Weeks before Tomb-Sweeping Day on April 4 this year, hundreds of qingtuan were sold each day. The snack was still a must-have for many people.
In the southern part of China, eating qingtuan at the beginning of spring is a kind of tradition. Chinese people started to eat it more than 2, 000 years ago. It is made of sticky rice(糯米) and red bean paste(红豆沙), and is famous for its softness, freshness and sweetness. The secret behind its mouth-watering taste is one of its materials—mugwort leaves (艾蒿叶). The plant is mainly found in the Yangtze RiverDelta(长江三角洲) where it has perfect conditions to grow.
People in this area usually put qingtuan on the tombs(墓) of their dead family members to cherish the past memory. Making qingtuan is also a chance for family members to get together at home. It really takes time and effort to make the snack.
Now, qingtuan has already spread its special taste to the northern part of China. Li Yuan, a 30-year-old engineer who grew up in Zhejiang Province, brought qingtuan back to Beijing where he works. "It tastes different in and out of my hometown, "he said. "There's no place like home. "
Qingtuan has many different tastes inside it, such as apples and bean milk, to meet customers' tastes. The difference of the taste shows that it's getting more and more popular across the whole country.
Even though there is warm weather and green leaves in spring, the season wouldn't be complete without a taste of qingtuan.
