Zongzi, sticky rice dumplings wrapped in bamboo leaves, have been on hot sale as people in China's Taiwan region are celebrating the Dragon Boat Festival with the traditional delicacy.
Taipei's iconic Nanmen Market, with a history of over a century, has been bustling with zongzi shoppers since the days leading up to the festival.
"We come here to buy zongzi every year ahead of the Dragon Boat Festival. My mother loves their zongzi, so I'm here to buy some for her," said a shopper from Hsinchu City.
The market offers a wide variety of zongzi, catering to 20 or 30 different flavors, such as the local southern Taiwan zongzi, northern Taiwan zongzi, and the most famous one -- Huzhou-style zongzi.
Originated from east China's Zhejiang Province, Huzhou-style zongzi is distinguished by its elongated, pillow-like shape and fillings such as pork or red bean.
A store at the market has been selling Huzhou-style zongzi for nearly 60 years. Having been passed down for four generations, the time-honored store still retains the authentic flavor.
"Just a while ago, a youngster from Huzhou told us that they call it Jiaxing-style zongzi in his hometown. They are the same. The only difference is they use pork belly, while we use pork collar," said Ms. Jiang, owner of the store.
The Dragon Boat Festival, also known as Duanwu Festival, commemorates renowned Chinese patriotic poet Qu Yuan, who was also a minister of the State of Chu during the Warring States Period (475 B.C.-221 B.C.). Celebrated on the fifth day of the fifth month of the Chinese lunar calendar, the festival falls on May 31 this year.
Zongzi in high demand as Taiwan celebrates Dragon Boat Festival
Zongzi in high demand as Taiwan celebrates Dragon Boat Festival
The Iranian government is focusing on public concerns and maintaining stable supplies of essential goods amid recent protests, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said in a televised interview on Sunday.
In the city of Karaj, northwest of the capital Tehran, daily life has largely continued as normal. A video filmed by a local resident on Sunday shows food stores open and grocery shelves fully stocked.
"This is the block near my home, and there are some food stores here. Daily life continues here. Last night we did not see many protests in Karaj. Right now the city is very safe. This is a grocery store close to my home. All the food is available; nothing is in shortage. Here are noodles and different types of beans. Here are dairy products, cheese, and yogurt. I also checked other grocery stores and didn't see any shortages. Everything is available," said local resident Ali Reza.
Iranian officials have described recent disturbances as acts orchestrated by the "enemy," including some carried out by well-trained and armed "terrorists." The incidents have caused casualties among security personnel and civilians, as well as property damage.
The Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Ali Larijani has directed authorities to severely punish the "terrorists."
Meanwhile, Iran's police chief Ahmad-Reza Radan said on Sunday that the police had raised alert levels and arrested several leaders of the troublemakers during the operations on Saturday.
President Pezeshkian noted in the interview that the normal demands of the Iranian people are reasonable and justified, but they must realize that triggering riots and carrying out terrorist acts are the enemy's attempts to undermine the country. He urged the public to remain vigilant.
Also on Sunday, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf warned that Tehran would regard U.S. and Israeli bases and facilities in the Middle East as "legitimate targets" if Washington takes military action against Iran. His remarks followed media reports saying U.S. President Donald Trump is "seriously considering authorizing a strike" against Iran.
Iranian state media reported that at least 109 members of Iran's security forces have been killed in clashes since the protests began 14 days ago. Meanwhile, human rights groups based outside the country said the number of protesters killed has exceeded 200, though the figure could not be independently verified.
The protests initially erupted over a sharp depreciation of the rial and sweeping subsidy reforms. Iranian authorities have blamed the unrest on foreign-linked agents and sanctions imposed by the United States.
Iranian president says government focusing on ensuring supplies amid protests
