改造粽子
Make it a festival snack that combines Chinese traditions with the charm of Southeast Asia
使其成为融合中华传统与南洋风情的节庆点心
From: 央视网
墨西哥Tamale
Corn flour dough is coated with meat, cheese or ant eggs
玉米粉面团裹入肉、奶酪或蚂蚁卵（阿兹特克贵族传统）
Steam the outer corn husks
外包玉米壳蒸熟
On the Day of the Dead, Tamale is an essential item for paying respects to ancestors
亡灵节时，Tamale是祭奠祖先的必备品
The diversity of its fillings can be described as "magical realism on the tip of the tongue"
其馅料之多元堪称“舌尖上的魔幻现实主义”
The movie "Coco" has made it even more world-famous
电影《寻梦环游记》更让其全球闻名
From: 《寻梦环游记》剧照
From the sword-shaped chimaki in Japan to the northern square zongzi in Vietnam, from the Nyonya zongzi in Singapore to the Tamales in Mexico, and even the sweet and salty double zongzi in Thailand, each part of the world has its own unique zongzi culture.
从日本的剑形chimaki到越南的北方方粽，从新加坡的娘惹粽到墨西哥的Tamales，以及泰国甜咸双粽，全球各地都有自己独特的粽子文化。
After seeing so many unique zongzi, the competition over flavors is no longer a problem
看了这么多独特的粽子，咸甜之争已不在话下
Which one do you choose?
你pick哪一款？
Come and have a go in the comment section
快来评论区一较高下把~