THE PERANAKAN
TPAS members attend Tang Chek at the Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre
The afternoon of Sunday, 21 December, saw TPAS members Eunice Yap, Stella Clare Wee, Clarence Ling, Bryan Tan and Emeric Lau mark the Winter Solstice or Tang Chek at the Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre (SCCC). The event was attended by about 200 of SCCC’s community partners and guests. After a hearty buffet lunch, participants gathered in the Centre’s Multi-Purpose Hall at 2pm and were treated to talks on the history of tangyuan or kueh ee and the varieties that we enjoy today.
Culture writer Mr Lee Kok Leong shared that the Winter Solstice (also known as Dongzhi or Tang Chek) heralds the coming of spring. It marks a time to prepare for renewal. The origins of eating tangyuan can be traced to a folk tale about a father and daughter who arrived in a small town in Fujian, where the daughter was to stay on and work as a maid. Before leaving, the father made a sweet glutinous rice ball and they each ate half, promising to eat a whole one when they reunited. On the next Winter Solstice, the daughter made two large sweet glutinous rice balls and stuck them at the door, and her father came as promised. The touching story soon spread, and from then on, families would stick sweet glutinous rice balls on their doors or windows to symbolise reunion and happiness.
Today, each dialect group has its own variety of tangyuan. For Peranakans, according to Mr Lee, our tangyuan or kueh ee are traditionally red and white, and served in soup with ginger, pandan leaves and either white or brown sugar. Modern versions may be tinted green and feature different fillings.
Right: Mr Alvin Tan, CEO of SCCC, at left, receiving the official record certification from personnel of the Singapore Book of Records
All the participants then got busy with the highlight of the event: hand-rolling and assembling four tangyuan each to help set two new records in the Singapore Book of Records for:
- Most Varieties of Tangyuan Made at an Event
- Largest SG60 Logo Made from Bowls of Tangyuan
There was much excitement as guests donned mouth masks, aprons and disposable gloves to gently flatten, fill and roll rice balls. A total of 168 bowls were used to form a massive SG60 logo to celebrate Singapore’s 60th year of independence.
Right: TPAS members Stella, Emeric, Bryan and Clarence busy rolling tangyuan
All guests were then treated to a sampling of tangyuan prepared by professional chefs. Our five members left the event with very round tummies!
TPAS congratulates SCCC on setting these records. We thank Mr Alvin Tan, CEO of SCCC and Ms Carolyn Pang, Assistant Director of Programmes at SCCC, for including TPAS in their Winter Solstice celebration.
Event website
Photos courtesy of TPAS members Eunice Yap and Emeric Lau, and the SCCC.
