Vietnamese Doan Ngo Festival: The Complete Bazhang Rice Dumplings Guide

Vietnam's Doan Ngo Festival, also known as Duanwu Festival or Dragon Boat Festival, showcases more than just the traditional Vietnamese fermented glutinous rice and Vietnamese Ash Cake (bánh tro). The vibrant Chinese community adds their own distinctive touch with bazhang - pyramid-shaped rice dumplings that tell a story of cultural fusion spanning over 2,000 years.

Every year on the 5th day of the 5th lunar month, while Vietnamese people traditionally "kill insects and parasites" with traditional Vietnamese fermented glutinous rice and honey-dipped bánh tro, the Chinese community honors the memory of Qu Yuan through aromatic bazhang. This beautiful diversity makes Vietnam's Doan Ngo Festival a living testament to multicultural harmony.

While the Vietnamese celebrate Tết Đoan Ngọ with cơm rượu (fermented glutinous rice) and bánh tro chấm mật (ash cakes with honey), bánh bá trạng (bazhang) stands out as a unique cultural culinary tradition of the Chinese community in Vietnam.

Vietnam's Doan Ngo Festival: Where Two Cultures Unite

Doan Ngo Festival (Duanwu Festival) represents one of Vietnam's most significant traditional celebrations, occurring annually on the 5th day of the 5th lunar month. Beyond family reunions, it demonstrates the unique cultural exchange between Vietnamese and Chinese communities. This multicultural celebration becomes especially vibrant in provinces with large Chinese populations like Ho Chi Minh City, Dong Nai, and Soc Trang.

Shared Values and Common Meanings

Both Vietnamese and Chinese communities share fundamental beliefs during Doan Ngo Festival: spiritual cleansing, warding off misfortune, and praying for health and peace for themselves and their families. This occasion allows people to pause from daily routines, connect with their roots, and strengthen family bonds.

Distinctive Culinary Traditions

While sharing common values, each community maintains unique customs and foods that enrich the festival's diversity:

Vietnamese Traditions:

• Focus on the "insect-killing" ritual immediately after waking up

• Consume sour, astringent, or spicy foods to eliminate parasites

• Essential dishes include glutinous rice wine (purple or white sticky rice) and tro cake (alkaline rice cake)

Chinese Community in Vietnam:

• The iconic food is bazhang (Zongzi) with diverse fillings including Cantonese, Fujian, Teochew, and Hainan varieties

• Practice of hanging mugwort leaves at doorways to ward off evil spirits and diseases

Bazhang: The Chinese Community's Culinary Treasure in Vietnam

Bazhang transcends mere food - it's a cultural bridge connecting past and present. With over 2,000 years of history tied to the Qu Yuan legend from the Warring States period, this dish reflects Eastern culinary philosophy and folk beliefs.

In Vietnam, bazhang has evolved into a unique version combining local ingredients with traditional techniques, becoming indispensable for Chinese Doan Ngo Festival ceremonies.

Historical Origins and Cultural Evolution

The Qu Yuan Legend and Symbolic Meaning

According to Chinese historical records, bazhang's origin connects to the tragedy of Qu Yuan (340-278 BCE), a patriotic poet from the Chu state during the Warring States period. After being dismissed and exiled, he drowned himself in the Miluo River to protest court corruption.

The legend of Qu Yuan is closely associated with the Chinese Doan Ngo Festival. Image: Internet

Local people, wanting to protect his body from fish and shrimp, wrapped rice in bamboo leaves and threw them into the river - an act considered the origin of rice dumplings. This custom gradually developed into the Doan Ngo Festival culinary ritual, symbolizing the expulsion of evil spirits and prayers for peace.

Journey to Vietnam

Trade relationships from the 16th-17th centuries brought bazhang to Vietnam alongside waves of Chinese immigration. In southern provinces like Cholon (Ho Chi Minh City), Ha Tien (Kien Giang), and An Giang, this dish was localized by incorporating regional ingredients like purple sticky rice, pandan leaves, and duck meat.

This cultural adaptation is evident in the name "bá trạng" - a transliteration from Teochew "bah-chang," referring to the characteristic savory rice dumpling. By the 19th century, bazhang had become essential for both Chinese and Vietnamese Doan Ngo Festival celebrations in southern Vietnam.

Modern Cultural Symbolism

In today's globalized context, bazhang maintains its important role as a community connector. In District 5, Ho Chi Minh City, Chinese families still maintain the tradition of wrapping dumplings together 3-5 days before Doan Ngo Festival.

The image of triangular dumplings tied with five-colored strings carries not only culinary significance but also symbolizes reunion, filial piety, and the tradition of "remembering one's roots." In 2020, the Vietnamese-Chinese Culinary Association proposed including bazhang in the National Intangible Cultural Heritage list, affirming this dish's special historical value.

Traditional Preparation Techniques and Signature Ingredients

The authentic bazhang recipe requires coordination of 7 main ingredient groups, each carrying symbolic meaning:

• Short-grain glutinous rice (60% of weight) soaked overnight in rice husk water for natural stickiness

• Filling ingredients include five-spice marinated pork belly, hulled mung beans, lotus seeds (symbolizing longevity), Chinese sausage (representing luck), and salted egg yolks (symbolizing celebrations)

• Wrapping leaves must be fresh bamboo or young dong leaves for characteristic aroma, different from Vietnamese tro cake's banana leaves

Elaborate Preparation Process

The cooking process spans 48-72 hours through multiple meticulous stages:

1. After soaking rice for 8-12 hours, ingredients are separately marinated with soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, palm sugar, and five-spice powder

2. Wrapping requires technical skill to fold leaves into triangular pyramids, layering rice-filling-rice in 3:2:3 ratio

3. Dumplings are boiled in large copper pots for 6-8 hours at stable 90-95°C temperature

4. This hydrothermal steaming technique, valued by Chinese culinary masters, creates the characteristic chewy texture

4 Popular Bazhang Varieties in Vietnam

1. Cantonese Bazhang - Harmony Between Tradition and Localization

Shape and Wrapping Style:

Cantonese bazhang typically takes a rectangular pillow shape - this variety's signature form. The skillful wrapping technique ensures easy cutting and beautiful presentation after cooking.

Ingredients and Flavors:

Following a harmonious, accessible approach, Cantonese bazhang features traditional ingredients:

• Pork belly: Cut into squares, marinated with soy sauce, oyster sauce, and five-spice powder

• Hulled mung beans: Used as filling or mixed with rice for nutty flavor and moisture

• Salted egg yolks: Providing richness and visual appeal

• Chinese sausage: Adding distinctive sweetness and irresistible aroma

• Shiitake mushrooms, dried shrimp, chestnuts: Contributing umami depth and natural sweetness

The rice is lightly seasoned with oil, salt, and soy sauce, creating a fragrant, chewy base that harmonizes with diverse fillings. The balanced combination of salty meat, eggs, sweet sausage, and nutty mung beans makes it appealing to all ages.

2. Teochew Bazhang - Sweet and Savory Harmony

Contrasting Flavors Creating Character:

Teochew bazhang impresses with its sweet-savory combination within a single dumpling - a rare characteristic among bazhang varieties:

• Savory filling: Tender pork belly, dried shrimp, shiitake mushrooms, chestnuts, and salted eggs

• Sweet filling: Usually mung bean balls or mashed taro wrapped in lard, providing gentle sweetness between savory elements

Unique Structure and Shape:

Usually pyramid-shaped or square, skillfully wrapped in bamboo leaves. When cooked, the glutinous rice absorbs leaf essence, becoming fragrant and soft while highlighting the contrasting fillings' harmony.

3. Fujian Bazhang - Bold Flavors, The Soul of Cholon

Color and Distinctive Taste:

Fujian bazhang is easily recognized by its dark brown color - result of stir-frying rice and filling with dark soy sauce and five-spice powder before wrapping. This creates deeply flavored rice grains with intense aroma.

Premium Multi-layered Filling:

Fujian bazhang filling is considered the most luxurious among bazhang varieties:

• Marinated pork belly, chestnuts, salted duck egg yolks

• Shiitake mushrooms and dried shrimp for umami depth

• Premium versions include abalone or dried scallops for enhanced value and flavor complexity

4. Hainan Bazhang - Tropical Island Masterpiece

Premium Ingredients and Special Preparation:

Hainan bazhang stands out with top-quality ingredients, especially Hele black pork - a Hainan island specialty known for firm texture and rich flavor. Rice is stir-fried with black pepper and soy sauce, creating an aromatic, mildly spicy wrapper.

Rich Multi-layered Filling:

Includes Hele pork, salted duck eggs, shiitake mushrooms, peanuts, and dried shrimp - creating perfect balance between richness, nuttiness, saltiness, and aromatic intensity.

Unique Serving Style:

Unlike other varieties, Hainan bazhang is often served with palm sugar, balancing saltiness while adding sweet depth - creating an unforgettable taste experience.

Cultural Significance and Modern Relevance