Origin of Nian Mai Zi

Zhuangyuan Zhi: Also called millet ball, Zhuangyuan Zhi. Legend has it that during the second year of Qing Yuan in the Southern Song Dynasty, when local resident Zou Yinglong went to the capital for the imperial examination, every household sent rice dumplings as a gift for him to eat on his journey and wished him success in the exam. On the road, Zou Yinglong was thirsty and drank some clear spring water; he was hungry and ate several rice dumplings. After a long journey, due to his outstanding talent, he answered questions fluently at the imperial examination, and Emperor Ningzong personally selected him as the top scholar. When he presented the hometown-made rice dumplings to the emperor for tasting, even the emperor praised them highly and bestowed the name "Zhuangyuan Zhi".