The Winter Solstice Festival or Dong zhì is one of
the most important festivals celebrated by the Chinese. Dong Zhì is the day
when families get together, make and eat tang yuan, a sweet soup made of
glutinous rice balls. Each family member gets at least one large bright tang
yuan with several small ones served in a bowl. The festive food is also to
remind us that we are now a year older.
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Not-so-round sticky balls
In a few days times will be winter solstice, Little C is
very excited as this will be her first time helping mama and grandma to make
the colourful sticky rice balls soup that she loves to eat so much.
Everyday, when she plays with her play dough she will try to
roll the colourful pastel colour play dough that her mum made for her into round
little balls. Most of the time, she
rolls the play dough into balls that are either too big or too small and the
worst part is it did not turn out to be round like a ball but shaped more like
an American football.
Little C feels sad and said to herself ‘why can’t I make the
dough round and the right size???’
That night day before Winter Solstice, Grandma Sticky Rice
ball appears to Little C in her dream. She brings Little C to the land of Sticky Rice Ball
Grandma Sticky Rice ball takes a piece of sticky rice paste
and starts to roll. As she rolls she sings, than she pause for a while and
smile at Little C, and in her soft tone she said ‘Little C, remember, when you
make your rice balls use your hands and heart to roll the paste, and as you roll
feel happiness in you because you get to make it for your family to eat. Please
don’t feel sad even though your rice balls are not round’….
Next morning, Little C is so excited to help her mama and grandma. Little C helps Grandma to peel the skin off
the cooked beetroots, pumpkin, sweet potatoes and yam before they mix them
individually with rice flour. To make
green dough, they used the pandan leaves. The pastel colour dough was indeed
special.
Once all the colourful dough are ready, Little C put her little
hand into the bowl, pinch some dough, with a smile on her face she starts to
roll her dough while she sings.
I have little
little dough in my hand
With happiness and
smile I roll my dough
I have little
little dough in my heart
In my heart and
hands I roll my little dough
(repeat)
(tune to ‘I have
little little happy in my heart’)
When she stops singing,
she opens her hand and a near perfect round ball stood brightly on her
palm. Little C was brimmed with pride. She carefully placed the ball on the
plate. Mama and grandma saw her work and gave little C a nod and smile.
Little C than pinched another piece of dough.
Later that evening, everyone in the family got a few pieces of the sticky rice balls in a bowl. They are the most delicious sticky rice balls soup as every bite is fills with love and happiness. After eaten the sticky rice balls, everyone is a year older too.
Little C is a year older and made her first yummiest sticky
rice ball soup.
By Leanne
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#1. Through the story I hope that the children will learn not to
give up but to try her best. At the same time, appearance does not matter as it
is the thoughts that count.
