The Real “Golden Zongzi” – Taiwan Ingredients, Glittering Gold Leaf on Sticky Rice

Travel Center / Taipei Report

With the Dragon Boat Festival approaching, hotels are showcasing creative and unique zongzi flavors. Domestic hoteliers are preparing the “Imperial Supreme Golden Zongzi” for the upcoming holiday, combining imperial wellness concepts with local ingredients. This special treat is offered to guests staying and dining during the festival, giving them the one-of-a-kind experience of tasting “gold” in their zongzi.


▲ A Dragon Boat Festival zongzi adorned with gold leaf exudes luxury. (Photo / Provided by the business)

Since ancient times, emperors across dynasties have had a well-documented love for gold. Gold was commonly used in the décor of royalty and wealthy households, as well as in palace decorations, utensils, tableware, and furniture. The “Sun Moon Traveler’s Inn,” located in the Sun Moon Lake National Scenic Area in Nantou County within the former Chiang Kai-shek’s official residence, features golden sails and masts that have become a striking landmark visible to all visitors to Sun Moon Lake.

According to ancient texts, “gold leaf can expel evil and toxins, relieve heat and vexation, calm the spirit and harmonize blood,” and “consuming gold leaf can soothe the mind, beautify the skin, prolong life, and promote health.” In modern times, advancements have allowed gold leaf to be incorporated into food or used in skincare, thanks to modern scientific research, further expanding gold’s versatile uses. Historically, emperors often consumed gold leaf as part of their health regimen, and China is believed to be the first to adopt the practice of eating gold. As early as the Qin and Han dynasties, there are records of the wealthy consuming gold leaf and gold powder. Today, the custom of eating gold leaf is also observed in Japan and some Southeast Asian countries.


▲ A Dragon Boat Festival zongzi featuring authentic Taiwanese ingredients. (Photo / Provided by the business)

To celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival, the executive chef at the “Sun Moon Traveler’s Inn,” Chef Chen Posheng, combined authentic Taiwanese ingredients — including sticky rice, bamboo shoots from Puli, fresh black pork, mushrooms from Yuchi, salted red eggs from Sichongxi, and flavor-enhancing dried shrimp, among over ten other ingredients. These were carefully simmered, stir-fried, and seasoned before being wrapped in bamboo leaves and boiled in water for two hours. Upon serving, the fragrance of bamboo leaves and sticky rice fills the air, while the amber-colored black pork resembles a piece of jade, offering a smooth texture without greasiness. The imperial-style zongzi boasts a naturally perfect golden proportion, adorned with dazzling, luxurious edible gold leaf, delivering an exceptional sensory experience of color, aroma, and taste.