It’s not just a day off work! The Dragon Boat Festival commemorates the death of Zhou Dynasty poet Qu Yuan, who drowned on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month in despair over the capture of his kingdom. Legend says that his admirers dropped sticky rice wrapped in bamboo leaves in the river, so delicious as to keep the fish from eating his body – these treats, of course, became the zongzi we know and love today. Despite their somewhat morbid origins, zongzi are a delightful Dragon Boat treat that are loved throughout China. The Hutong is offering two sessions to learn how to do it yourself, from folding the leaves, to picking a traditional filling, to tying it up just right.
Date: Saturday, June 8, 14:00-16:30; Wednesday, June 12, 14:30-17:00.
Cost: 250 RMB, 200 for members.
