The Ultimate Zongzi Map of China: Where to Find the Best Ones?

For Chinese people, many traditional solar terms are deeply connected to taste buds—mooncakes for Mid-Autumn Festival, qingtuan for Qingming, and when the Dragon Boat Festival arrives in June, the aroma of zongzi fills every household's kitchen.

The delicately shaped zongzi is both a sentimental food, wrapped with remembrance for Qu Yuan, and the most inclusive food—within bamboo leaves and glutinous rice, there’s nothing it can’t hold. Its diverse fillings create endless delicious variations.

Due to the ever-changing fillings, the "north-south debate" sparked by zongzi is far richer than the one over tofu pudding. However, with the rise of the internet and advanced logistics, the sweet vs. salty battle has no permanent winner—only timeless classics and emerging new flavors. Northern friends have, at some point, surrendered to the savory meat zongzi, while many southerners adore the fragrant red bean paste version. Even once-controversial spicy or seafood zongzi have quietly gained loyal followers...

People’s obsession with zongzi has become utterly inescapable.

In the sweet vs. salty battle, who is the real winner?

Mention zongzi, and Qu Yuan comes to mind first. The tale of people making zongzi to honor him endures, but few know zongzi didn’t originate for this reason. As one of the most culturally rich traditional foods, it existed long before Qu Yuan’s time.

In June 2023, archaeologists discovered the earliest zongzi to date at the Chengyangcheng site in Xinyang, Henan, dating back over 2,000 years. Back then, it wasn’t called "zongzi." In the pre-Qin era, it was known as "jiaoshu" or "tongzong"—millet wrapped in wild rice leaves into horn shapes, used as ritual offerings. Later, Wu Jun of the Southern Liang Dynasty recorded in *Xu Qixie Ji* that after Qu Yuan drowned, people spontaneously "stored rice in bamboo tubes and cast them into the water as offerings." The memory of this loyal figure endured through zongzi, enriching its cultural significance and tying it closely to the Dragon Boat Festival.

The humble zongzi carries remembrance for Qu Yuan.

By the Tang Dynasty, eating zongzi during the festival became even more popular. The open-minded Tang people innovated with flavors, replacing millet with glutinous rice for a softer, sweeter texture, and adorned zongzi with colorful silk threads. The "nine-child zongzi," nine zongzi tied together with ribbons, earned Emperor Xuanzong’s praise. In the Song Dynasty, with economic and urban life flourishing, zongzi flavors diversified further—Su Shi’s "yangmei zongzi," Lu You’s "mugwort-scented zongzi," and Zhang Lei’s "iced sweet zongzi" were all creative highlights. By the Qing Dynasty, Emperor Qianlong himself became a fervent zongzi enthusiast. Records from the Imperial Kitchen in 1753 noted over a thousand zongzi served during the palace’s Dragon Boat Festival, a spectacle beyond imagination...

Today, zongzi remains the star of the festival, but with advanced packaging and food industry development, it’s no longer seasonal—evolving into a daily convenience with countless flavors.

The earliest zongzi had only plain rice, but now, every Dragon Boat Festival sparks a digital "sweet vs. salty" showdown. Savory fans praise its rich fillings, while sweet lovers claim it’s sweeter than first love. This lively debate has become a festival staple.

Savory or sweet—which do you pick?

For southern savory zongzi, look to Jiangnan. As China’s historic rice-growing region, skilled locals never fear "cooking without rice," crafting unique zongzi flavors city by city.

Jiangnan people excel at zongzi-making.

The Jiaxing pork zongzi, famed since the Qianlong era, is the region’s "top idol." Meticulously prepared with marbled pork and local fragrant rice, its glutinous texture and savory filling dominate highway rest stops, securing its throne.

Today, Jiaxing zongzi isn’t just a rest-stop bestseller,

but also a darling of new platforms like Douyin E-commerce.

Yet Jin Yong, a Jiaxing native, was captivated by Huzhou zongzi. Blending sweet and savory, its dainty "pillow" shape earned it the nickname "beauty zongzi." Jin Yong even had his character Wei Xiaobao praise it: "This tastes as good as Huzhou zongzi," making him an unpaid promoter.

Beyond these, Jiangnan’s bounty inspires creativity: Jinhua’s famed ham and chestnut zongzi meld umami flavors; Shaoxing’s elders pack preserved mustard greens into meat zongzi, condensing Zhejiang’s culinary memory; Taizhou’s mountain-and-sea landscape inspires bamboo shoot and pork zongzi, balancing richness with freshness...

Recent Douyin E-commerce data shows a 156.98% month-on-month surge in zongzi sales.

After all, who can resist the carnival feast of the "meat + carbs" combo?

Of course, the savory zongzi landscape in the south extends beyond Jiangnan. Cantonese-style braised pork zongzi, beloved by locals, is packed with generous portions of marbled, non-greasy cured meat and fragrant glutinous rice. Chaoshan’s seafood zongzi is even more ambitious, stuffed with abalone, dried scallops, grilled shrimp... a tiny zongzi that encapsulates the freshness of an entire wet market!

Northerners, however, adhere to the belief that "simplicity is the ultimate sophistication" when it comes to zongzi, often filling them with red dates or sweet bean paste. Beijing’s plain glutinous rice zongzi even skips the filling entirely, relying on a dip in sugar before eating. Though lacking the variety of Jiangnan’s meaty versions, it highlights the natural sweetness of the rice.

Shaanxi’s honey-cooled zongzi is a masterpiece of finesse—sliced with thread and served with honey, sweet bean paste, and rose jam, it’s the undisputed "little fresh" of the zongzi world. Meanwhile, Shanxi’s millet-and-red-date zongzi offers a tender yet chewy bite, embodying the reserved charm of northerners.

The sweet zongzi universe is equally dazzling!

While many assume only the north favors this flavor, the south has its own sweet zongzi devotees: Huzhou’s washed-red-bean zongzi and Ningbo’s alkaline-water zongzi are undercover "sweet faction" agents. Huzhou’s version is meticulously crafted, with red beans soaked to silky tenderness and blended with lard for a luxuriously smooth texture.

The time-honored brand Zhu Laoda upholds the ancient craft of Huzhou’s washed-red-bean zongzi.

Photo/Douyin @Zhu Laoda Official Store

Beyond sweet and savory, how many variations exist?

Defying the north-sweet, south-savory divide, some zongzi dare to be different. Ambitious Chaoshan locals even created a sweet-savory hybrid: one half filled with salted egg yolk, dried shrimp, and pork, the other with black bean paste, red bean paste, or taro paste—a true "balance master" of zongzi.

Beyond sweet and savory, Sichuan’s spicy zongzi incorporates regional flavors like chili powder, Sichuan pepper, and salt... proving that zongzi tastes are as diverse as the people who make them.

Surprise! Even spice can mingle with zongzi’s fragrance.

Though online debates about zongzi flavors rage on, consumption trends are growing more inclusive. Once, our zongzi knowledge came from mom’s hands, and hometown tastes reigned supreme. Now, zongzi is no longer a once-a-year treat, and choices transcend regional bounds. Northerners raised on sweet zongzi are venturing into meaty versions via online shopping.

On platforms like Douyin E-commerce, regional zongzi specialties break geographical barriers, introducing time-honored brands to wider audiences. Intangible cultural heritage techniques once hidden in kitchens now shine through short videos and livestreams, bridging tradition and younger generations.

Founded in 1887, Zhu Laoda is the oldest verifiable zongzi brand. Since joining Douyin E-commerce last year, many have discovered its commitment to handcrafting, using ancient methods like plant-ash-cured egg yolks and sun-brewed soy sauce. Its lard-washed-bean zongzi undergoes 12 rinses for silky texture. This dedication to heritage has sparked a revival, with sales up 150% year-on-year in 2023.

Despite its legacy, Zhu Laoda adapts swiftly, drawing inspiration from public debates to innovate. New flavors like black pork with porcini mushrooms and crab roe with pork belly have sold over 100,000 units on Douyin.

Amid industrialization, Zhu Laoda remains steadfast

in preserving intangible cultural heritage.

Under Douyin E-commerce’s "Meet Fine Domestic Goods" initiative, rising zongzi brands like Wu Yue Zhai have thrived. A viral video of staff wrapping zongzi catapulted it to 1.5 million followers. Embracing trends and rapid innovation, its spicy beef zongzi won over northerners in Shandong and Henan. During this year’s Dragon Boat Festival, its founder’s livestream topped sales charts, moving 40,000 orders in one session.

Wu Yue Zhai insists on a 45% golden filling ratio,

Gaining millions of fans on Douyin E-commerce with top-notch quality.

Photo/Douyin @Wuyuezhai Official Flagship Store

As a 20-year-old source factory specializing in zongzi in Jiaxing, Xiaoyingzhai is a manufacturer approved by the National Intellectual Property Administration for the geographical indication trademark of "Jiaxing Zongzi." Now, it has stepped into the spotlight on Douyin E-commerce. Xiaoyingzhai adheres to the authentic Jiaxing-style zongzi, with its signature "Family Feast" gift box featuring classic flavors like double-yolk pork belly, dried mustard greens pork belly, and lean meat—a delight for savory zongzi lovers, selling 1.3 million orders annually.

Xiaoyingzhai's "Family Feast" gift box satisfies meat zongzi lovers at once,

selling a million orders yearly on Douyin.

Over the long years, the fragrance of zongzi has never been forgotten. With evolving flavors and continuous innovation in forms, the bond between zongzi and the Dragon Boat Festival will endure across the land of China.

Museum Exhibition: "A Brief History of Zongzi: Which Dynasty Had the Most Exotic Flavors?"