Ingredients for about 9 pieces (2 people):
18 Bamboo leaves (dried)
9 Pieces Parcel string or thick twine, cut about 50 – 60 cm long
250 g Sticky rice (called "glutinous rice" in Asian stores)
200 g Ground pork
Some vegetable oil
1 Spring onion, chopped
1 Garlic clove, chopped
about 1 cm fresh Ginger, chopped
6 Dried shiitake mushrooms
1 Dash of Sherry
2 tbsp Soy sauce
1 tbsp Ketjap Manis
1 tsp Brown sugar
1 Pinch 5-Spice powder
1 Pinch Salt & Pepper
1 tsp Potato starch, stirred in some cold water
Preparation:
Soak the sticky rice in water the night before. Before cooking, drain the soaked rice and rinse carefully several times until the water is clear. Soak the bamboo leaves for about 1/4 – 1/2 hour in a sink with hot water. At the same time, soak the dried mushrooms in a bowl with hot water.
Tie the strings with the upper end to a place where they can dangle loosely, for example on a window handle. This way, you will have your hands free to tie the rice packages later.
Filling:
Roughly chop the mushrooms. Heat oil in a pan, fry the ground pork so that it remains a bit clumpy (do not stir too much). Add spring onion, ginger, garlic, and mushrooms and stir briefly. Stir in soy sauce, sherry, and Ketjap Manis and season with the spices. At the end, stir in the dissolved potato starch. The filling should not be too dry and must be seasoned very strongly, as the rice is unsalted.
Packaging:
Lay two overlapping bamboo leaves on top of each other. Form a "cone" by twisting in the middle. Add a good tablespoon of rice into the depression. Add a tablespoon of filling on top. Cover with another tablespoon of rice. Bring the sides of the bamboo leaves a bit together and fold them back. Fold the leaf ends forward, press together and wrap completely around the resulting pyramid shape. Hold the rice package and wrap several times with the prepared string. Tie well. The packages must not open when cooking. Simmer gently in a pot with water for 1 hour or a bit longer. Take out a package as a test and check if the rice is soft. Serve.
The Dragon Boat Festival (Duānwǔjié) is an official holiday in mainland China. This traditional holiday, also known as the Double Fifth Festival, is celebrated on the 5th day of the 5th month of the Chinese lunar calendar, and is therefore sometimes also called the "Double Five Festival". Since the date of the festival is determined by the lunar calendar, it is celebrated at a different time each year. Generally, the holiday falls between late May and late June according to the Gregorian calendar.
The Dragon Boat Festival is a traditional Chinese festival that has existed in various forms for thousands of years. The current form is a fusion of several different festivals and traditions.
The most popular story explaining the origin of the Dragon Boat Festival involves the death of Qu Yuan, a poet from the Warring States period (approx. 475 to 221 BC). At that time, it was customary for Chinese literati to work for the government and Qu served the ruler of the state of Chu in present-day southern China for a long time. However, after he was slandered by another official, he was sent into exile. Qu Yuan spent his time in exile writing many poems, but his spirit was restless. The state of Chu was not doing well politically, and the news of its various defeats against competing states plunged Qu Yuan into a deep depression. Eventually, his despair over the political situation drove him to commit suicide by drowning himself in the Miluo River (present-day Hunan).
The circumstances of Qu's premature death also provide the story for two of the most popular Dragon Boat Festival traditions: eating Zòngzi (stuffed sticky rice balls) and dragon boat racing. The story goes that when the people in Qu's exile village heard that Qu had thrown himself into the river, they quickly set out in their ornately decorated boats to save him (hence dragon boat racing). However, they could not find him, so they threw sticky rice balls into the river to save Qu's body from the fish. Dragon boat racing is still a popular pastime today, and races are held throughout China around the time of the Dragon Boat Festival. Zòngzi can also be found on every corner at this time - deliciously juicy sticky rice balls with various fillings. We have found a recipe for you.
In spring 2022, the first archaeological museum in China opened in the world-famous northwest Chinese metropolis of Xi'an. The Shaanxi Archaeological Museum presents not only artifacts that highlight the special status of the province and the city of Xi'an in Chinese history on over 15,000 square meters, but also the process of archaeological work, techniques, and research ideas. In addition, the Xi'an Museum also reopened its doors after a five-month renovation phase.
Exhibits in the Archaeological Museum include horse and carriage pits from the Western Zhou Dynasty (1046-256 BC) and a fresco tomb from the Yuan Dynasty (1279-1368), which were completely and under strict expert supervision moved from their original locations to the museum.
The Xi'an Museum, located in the south of Xi'an, consists of three parts: the Small Wild Goose Pagoda from the Tang era, the architectural complex of the Jianfu Temple, and the museum building itself. With the renovation, much more technology was introduced, so that the collection is now also available for online visitors. On a special cloud, visitors can now view innovative digital exhibitions and attend lectures and concerts.
With over 3,100 years of documented city history, Xi'an is known as one of the "four ancient capitals of history" along with Cairo, Athens, and Rome. To this day, thousands of historical traces can be found in Xi'an in 134 museums and also in the cityscape itself.
China is one of the countries with the longest cultural history. In 2021 alone, 395 new museums were opened in the Middle Kingdom. This makes China the country with the most museums worldwide, now with 6,183 houses. And China is also setting standards for the museum of the future: in 2021, more than 3,000 online exhibitions and 10,000 digital information events were held - exhibitions are increasingly using augmented reality and 3D modeling.
In China, there is a proverb that says, "Each mountain can become famous through the presence of a saint". Many mountain ranges in the Middle Kingdom are known primarily for the great thinkers, poets, and monks who lived as hermits in their peaks and valleys. One of these mountain ranges is the Mianshan Mountains in Shanxi. It bears the nickname "Jieshan," after the story of Jie Zitui, who lived on the mountain and is considered throughout China as the embodiment of loyalty and fidelity.
Jie Zitui was an official during the Spring and Autumn period (770-476 BC) in the state of Jin. When Jin Prince Chong'er had to flee during a rebellion, Jie rendered him a great service, for which the prince promised him a reward for his loyalty. After Prince Chong'er was crowned king, Jie Zitui retired and moved with his old mother to the Mianshan Mountains. When the king wanted to reward him for his former services several years later, Jie refused and stayed on the mountain, as he disagreed with the monarch's style of government. Infuriated, Chong'er ordered a fire to be set on the mountain to lure Jie out. But the plan failed, and Jie and his mother died in the fire. Full of remorse, the king named the mountain after Jie and decreed that no fire should be lit and all food should be eaten cold annually on the anniversary of his death. To this day, the "Cold Food Festival" is celebrated in honor of Jie during the Qingming Festival (always 106 days after the winter solstice, 2022 on April 5).
Today, the Mianshan mountain range is not only famous for the story of the loyal Jie Zitui but also for its spectacular nature and as an important religious site of Buddhism and Taoism. Hidden among its peaks, which rise up to 2,600 meters, are more than 100 natural karst caves of various sizes. And they are hidden in the truest sense of the word, as the mountains often shroud themselves in thick clouds, creating a special sense of seclusion for the visitor. The largest of these caves is the Baofu Cave, a gigantic grotto 180 meters wide, 50 meters high, and 60 meters deep. The cave houses over 200 halls and rooms of the Yunfeng Temple (Cloud Peak Temple), which was built in ancient times. It is considered one of the best examples of Chinese cave temple art. A Buddha even resides here: during the Tang Dynasty, Tian Zhichao found enlightenment and became a Buddha himself - the first Han Chinese, according to legend. He built the first temple in the Baofu Cave and had himself mummified after his death. To this day, you can view his body, enclosed in a clay figure, here.
Visitors can choose whether they want to attempt the ascent themselves or take the cable car to the summit. Under the highest peak of the Mianshan Mountains, called "Five Dragon Peak", a 180-meter-high elevator was inaugurated a few years ago, offering breathtaking views of the surroundings through its glass front.
In addition to Buddhist temples, there are also a number of Taoist monasteries on the Mianshan Mountain. The Dailuo Palace is the most magnificent among them: With a base area of around 30,000 square meters, the building is more than 110 meters high, equivalent to a modern 35-story building. Here, important Taoist ceremonies often take place.
The Dailuo Temple houses exquisite painted sculptures, some of which are over 1,400 years old and date from the Tang Dynasty. Furthermore, the palace's scripture hall contains 108 rosewood blocks, into which the Daodejing (a fundamental text of Taoism) is engraved. These engravings mimic the style of 108 calligraphers of our time and are considered extremely valuable.
Between roast beef and gold medals – The 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing in a podcast review on Hin&Weg
The hosts of the popular podcast Hin & Weg, Sven Meyer and Andy Janz, have let their love for China shine through on several occasions. In this sense, the current episode has a special highlight – a collaboration with the China National Tourist Office in Frankfurt and a review of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing. Included is Guido Brettschneider, CEO of TUI China, who reports on the unique atmosphere on site, and a real Olympic champion: Johannes Ludwig, two-time gold medal winner in luge.
"Very impressive – We lugers have not yet known sports venues of this size," says Johannes Ludwig. The luger won both in the individual and in the relay competition. He was convinced by the facility, especially the roof made the luge conditions ideal. The physical well-being of the Olympians was also well taken care of, with roast beef and Italian delicacies.
Guido Brettschneider has been working for TUI in Beijing for 18 years. In the podcast, he talks about the enthusiasm for the games in his chosen home and the great pride people feel to be the only city in the world to have hosted both Winter and Summer Games. The competition venues of Beijing 2022 will probably also be used versatile in the future, says Brettschneider. The Big-Air jump, built on the site of a former steelworks including a park and lake, is currently developing into a popular local recreation area. Brettschneider also predicts a great future for winter sports in China: around 350 million people have practiced winter sports at least once in 2021, whether outdoors or in one of the many covered ski halls in the Middle Kingdom.
Listen to the "Hin & Weg – the travel podcast with Sven Meyer and Andy Janz" at:
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3LBa5iH
Apple Music: https://apple.co/3F5GdZ4
Podigee: https://bit.ly/375EnuK
Google Music: https://bit.ly/39wTGh0
Copyright Photo: Johannes Ludwig
