Today is March 3rd, the 15th day of the first lunar month—Lantern Festival.
You may have noticed that recently, supermarkets and wet markets in Shanghai have been selling these white, plump glutinous rice balls everywhere. That’s right, today’s star istangyuan.
There’s an old saying in China: “The New Year celebrations aren’t truly over until Lantern Festival passes.” So after eating this bowl of tangyuan today, the Chinese New Year officially comes to an end. Today, let’s talk about what makes these little white balls so special.
You may have heard that in northern China they have “yuanxiao,” while in the south they have “tangyuan.” They’re two different foods, made differently. But here in Shanghai, we only recognize one:tangyuan.
Shanghainese people’s eyes light up when you mention tangyuan. Especially at time-honoured brands like “Ningbo Tangyuan Shop” or those few old stores in the City God Temple area, long queues form every Lantern Festival. Everyone waits for that one bowl of steaming hot, soft, and chewy white balls.
In Shanghai’s tangyuan world, the sweet camp and savory camp coexist peacefully. Today, let me introduce you to the tangyuan flavors you’ll find in Shanghai.
The Sweet Camp: Black Sesame is the Classic, Red Bean Paste is My Favourite. If it’s your first time eating tangyuan, black sesame tangyuan is definitely the safest choice.
Gently scoop one up with your spoon, blow on it to cool it down a bit, then take a small bite carefully. After the softness of the outer skin, a stream of black, flowing sesame filling will slowly seep out. Be careful not to burn your tongue!
The fragrance of sesame instantly fills your mouth, sweet and aromatic, paired with that soft glutinous rice skin,it’s simply irresistible.
But to be honest, my personal favorite is red bean paste tangyuan.The red beans are boiled until completely soft, strained to remove the skins, then slowly stir-fried into a smooth paste.
Unlike the “bursting” sensation of black sesame, red bean paste filling is delicate and gentle, less sweet, and gives you a comforting feeling. When you bite into it, the bean paste slowly melts in your mouth.
That unique fragrance of red beans, paired with the mild sweetness of glutinous rice, is incredibly soothing.Sweet tangyuan soup often has a few osmanthus flowers added by the shop. Those golden petals floating in the bowl release a lovely fragrance, adding a fresh, floral note to the sweet tangyuan.
The Savory Camp: The Surprise of Meat Tangyuan
If you’re part of the “savory camp,” or if you’re not too fond of overly sweet things, you must tryfresh meat tangyuan.
Many foreigners find it strange when they first hear about “meat tangyuan”: “Tangyuan is supposed to be sweet, how can it have meat inside?” But once you try it, you might just fall in love with it.
Fresh meat tangyuan are larger than sweet ones, about the size of a baby’s fist. The outer skin is still glutinous rice, but the filling is seasoned minced pork, mixed with soy sauce, ginger, and chopped scallions.
The moment you bite through the skin, meat juices flow out, that’s right, fresh meat tangyuan are juicy! The savory, umami flavor of the meat pairs harmoniously with the subtle rice fragrance of the skin, creating an indescribable sense of balance.
Of course, Lantern Festival is about more than just eating. Tonight, Shanghai comes alive.
Yuyuan Garden Lantern Festival is the highlight of every Lantern Festival. The Nine-Turn Bridge is adorned with colorful lanterns—some featuring this year’s zodiac animal, others depicting figures from traditional stories.
After dark, when the lights illuminate and reflect in the water, it’s as beautiful as a painting. People love to walk across the Nine-Turn Bridge, believing that “crossing the winding bridge brings peace and safety for the year ahead.”
Some places also hostlantern riddle activities. People write riddles on slips of paper and attach them to lanterns for others to guess. For foreign students learning Chinese, solving lantern riddles might be “hell-level difficulty,” but when you finally crack one, the sense of achievement is absolutely “heavenly.”
Let’s try a simple riddle:
The riddle says: “72 hours” — guess one Chinese character.
Think about it: 72 hours is how many days? That’s right, 3 days. In Chinese, “day” can also be represented by the character “日.” What character do you get when you put three “日” characters together? It’s “晶” (crystal).
Pretty interesting, right?
Dear students, if you haven’t eaten tangyuan yet today, why not go to the supermarket and buy a pack?
Want the classic choice? Getred bean paste tangyuan.
Want to try something special? Getfresh meat tangyuan.
Want something novel? You can buy fruit tangyuan or chocolate tangyuan.
Boil some water, drop the tangyuan in, and wait for them to float to the surface, then they’re ready to serve. Take a bite, soft and chewy, paired with a cup of hot tea, this is what Lantern Festival is truly about.
After finishing this bowl of tangyuan tonight, the Spring Festival really comes to an end. A new year has officially begun.
Wishing everyone a happy Lantern Festival—enjoy your meal and may your day be sweet!
