Tang Yuan during Dong Zhi

As a Chinese, you must know the red letter day dropped on 22nd of December every year, Tong Zhi festival. Tong Zhi actually means that the winter was going to end soon. Why the Chinese were celebrating the festival, what so great about it???? According to the ancestors, we were celebrating it because the end of winter indicating the the spring was ahead. The farmers were able to back to their farm and working hard again, keep on producing food for the people again. That's why they were celebrating the festival. During the festival a special food must be eaten on that day called Tang Yuan.

The colourful Tang Yuan was my personal favourite during the festival. I enjoying eating it very much because of it's sweetness and the chewiness. During my younger age, my grandma used to tell me that eating Tang Yuan indicating we are one year older. They are some kind of story saying that we should chew the balls, we must swallow the whole things. Of course, I never follow what they talking cock. If not I won't sitting here posting this post but choking to death during my younger age.

The night before the festival, all the family members are gathering around the table and together preparing Tang Yuan for the next day. For my family was also doing the same things. This year was abit different from last year, some other relatives from far away were in my house celebrating together and preparing together. It was quite fun and happy actually.

Everyone was busying doing the their stuff. Our hands were kept on moving, rolling those things into small small balls with colouring on it. I were busying taking photos got the coworkers that working OT for the night.

The mother and son combination lessen our work. Bryan, my 5 years old nephew was  his first time doing Tang Yuan. He was a quick learner. He learnt all those things in just a while and mastered it well. He was working hard instead of playing with my iphone. He had played for few days with my iphone.

BEFORE

AFTER

These where our master piece of work after buying for the whole night. Red and green Tang Yuan were ready to cook. The green one were made of pandan juice, while the red one were made of some red artificial colouring. And also we have the white one, the original colour.

Mom boiled the balls with some sugar water mixing with some pandan leaf to make it taste better. The balls were really nice to see and better to have it in your stomach.

Enjoyed your Tang Yuan and happy dong zhi festival