'Zongzi' Bridges Hearts of Chinese, Foreign Friends

With the Dragon Boat Festival approaching, the Yichuan Road subdistrict of Shanghai's Putuo district hosted a cultural exchange event on June 13 to invite foreign friends to join local Chinese families and community volunteers to celebrate the traditional Chinese festival.

​Chinese and foreign participants pose for a group photo with a dragon boat cutout to celebrate the festival. [Photo/Shanghai Putuo Media Center]

Participants engaged in traditional activities such as making zongzi (sticky rice dumplings) and crafting fragrant sachets, experiencing the rich customs of this traditional Chinese festival.

The highlight of the event was the zongzi-making session. After a step-by-step demonstration by staff of the subdistrict, participants eagerly tried their hand at folding leaves, adding rice, and tying strings.

​Residents and foreign friends learn to wrap traditional zongzi (sticky rice dumplings) together. [Photo/Shanghai Putuo Media Center]

Dante, a young man from New York, the United States, quickly mastered the skill and crafted neatly triangular-shaped zongzi. As he wrapped his creation, he reflected, "Making zongzi is like life—you have to work hard to keep everything together. If the rice leaks, wrap it tighter; it'll come together."

Adam, 10, from Morocco but raised in China, served as a translator for his parents, speaking fluent Chinese. With his mother's help, he completed his first zongzi, confidently saying, "It's not too hard. I want to make an even better one next."

​An expat participant takes a photo of her handmade zongzi-shaped fragrant sachet. [Photo/Shanghai Putuo Media Center]

After making zongzi, participants enjoyed freshly cooked dumplings and engaged in lively debates over sweet versus savory flavors. Dante preferred sweet zongzi, recalling a delightful experience in Xinjiang where they were served with yogurt and honey. Meanwhile, Adam's family favored savory meat-filled zongzi, appreciating the blend of bamboo and meat aromas.

The event also featured sachet-making with natural herbs such as mugwort and mint, as well as a dragon boat photo booth for memorable snapshots.