Dragon boat festival delight: which zongzi steals your heart?
As the annual Dragon Boat Festival approaches, it seems like there's nothing that can't be wrapped up in a zongzi for both enthusiasts and brands alike. With a rich variety of flavours and an array of creative designs, the goal is to satisfy both aesthetic preferences and taste buds. In fact, in this era of rapid AI development, some have even transformed iconic buildings into zongzi. Therefore, we've selected some particularly unique trends and innovations, hoping you'll also enjoy this time-honored Chinese traditional delicacy.
Unconventional Fillings
In recent years, there's been a surge in popularity for zongzi filled with unconventional ingredients like ice cream, cheese, and fruit, replacing the traditional meat or vegetable fillings. These healthier, easier-to-make alternatives boast exquisite appearances and delicate flavours, enticing many young people to share photos on social media.
The trending items on RED include waxberry cheese ice zongzi, mango cheese zongzi, and sticky rice taro cheese zongzi. Images are from RED
Yogurt zongzi, crafted from ingredients such as yogurt, shaved ice, fruits, and jam, leans more towards being a dessert resembling zongzi. Nevertheless, it's still highly favoured by young people
The Many Shapes of Zongzi
In this "Illustrated Guide to 29 Types of Zongzi," you can find a variety of zongzi from different provinces across China, including the common triangular zongzi, the square pillow-shaped zongzi, the bamboo tube zongzi from the Hmong, the butterfly-shaped zongzi from Mengzi, Yunnan, and the "leopard print zongzi" wrapped in dried bamboo leaves, and more.
The diverse cultures and customs across different provinces in China result in a myriad of shapes and flavours for zongzi. The most classic and widespread shape is the triangle. Generally, northern varieties tend to be sweet, while southern ones lean towards savory flavours. Images are from RED
Luxury Brands & Zongzi
Luxury brands have been all over zongzi, as have consumers hoping to give them a luxury slant. Here are some examples:
1. Numerous online users are elegantly adorning zongzi by tying the ribbons of luxury brands Dior and Gucci onto them.
User-tweaked ‘luxury’ zongzi. Images from RED
2. The Peninsula Hotel introduced the "abalone sticky rice dumpling," incorporating ingredients such as abalone, pork belly, chestnuts, and mung beans into the zongzi. Additionally, its massive size, roughly equivalent to an adult's palm, is a key selling point of the product.
Zongzi from The Peninsula Hotel
AI Making Zongzi Even More Spectacular
Tech enthusiasts have wrapped the Paris Arc de Triomphe, the Louvre and the Guangzhou Tower into gigantic zongzi, adding a unique cultural charm to these magnificent structures in an instant.
Zongzi landmarks created from AI. Images are from RED
Employee Gift Boxes & Zongzi
Zongzi gift boxes have always been popular around the Dragon Boat Festival, but this year they are even more special.
1. JD Made
JD made, a lifestyle brand under JD.com, has themed its Dragon Boat Festival gift box in green, with a large "粽" (Zongzi) character formed by its packaging. Inside, there are eight zongzi of different flavours along with a finely crafted wood texture chessboard, infusing the traditional Dragon Boat Festival with the strategic fun of the ancient game of Go, adding a touch of wisdom to the festivities.
JD’s zongzi gift box. Images are from WeChat account @创意广告
2. Xiaomi
Xiaomi's Dragon Boat Festival gift box combines the patterns of lotus leaves, zongzi, and ribbons, presenting a poetic and vibrant visual of the lively summer season. Inside the gift box are four varieties of zongzi with sweet and savoury pairings, along with a heat-insulating and soft nap blanket, designed to help employees shake off fatigue during afternoon breaks.
Xiaomi’s gift box. Images are from WeChat account @创意广告
3. 37 Interactive Entertainment（Corporate edition）
37 Interactive Entertainment's corporate edition Dragon Boat Festival gift box adopts the theme "荷华灼灼" (Blooming Lotus). Inside the box are ancient-style lotus pouches, lotus cups, lotus-scented aroma stones, and lotus fans, interpreting the festive atmosphere with the beautiful symbolism of “fresh and elegant, untainted by the mud.”
37 Interactive Entertainment’s zongzi gift box. Images are from WeChat account @创意广告
The Dragon Boat Festival provides brands are opportunity for brands to connect with Chinese consumers, by making an innovative, but tasteful take on zongzi. Expect similar innovation next year!
