Daojiao's Signature Zongzi Brings Festive Joy to Guangdong Celebrations

As preparations for the Dragon Boat Festival intensify, Daojiao Town in south China's Guangdong Province springs to life with the unmistakable aroma of zongzi. For local families, making “guo zheng zong” — the town’s famed wrapped and steamed zongzi — is about much more than simply assembling a holiday treat. Instead, each pyramid-shaped delicacy embodies a link to the community’s deep-rooted traditions and a tangible sense of regional pride. With every batch, residents are honoring a vital part of their cultural heritage, ensuring that the flavors and stories of their ancestors endure.

Official recognition as an intangible cultural heritage of Guangdong Province has given Daojiao zongzi special standing among festival foods. Its production, marked by a painstaking attention to detail, sets it apart from standard preparations found elsewhere in China. From carefully selected ingredients to the intricate wrapping process, every element reflects generations of culinary craftsmanship. The resulting flavors are distinctly rich and layered, making Daojiao zongzi the pride of Dongguan’s celebrated food culture.

This legacy began in earnest during the 1930s, when culinary pioneer Ye Chao elevated the local recipe through thoughtful refinements to seasoning and technique. His methods quickly gained admiration and set new standards, transforming everyday ingredients into a festival staple. The meticulous construction of Daojiao zongzi starts with folding two bamboo leaves into a funnel shape. Layers of glutinous rice, mung beans, tender pork belly, salted egg yolk, and more rice and beans are nestled inside. These parcels are then expertly wrapped in additional leaves and tied with sturdy stems of locally grown Cyperus malaccensis, ensuring that each zongzi emerges perfectly intact after hours of steaming.

In recent years, Daojiao’s zongzi tradition has flourished and evolved. While the festival classic with pork, mung beans, and salted yolks remains beloved, inventive new interpretations have appeared, offering flavors such as cheese, tangerine peel, or fragrant curry. These modern twists meet changing tastes but always retain the heart of the original recipe. Through this blend of old and new, the people of Daojiao keep their treasured tradition alive, inviting all to savor not just a holiday dish, but a flavorful slice of their enduring heritage.