A Dragon Boat Festival fair buzzed with laughter and chatter in the Xiaomeisha community of Yantian District on June 17, where residents made herbal sachets, wrapped zongzi, assembled dragon boat models, and crafted mugwort bouquets.

Long tables in the hands-on area were crowded with participants. Young people, following the lead of local aunties, stacked two bamboo leaves together, folded them into a cone, filled them with glutinous rice and fillings, wrapped them into a rectangular shape, and tied them securely with a few twists of string. In no time, an authentic Meisha zongzi began to take form.

Unlike the common triangular shape or the long pillow-shaped variety, Meisha zongzi are rectangular — firm, plump, and compact. The older generation says that the shape symbolizes stability and safety, carrying their sincere wishes for a peaceful life.

The Dragon Boat Festival in Xiaomeisha is about much more than making zongzi. The celebration begins with the Grain in Ear solar term, as households start collecting mugwort, calamus, banyan leaves, wampee leaves, pomelo leaves, and peach branches. On the morning of the festival, the herbs are bundled together and hung over the doorway, a tradition that has endured for generations.

While other places mostly use bamboo or reed leaves as wrappers, locals insist on using the wild purple-backed bamboo leaves that grow on the Meishajian hill. The leaves are tough and resilient, resisting tears even after boiling and sun-drying. Leaf-pickers often head up the mountain in late May to bring back the season's fresh harvest. Each leaf is carefully wiped clean, trimmed, scalded in boiling water, and then spread out to dry.

Local Meisha zongzi come in just two flavors. The salted peanut zongzi is the old-school classic: ground, seasoned peanuts are hand-shaped into oval fillings that deliver a dense, creamy, and savory taste.

The salted meat zongzi blends glutinous rice with black rice, red rice, oats, and other grains, giving it a lighter, fresher profile. The pork is marinated in advance and wrapped in a coating of finely ground mung beans to balance its richness. The most special touch is the addition of local dried shredded scallops and a hint of garlic to enhance the umami.

A specially made pressure cooker can steam 160 zongzi at a time. When the aroma fills the air, the first batch is always shared with neighbors, relatives, and friends. In the local community, zongzi are vessels of goodwill and affection.

Though the cityscape has changed over the years, the tradition of making and sharing zongzi during the Dragon Boat Festival has never wavered in the Xiaomeisha community.