Qingtuan (CFP Photo)

Qingtuan, a type of green sticky rice dumpling, stands out among traditional snacks in the fertile Jiangnan region, the lower reaches of the Yangtze River.

In Jiangsu, demand for this steamed snack surges around the Qingming Festival, a time to honor the deceased and to worship ancestors.

Legend has it that Dayu (Yu the Great) successfully controlled the floods and lowered the water level in Taihu Lake about 4000 years ago, enabling locals to cultivate winter wheat in the basin. To commemorate Dayu during the Qingming Festival and pray for a good harvest, people used juice from wheat plants and sticky rice flour to make green dumplings.

However, such version of qingtuan was not so tasty, much less sold as a commodity. Gu A-ying (1310-1369), a wealthy merchant from the ancient town of Zhengyi, instructed his maid Zhao Hui to find other green grass that could substitute for wheat, in order to make more palatable qingtuan for his departed mother in the afterlife.

Zhao eventually discovered a wheat-like weed in the field. It was pounded to extract the juice, which was then mixed with glutinous rice flour,and with bean paste and fruits used as fillings. The improved version not only looks appealing but also tastes delicious, making it a popular treat among the public.

Qingtuan (CFP Photo)

Qingtuan, a type of green sticky rice dumpling, stands out among traditional snacks in the fertile Jiangnan region, the lower reaches of the Yangtze River.

In Jiangsu, demand for this steamed snack surges around the Qingming Festival, a time to honor the deceased and to worship ancestors.

A resident gathers ingredient in Suzhou. (CFP Photo)

Qingtuan, a type of green sticky rice dumpling, stands out among traditional snacks in the fertile Jiangnan region, the lower reaches of the Yangtze River.

In Jiangsu, demand for this steamed snack surges around the Qingming Festival, a time to honor the deceased and to worship ancestors.

Children learn to make qingtuan at a kindergarten in Suzhou. (CFP Photo)

Qingtuan, a type of green sticky rice dumpling, stands out among traditional snacks in the fertile Jiangnan region, the lower reaches of the Yangtze River.

In Jiangsu, demand for this steamed snack surges around the Qingming Festival, a time to honor the deceased and to worship ancestors.

A chef shows freshly-made qingtuan. (CFP Photo)

Qingtuan, a type of green sticky rice dumpling, stands out among traditional snacks in the fertile Jiangnan region, the lower reaches of the Yangtze River.

In Jiangsu, demand for this steamed snack surges around the Qingming Festival, a time to honor the deceased and to worship ancestors.

A customer buys qingtuan at a store in Suzhou. (CFP Photo)

Qingtuan, a type of green sticky rice dumpling, stands out among traditional snacks in the fertile Jiangnan region, the lower reaches of the Yangtze River.

In Jiangsu, demand for this steamed snack surges around the Qingming Festival, a time to honor the deceased and to worship ancestors.

Customers buy qingtuan in Suzhou. (CFP Photo)

Qingtuan, a type of green sticky rice dumpling, stands out among traditional snacks in the fertile Jiangnan region, the lower reaches of the Yangtze River.

In Jiangsu, demand for this steamed snack surges around the Qingming Festival, a time to honor the deceased and to worship ancestors.