Traditionally, rice dumplings are eaten on the fifth day of the fifth month (端午节) of the lunar calendar in memory of "Qu Yuan" (屈原) a great Chinese poet, politician, diplomat, and spiritual teacher who chose to end his life by drowning himself in a river called "Mi Luo River" (汨罗江) after his country (“Chu 楚国”) was invaded and destroyed by the Ching Emperor 2,297 years ago in China. The citizens were unable to find his body and scattered rice dumplings into the river as feed in order to protect him from being eaten by creatures in the water.
We still keep this tradition in this part of the world, upholding our gratitude and appreciation to this great spiritual teacher. June 5, 2020 is equivalent to the 5th day of the 5th month of the lunar calendar and this is the day rice dumplings are traditionally eaten.
At Lapan Wellness Café, a healthier version of the rice dumplings are handmade with either organic sprouted black rice or organic sprouted sweet millet with a bean-based filling.
How our dumplings are made: Sprouted sweet millet or black rice is wrapped in bamboo leaves with a filling of mixed beans and condiments, seasoned with shoyu, and then steamed to perfection.
Quality: Macrobiotic, organic, vegan.
Functions: Sweet millet is traditionally used for calming emotions and regulating blood sugar, while black rice, is used to strengthen the lungs and the immunity system.
Sweet millet dumplings (甜小米粽子) and black rice dumplings (紫米粽子) are available fresh or frozen at Lapan Wellness Café and can also be ordered online on our website.
