Chengmai RuiXi Zongzi

Chengmai RuiXi Zongzi

　　RuiXi zongzi are made primarily from glutinous rice and pork, known for their fluffy texture, fragrant taste, and not being greasy after eating. Since the 1920s, residents of RuiXi Market in the county have started setting up stalls to sell zongzi, treating them as a specialty snack.

　　RuiXi zongzi are seasoned mainly with spices such as star anise, cinnamon, pepper, and millet hulls. These spices, along with white liquor, cooking oil, ginger juice, and garlic, are mixed into the pork to make the filling. Today, RuiXi zongzi not only hold a place among local snacks in the county but are also highly favored in large and medium-sized restaurants in Haikou, earning widespread praise from diners.

　　It is understood that RuiXi zongzi have a long history, but they began being sold as a delicacy during the Ming Dynasty. At the founding of Bengxi Market in the early Qing Dynasty, on the opening day, villagers from all over danced with lion and dragon dances, beat drums and gongs, and carried agricultural products, snacks, and handicrafts to the market—among them were zongzi. Officials, local elites, merchants, and traders came to celebrate, and everyone who tasted them agreed: “Bengxi zongzi are the best in the world!” From then on, Bengxi zongzi became widely famous. Later, Xie Bao, the head instructor of Qiongtai Academy, came to Nanwen Village in Bengxi Market to help the Zeng family compile a genealogy and inscribed “Nanwen Eight Scenic Spots.” Instructor Xie loved Bengxi zongzi, and the villagers made them to serve him. He later carried a load of zongzi to the academy as thanks. Instructor Xie felt that the character “Beng” (崩, meaning collapse) was inauspicious, so he changed “Bengxi” to “Ruixi” (瑞溪, meaning auspicious stream). From then on, RuiXi zongzi began to gain fame.

　　Nowadays, the most famous zongzi makers in RuiXi Town are the Zeng Lingzhang family, whom you can easily find—just ask any elderly woman in town, and they’ll point you the way.

　　When reporters visited RuiXi Town in Chengmai for an interview, at the Zeng Lingzhang family’s zongzi workshop, they saw hundreds of freshly steamed zongzi already laid out on the ground. Several aunties were repeatedly washing bamboo leaves, while a few large stoves nearby were boiling zongzi—a scene bustling with activity.

　　It is understood that the Zeng family has been making zongzi for over 70 years, running the longest-operating and largest-scale zongzi workshop in town. The current head is Zeng Lingzhang, and his 30-something son, Zeng Dexian, is the third-generation “zongzi heir” of the Zeng family.

　　Parents used to carry zongzi to sell at markets

　　According to Zeng Lingzhang, the family once had a small zongzi workshop. When he was young, his father, Zeng Xianglong, and second uncle, Zeng Xiangfeng, were already selling zongzi at stalls in town. When it wasn’t market day, his father and brothers would carry the zongzi to sell in Chang’an and Meiting areas, and sometimes even take boats to sell them in Dongshan, Haikou. The whole family made a living this way. He learned how to make zongzi when he was little—and in fact, nearly every household in RuiXi Town knows how to make them.

　　“Back then, I worked in the county town, and the first thing I did when I got home every day was help my family make zongzi.” Reflecting on the past, Zeng Lingzhang becomes quite emotional. The elder told reporters that they used to cook zongzi with firewood, but now they use coal, which is much more convenient. As for his son, Zeng Dexian, he’s a “restless” one, always thinking about spreading RuiXi zongzi beyond the island. The Zeng family’s zongzi are big, generously filled, and delicious. Nowadays, they sell around 2,000 per day normally, but during the Dragon Boat Festival, orders from companies and large buyers can go up to tens of thousands.

　　The bamboo leaves and duck eggs are top-notch

　　So what makes the Zeng family’s zongzi so delicious?

　　According to Zeng Dexian, the bamboo leaves used in their zongzi are freshly picked from Hainan Island’s highest mountain, Wuzhi Mountain. These leaves give the zongzi a natural fragrance and a faint yellow-green hue when steamed.

　　The pork used inside is Tuncheng black pork. After high-temperature cooking, the fat melts into the glutinous rice, while the lean part melts in your mouth.

　　As for the salted egg yolk inside the zongzi, it’s especially delicious—the duck eggs come from ducks raised by the Jiulongxi Stream in Chengmai. The stream is crystal clear, and the free-range ducks grow plump eating clams from the stream, producing nutritious eggs. The yolks of these duck eggs are orange-red, containing visibly more fat than ordinary salted egg yolks, yet they are not greasy at all.

　　Unwrap a zongzi made by the Zeng family, and a wave of heat and fragrance greets you. Take a bite, and the glutinous rice, mixed with fatty pork and salted egg yolk, bursts with flavor. Take a second bite, and the rich aroma bursts forth like a spring...

　　“My parents still make zongzi every day, but now that they’re older and can’t work long hours, we all hope they’ll rest. But they just can’t let it go and insist on making them daily.” To spread the Zeng family’s zongzi beyond the island, Zeng Dexian has made many efforts and even registered the RuiXi zongzi trademark.

　　Zeng Dexian said that although their zongzi are well-known locally, due to packaging issues and other challenges, they currently can’t be transported long distances in large quantities. Moreover, there is no official brand yet. He has started partnering with others to build a zongzi production facility, but the difficulty lies in limited funding. He hopes the local government can support him in making the Chengmai RuiXi zongzi brand even more prominent.