Celebrations are underway across China for the Dragon Boat Festival. In the eastern city of Jiaxing, a competition has been held to see who wraps the best sticky rice dumplings. Wu Bin has the story.
Zongzi, or sticky rice dumplings, are a traditional Chinese snack eaten for the Dragon Boat Festival.
In Jiaxing, a city in east China's Zhejiang Province, the annual Zongzi Wrapping Competition is held with foreign guests invited to compete.
They're given 10 minutes each to wrap zongzi. While some succeed, the majority find it a challenge.
MARINA MARCO Expat from Spain "It was very fun. We're not as skillful as the professionals. They've done it perfectly and super-fast. But I had, like three times and this is the best part of wrapping zongzi."
Some of the expats had success in terms of quantity, rather than quality.
HECTOR SEVERICHE Vice Consul, Consulate General of Colombia in Shanghai "Five, she also did five. We're so happy to be here to participate at this event."
GONZALO FIGUEROA Consul General of Chile in Shanghai "(I've made) seven, but not very good shape. Small, but very good."
The Zongzi Wrapping Competition is part of the celebrations for the Dragon Boat Festival, held in the city for the past 17 years.
WU BIN Jiaxing, Zhejiang Province "As the birthplace of zongzi, Jiaxing has used the dragon boat festival to shape its city brand. This year, a local fair is set to attract tourists from around China in a boost to the local economy."
The zongzi in Jiaxing is famous across the country, and it's also become popular at the fair.
XU WEI Deputy General Manager, Wu Fang Zhai "The fair nowadays is not like it used to be. These days it has many immersive experiences drawing on ancient styles. Many young ladies wear Hanfu and come to the fair. Our companies have also expanded from just selling zongzi to meeting the needs of different groups."
The celebration in Jiaxing will last until Saturday, and over 20 activities featuring folklore and cultural heritage will be held. Wu Bin, CGTN, Jiaxing, Zhejiang Province.
