The Three Big Names of Zongzi at Nanmen Market: Nanyuan, Lijia, and Hexing

▲ From left to right in the photo: zongzi from Nanyuan, Hexing, and Lijia, each with their own characteristics and fan bases.

Reported and photographed by Xiao Wanning / Taipei

Every year during the Dragon Boat Festival, Nanmen Market outside Taipei Metro’s Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall Station becomes packed to the brim, especially the long queues at the traditional zongzi shops Nanyuan, Lijia, and Hexing. These three shops mainly sell the long-shaped Huzhou-style zongzi. With slight differences in texture and flavor, each has its own loyal following. Come Dragon Boat Festival eve, they usually sell out very quickly, leaving those who didn’t get in line disappointed. Come and find out what secrets these three time-honored shops hold.

▲ Known as the “President’s Zongzi,” Nanyuan is one of the most popular zongzi shops in Nanmen Market that draws long lines.

Nanyuan

Established in 1961 and now in its fourth generation, Nanyuan uses round glutinous rice and Jinhua ham. It’s the Huzhou-style zongzi favored by presidents past and present, including former Presidents Yen Chia-kan, Chiang Ching-kuo, and Lee Teng-hui. Zhong Chunyu, the fourth-generation owner of Nanyuan, says that most people still prefer the traditional taste, so since opening, she has insisted on making every zongzi entirely by hand to ensure the hometown flavor remains unchanged. As a result, during the Dragon Boat Festival season, over ten family members across four generations pitch in to make zongzi, which is why the annual supply is very limited—often more than half are pre-ordered.

Stall No. 192, Nanmen Market
Phone: (02)2396-3852
Price: NT$50 per plain pork zongzi

▲ A unique ratio of ingredients helped Lijia’s zongzi win first place in an online poll.

Lijia

In 2008, Lijia beat numerous competitors to claim the top spot in an online poll—the first time it earned the title of “zongzi king” in nearly 20 years. That’s when the three-way rivalry among Nanmen Market’s zongzi shops began. Lijia’s main offering, the plain pork zongzi, is also Huzhou-style. Owner Zhu Shicheng says that making zongzi is mostly self-taught—there’s no secret family recipe—but he spent a lot of time and effort researching it. The ratios of meat to rice are based on memory and are unique, so the pork zongzi here definitely tastes different from others.

Stall No. 196, Nanmen Market
Phone: (02)2393-0469
Price: NT$50 per plain pork zongzi

▲ Hexing keeps innovating and attracting new customer groups.

Hexing

Always neck-and-neck with Nanyuan in terms of customer support, Hexing also has a history of over 60 years. The current owner, second-generation Li Huiwen, says that in this fiercely competitive zongzi market, besides sticking to handmade production, it’s even more important to offer uniqueness—balancing old flavors with new ones. In addition to maintaining traditional methods, she has also created many new flavors of zongzi, giving customers more choices and not only retaining old customers but also attracting new ones of different age groups.

Stall No. 201, Nanmen Market
Phone: (02)2321-4702
Price: NT$50 per plain pork zongzi