Valentine's Day this year coincides with Lantern Festival, whichfalls on the 15th day of the first lunar month. Tangyuan, or yuanxiao,with rose petal jam and chocolate fillings have become verypopular among the customers.
Lantern Festival is one of the many traditional Spring Festivalcustoms that has to do with eating.
Tangyuan, or yuanxiao, as they are called in the north, are walnut-shaped dumplings made from glutinous rice flour with many typesof filling. The wide variety of flavors reflects the diversities of regionto region, province to province and village to village.
Regardless of these multiple styles and flavors, yuanxiao is said tohave made its debut during the Eastern Jin Dynasty (AD 317-420),becoming popular during the Tang and Song dynasties (seventh to13th centuries).
In ancient times, this dessert was known as rutang yuanzi, or sweetened glutinous rice flourdumplings, but these dumplings were later named after the festival itself - yuanxiao.