Spring rolls are considered a classic Chinese food, but did you know they actually come in many varieties across the country?
Today, February 4, marks lichun (literally “spring begins”), the first of the Chinese calendar’s 24 solar terms and the beginning of spring. As sprouts and buds begin to shoot up from the earth, people around China start making spring rolls (春卷).
The origins of spring rolls perhaps stem from spring eating traditions stretching back centuries. In Records of Local Customs (《风土记》), writer Zhou Chu (周处) details that “five pungent foods on one plate (五辛盘)” had become popular during the Jin dynasty (265 – 420). According to traditional Chinese medicine, eating garlic, wild onions, leeks, canola, and coriander (all fragrant ingredients) could dispel the spring cold from the body and provide internal warmth for the new year. The dish is still served around this time each year.
Wang Lin is a contributing writer at The World of Chinese who aspires to tell fresh stories about life, arts and culture in China—no prejudice, no clichés. Her writing has appeared on Nikkei Asia, the South China Morning Post, RADII, and elsewhere. She was born in Ningbo, a bustling port known for its dumplings and seafood.
