Zongzi: Difference between revisions

In [[Malaysia]], [[Indonesia]], [[Singapore]], and [[Taiwan]], ''zongzi'' is known as ''bakcang'', ''bacang'', or ''zang'' (from [[Hokkien]] {{zh|c={{linktext|肉粽}}|poj=bah-chàng|l=meat zong}}, as Hokkien is commonly used among overseas Chinese). Similarly, ''zongzi'' is more popularly known as ''machang'' among [[Chinese Filipino]]s in the [[Philippines]].

What has become established popular belief amongst the Chinese is that ''zongzi'' has since the days of yore been a food-offering to commemorate the death of [[Qu Yuan]], a famous [[Chinese poet|poet]] from the [[Chu (state)|kingdom of Chu]] who lived during the [[Warring States period]].{{sfnp|Hawkes|1985|pp=64–66}} Known for his patriotism, Qu Yuan tried to counsel his king to no avail, and drowned himself in the [[Miluo River]] in 278 BC.<ref name=zhang2018/>{{Refn|group="lower-alpha"|After composing the ''Jiu Zhang'' ("Nine Declarations") part of the ''[[Chu ci]]''; this according to [[Wang Yi (librarian)|Wang Yi]], the ancient (Han dynasty period) commentator to Qu Yuan as a poet.<ref name=zhang2018/> (More specifically, penning ''[[Lament for Ying]]'' portion of the Nine Declarations when the Qin general [[Bai Qi]] captured Yingtu, then the capital of Chu, in 278 BC{{citation needed|date=August 2020}}).}} The kind-hearted Chinese people in the same era as Qu Yuan were grateful for Qu Yuan's talent and loyalty to serve the country. They cast rice dumplings into the Miluo River on the day when Qu Yuan was thrown into the river every year, hoping that the fish in the river would eat the rice dumplings without harming Qu Yuan's body.