Qingtuan
In its own language: 青团
Green glutinous rice dumpling filled with sweet or savory paste, eaten at Qingming Festival
Qingtuan is a green dumpling from Jiangnan, China, made by mixing glutinous rice flour with mugwort or barley grass and filling it with sweet bean paste or other fillings. Traditionally eaten during the Qingming Festival in early April, it is now found across China, often as street food, with both sweet and savory versions.
- Qingtuan is made with glutinous rice and green plant juice
- Traditionally eaten at Qingming Festival in early April
- Classic filling is sweet red or black bean paste
- Modern versions include savory fillings like meat floss
- Mainly found as street food in eastern China
What is Qingtuan?
Qingtuan is a dumpling with a deep green color, made by blending glutinous rice flour with the juice of Chinese mugwort or barley grass. The dough is filled with sweet red or black bean paste, though modern versions may use savory fillings. Its color comes from the fresh green plants used in spring. The dumpling is round or, for savory types, shaped more like a traditional dumpling. It is soft and chewy, and is usually served at room temperature or cold.
Where does Qingtuan come from?
Qingtuan comes from Jiangnan, a region in eastern China. The custom of eating it during the Qingming Festival grew out of the older Cold Food Festival, when people avoided cooking with fire and ate foods prepared in advance. Over time, as the Cold Food Festival merged into Qingming, qingtuan became a symbol of this spring holiday, especially in Jiangsu and Zhejiang. The tradition dates back at least to the Song dynasty, when it was called 'fenduan', and became more popular in the Ming and Qing dynasties.
How is Qingtuan made?
To make qingtuan, fresh mugwort or barley grass is crushed and squeezed to extract its green juice. This juice is mixed with hot glutinous rice flour to form a dough. The dough is shaped around a filling, most often sweet bean paste, and then steamed. In some regions, other green plants like sage grass or loofah leaves are used for coloring. Salty fillings may include dried tofu, bamboo shoots, pork, or pickles. The dumplings are often steamed on a base of leaves.
How and when is Qingtuan eaten?
Qingtuan is mainly eaten as a snack during the Qingming Festival in early April, but is also found as street food in many Chinese cities. It is usually served at room temperature or cold, making it suitable for springtime outings and ancestor visits. People may eat it plain or alongside tea. The dumpling is enjoyed both at home and bought from street vendors, especially in Jiangnan and surrounding regions.
Kinds of Qingtuan
While the traditional qingtuan is filled with sweet bean paste, modern versions feature a range of fillings like meat floss, salted egg yolk, custard, black sesame, cheese, and chocolate. In Linhai, there are both sweet and salty styles, with the savory ones shaped differently. Some convenience store versions use matcha for coloring instead of fresh herbs. Regional differences also appear in the choice of green plants for the dough.
What Qingtuan means
Qingtuan is closely tied to the Qingming Festival, a time for honoring ancestors and enjoying the arrival of spring. Its seasonal ingredients mean it is mostly available in early spring. The dumpling is a symbol of the festival in eastern and southern China, and eating it is a tradition passed down through generations. Today, its role in ancestor worship has faded, but it remains a festive food and a sign of spring.
When Qingtuan is on the table
Questions people ask about Qingtuan
What is qingtuan made of?
Qingtuan is made by mixing glutinous rice flour with the juice of Chinese mugwort or barley grass, then filling it with sweet red or black bean paste or other fillings before steaming.
Where does qingtuan come from?
Qingtuan originates from Jiangnan, a region in eastern China, and is now common throughout the country, especially during the Qingming Festival.
When is qingtuan usually eaten?
Qingtuan is mainly eaten around the Qingming Festival in early April, but can also be found as street food in spring.
Are there different types of qingtuan?
Yes, besides the traditional sweet bean paste filling, modern qingtuan may have savory fillings like meat floss or salted egg yolk, and use different green plants or even matcha for coloring.
Is qingtuan served hot or cold?
Qingtuan is typically served at room temperature or cold, making it suitable for eating outdoors during spring festivals.
Good reading and sources
The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Qingtuan", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence, and from its Wikidata record (CC0). Thali rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.
It may contain mistakes, and it is not dietary or allergy advice: recipes differ from cook to cook. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-03.
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