Bingji Tangyuan

Bingji Tangyuan

　　Bingji Tangyuan

　　Besides yuanxiao, people in Taishan have a long-standing tradition of eating tangyuan during the Winter Solstice. However, unlike the way they are eaten in Guangzhou, locals enjoy smaller, unfilled tangyuan. Whether sweet or savory, the flavor comes from the soup they’re cooked in. For sweet versions, brown sugar and shredded ginger are added to nourish the lungs and clear dust; for savory ones, ingredients such as shiitake mushrooms, white radish, cured meat and sausage, dried shrimp, chicken, and more can be flexibly included, creating a richly aromatic dish.

　　Notably, there’s the locally famous “Bingji Tangyuan.” “Wanzi Bing” (a nickname given to him by locals), a local who has been making tangyuan in Wencun for over ten years, is known not only for crafting exceptionally smooth tangyuan but also for using fresh mud fish and blue crabs in the soup, which absorb the essence of the seafood. On one occasion, a businessman from Hunan reportedly ate 13 bowls of tangyuan in one go, breaking the record for Wencun residents.