Freshly-made qingtuan. [Photo/WeChat account: chongchuanonline]

The tradition of eating qingtuan, or green glutinous rice balls, boasts a long history among the people of Chongchuan district in Nantong, Jiangsu province.

Qingtuan is traditionally linked to the Cold Food Festival, a traditional Chinese holiday observed the day before the Qingming Festival on April 5. It became a practical choice when fire was forbidden and only cold food was allowed.

Over time, this practice merged with the Qingming Festival, making qingtuan a customary offering to ancestors. Today, it stands as a unique ritual for the people of Chongchuan to savor the flavors of spring.

The ideal time to enjoy qingtuan is within 15 days before and after the Qingming Festival, when the mugwort is at its most tender and the juice at its richest, providing the rice balls with their peak flavor and aroma.

The first bite of qingtuan each year is called "biting spring", as if only by doing so can one truly capture the essence of spring.

Chongchuan residents are meticulous in making qingtuan. The green juice is the soul, made from freshly picked local mugwort, which is washed, blanched to remove bitterness, then either juiced or finely chopped and mixed into glutinous rice flour, resulting in a gentle and vibrant green hue.

Traditional fillings remain the most beloved, with sweet and rich black sesame mixed with peanuts and lard, or smooth and delicate red bean paste as classic choices. Today, new flavors like taro paste and salted egg yolk with pork floss are also gaining popularity.

The perfect moment to enjoy qingtuan is right out of the steamer, taking a hot bite as the soft, glutinous skin carries a fresh, grassy aroma. Sweet but not cloying, it envelops your senses with the taste of spring.

Nowadays, people relish it as a spring afternoon tea snack, pairing qingtuan with their favorite tea for a full sense of ceremony.