The custom of eating mung bean cake during the Dragon Boat Festival is said to be to commemorate Wu Zixu, a minister of the State of Wu during the late Spring and Autumn Period. This legend has led to the tradition of eating mung bean cake during the Dragon Boat Festival.
Mung bean cake in Sanyuan, Shaanxi Province, was recorded in the Ming Dynasty. In the 44th year of the Jiajing reign of the Ming Dynasty, Wen Chun, a local resident, wrote a poem praising it.
During the Yongzheng reign of the Qing Dynasty, Zhang Xianji (known as Zhang Hanlin), a Jinshi (successful candidate in the highest imperial examination), created "naturally fermented mung bean cake." Later, due to the praise of the Empress Dowager, it was named "Hanlin Cake" by the emperor.
In 1890, "Guangchangji," a shop specializing in this cake, was established in Jiuzhen Town, Zhangpu County. Its production process has been passed down from generation to generation, and in 2014, it was awarded the title of "Fujian Time-Honored Brand."
