What is the meaning of the rice balls ceremony?
In the second part of the extended version of the Chinese movie Red cliff, about 1 hour into the movie, there is a long scene which shows a ceremony with rice balls: what is this ceremony?
Best Answer
Ok I think I have found it.
It was the Dongzhi Festival. According to wikipedia:
The origins of this festival can be traced back to the yin and yang philosophy of balance and harmony in the cosmos [...] Traditionally, the Dongzhi Festival is also a time for the family to get together. One activity that occurs during these get-togethers (especially in the southern parts of China and in Chinese communities overseas) is the making and eating of tangyuan or balls of glutinous rice, which symbolize reunion. [...] Each family member receives at least one large tangyuan in addition to several small ones.
Bold is mine.
The rice balls are called Tangyuan:
For many Chinese families in mainland China as well as overseas, tangyuan is usually eaten together with family. The round shape of the balls and the bowls where they are served, come to symbolise the family togetherness.
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What do rice balls symbolize?
Tangyuan \u2013 Sweet Rice Balls It is a ball shape food made by glutinous rice flour. The shape and the pronunciation of tangyuan symbolize being together with your beloved one and family reunion. The lucky saying of eating tangyuan is\u56e2\u56e2\u5706\u5706 (Tu\xe1ntu\xe1n yu\xe1nyu\xe1n/ 'group-group round-round'): Happy (family) reunion!Why do we eat sweet rice balls on Chinese New Year?
Sweet Rice Balls \u2014 Family Togetherness Sweet rice ball (\u6c64\u5706 T\u0101ngyu\xe1n /tung-ywen/) is the main food for China's Lantern Festival, however, in south China, people eat them throughout the Spring Festival. The pronunciation and round shape of tangyuan are associated with reunion and being together.What do sticky rice balls symbolize in China?
Sweet round sticky rice balls in soup (\u6c64\u5706 t\u0101ngyu\xe1n /taang-ywen/ 'soup round') mean 'togetherness and reunion'.What nationality are rice balls?
OnigiriTwo onigiri, or rice balls, on a plateTypeRice ballsPlace of originJapanAssociated national cuisineJapanese cuisineMain ingredientsJaponica rice2 more rowsHow to Make Onigiri \u0026 Homemade Furikake | Japanese Rice Balls | おにぎりとふりかけの作り方
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