Shunde is known for its famous culinary culture that is loved both locally and internationally. One of its typical dishes is Dragon Boat Banquet, which is fresh, tender, and incredibly tasty.

People in Shunde celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival by having a big banquet. It's a traditional dish that is highly valued by the local who believe that once you've tasted, you'll gain good luck all year around. On June 20, the official standard for the Dragon Boat banquet was announced in Leliu, Shunde.

In the past, Dragon Boat Banquet was a simple and practical meal meant to fill people up. It usually didn’t include fancy ingredients like roasted meat, chicken, or expensive seafood. Instead, it only consisted of basic dishes like boiled zucchini with vermicelli and dried shrimp or stir-fried vegetables with fish balls. Over time, the dish evolved, and the feast now includes a variety of delicious and delicate dishes.

Previously, villagers tended to mix basic ingredients and cooked them together in a large pot. By contrast, the upgraded version included five or six dishes with various ingredients. Now, the Dragon Boat Banquet served in the "Nine Big Dishes" at the feast surpasses all previous standards.

To establish standardized guidelines for the Dragon Boat feast, Shunde introduced a set of guidelines in 2022. This means that besides the Dragon Boat Festival, people can enjoy these special dishes throughout the year.

This year, the Dragon Boat banquet in Shunde featured over 7,000 servings, with various towns and communities offering their versions. Nearly 100,000 people participated in this grand event. The Dragon Boat feast consists of nine main dishes, known as the "Nine Big Dishes," symbolizing the highest level of the feast. Additionally, there are Dragon Boat rice, soup, and desserts, totaling 12 dishes. The ingredients used in these dishes include seasonal produce, each carrying the auspicious meaning of health, good fortune, and progress.

The twelve dishes served at the banquet include:

01

Steamed Fish Soup

02

Roasted Pork and Roasted Goose

03

Four Cups Chicken

04

Fried Meat with Pine Nut

05

Steamed Eel in Dragon Shape

06

Roasted Shrimps

07

Steamed Fish

08

Braised Pork Trotter with Vegetable Bile

09

Boiled Zucchini with Vermicelli and Dried Shrimps

10

Five-Color Dragon Boat Rice

11

Boiled Vegetables

12

Delicious Desserts

Reporter | Linn

Revisor | Christy, Eleanor