The custom of eating Tangyuan on the Lantern Festival 元宵节食俗——汤圆

汤圆是中国的代表小吃之一，历史十分悠久。据传，汤圆起源于宋朝。当时各地兴起吃一种新奇食品，即用各种果饵做馅，外面用糯米粉搓成球，煮熟后，吃起来香甜可口，饶有风趣。因为这种糯米球煮在锅里又浮又沉，所以它最早叫“浮元子”，后来有的地区把“浮元子”改称元宵。大部分南方人家习惯在春节早晨都有合家聚坐共进汤圆的传统习俗。据说元宵象征合家团圆，吃元宵意味新的一年合家幸福、万事如意。
Tangyuan is a traditional Chinese snack with a long history. It is said that Tangyuan originated in the Song Dynasty when a kind of newfangled food which was balls made of glutinous rice flour and filled with various candies became popular nationwide. It tasted sweet and delicious. As the glutinous rice flour balls sink and float in boiling water, it was named Fuyuanzi at first and renamed Yuanxiao in other regions later on. It is a traditional custom for most people in southern China to eat Tangyuan together with family members. It is believed that Yuanxiao is a symbol of togetherness and eating Yuanxiao symbolizes happiness and good luck for the family in the new year.
演变到现在，其实元宵、汤团已经是两种食物。可以说是北方、南方之不同渊源所致。
Over time, Tangtuan and Yuanxiao have become distinct types of food as a result of their different origins in northern China and southern China.
北京做的元宵，是以馅为基础制作的。先是拌馅料，和匀后摊成大圆薄片，晾凉后再切成比乒乓球小的立方块。做成的元宵江米粉层很薄、表面是干的，下锅煮时江米粉才吸收水份变糊。
Beijing’s Yuanxiao is made with an emphasis on the filling. At first, the filling is stirred and spread into a thin round; then after the filling cools in the air, it is cut into cubes smaller than a ping-pong ball. Rice flour wrapped around the outside Yuanxiao is thin and dry. It does not become pasty until it is put into boiling water and absorbs water.
南方的汤团做法完全不同，倒有点儿像包饺子。先把糯米粉加水和成团。然后把做馅的各种原料拌匀放在大碗里备用。汤团馅含水量比元宵多，这是两者的区别之一。包汤团的过程也像饺子，但不用擀面杖。湿糯米粉粘性极强，只好用手揪一小团湿面，挤压成圆片形状。用筷子挑一团馅放在糯米片上，再用双手边转边收口做成汤团。做得好的汤团表面光滑发亮，有的还留一个尖儿，像桃形。汤团表皮已含有足够的水份，很粘，不易保存，最好现做现下了吃。
Southern China’s Tangtuan is made in a completely different way. It is kind of like making Chinese dumplings. First, mix glutinous rice flour in water and make it into dough. Then mix all ingredients for the filling together and put the well-mixed filling in a big bowl for use later. The filling of Tangtuan contains more water than that of Yuanxiao, which is one of the differences between the two. Wrapping of Tangtuan also resembles that of Chinese dumplings, but without a rolling pin. As wet glutinous rice flour is rather sticky, one has to pull a small blob from the dough and shape it into a thin round. Get some filling with chopsticks and put it on the round. Turn the round with two hands and close the opening at the same time. A well-made Tangtuan glistens on the surface and with a tip on it, looks like a peach. As rice flour outside Tangtuan contains enough water already and is very sticky, it is hard to preserve it and it is better to cook it right after it is made.