Dongzhi (Tang Chek): Crochet Jiaozi Dumplings・冬至: 钩针编织月牙饺子

Yesterday was Dongzhi冬至, also locally referred to as Tang Chek. Celebrated in China for centuries since the Han dynasty (206BC – 220AD), Dongzhi is a traditional Chinese festival that is also celebrated by overseas Chinese and people with Chinese ancestry, as well as countries in the East Asian cultural sphere — Japan (Touji冬至), Korea (Dongji동지) , Taiwan and, of course, here in Southeast Asia. On this occasion, it is traditional to gather together and eat dumplings, jiaozi饺子 for northern Chinese and tangyuan汤圆 for southern Chinese, among other regional foods. So today's post showcases some crochet jiaozi amigurumi that I made.

Actually, tangyuan would be more in-tune with my Fuzhou and Peranakan roots. Most Southeast Asian Chinese and Peranakans descended from southern Chinese immigrants (Guangdong, Fujian, Hainan), thus tangyuan is the traditional dish for Dongzhi here, as opposed to jiaozi. However, crochet tangyuan amigurumi were already featured during this year's Chinese New Year (pattern posted here), and I wanted to showcase something different for this occasion.

Crochet jiaozi amigurumi, greens and chopped spring onion (IG)

These aren't the first crochet jiaozi amigurumi I've made. The first ones I made (posted here) were made to resemble shui jiao水饺 (boiled dumplings), which we often fold in a simple unpleated semicircle shape. That jiaozi amigirumi was based on the crochet dumpling pattern by Genuine Mudpie, but with my own modifications.

This set of jiaozi amigurumi are made to resemble dumplings that are folded in the pleated crescent moon style, referred to as yueya jiaozi月牙饺子 in Chinese, literally "crescent moon dumplings". There are many ways to fold dumplings (be it 10, 11 or 20 ways). But if these look familiar, it's because this fold is typically used for potstickers, aka guotie锅贴 in Chinese and gyoza餃子 in Japanese.

Apparently, each dumpling is supposed to have 14 pleats and various fillings have symbolic meanings. I didn't know that. It's a bit hard to make that many pleats in the crochet ones, and I could only fit in 6 pleats. Maybe if I made them with lace weight yarn, I might be able to fit in more pleats...? Well, that's another play for another day.

And finally, I am including this bowl of crochet tangyuan amigurumi too. It feels a little odd if I don't include tangyuan for Dongzhi after all....

Crochet tangyuan amigurumi, pattern posted here (IG)

Traditionally, each person would get one large tangyuan and several smaller ones, and the tangyuan would be traditionally coloured white and bright pink or red. It was also traditional to eat as many tangyuan as one's age (some say one's age plus 1) — an "amusing practice", to quote Travelling Foodies, that prompted Peranakans to make and eat smaller, unfilled tangyuan. Well, this bowl of crochet tangyuan doesn't really conform to all the traditions, but let's not spoil the occasion by being pedantic.

In our family, we're all a little greedy, so each person gets more than 1 large tangyuan .

I can't believe that 2022 is ending. It's been something of an up-and-down year with some surprises and further adjustments. I can only hope and pray for better days to come.

Until next time, happy holidays, folks!

Materials & Tools - Crochet Jiaozi Amigurumi:

• Pattern - my own, which is still being revised and fine-tuned
• 1.75mm, 2mm, 2.5mm, 3mm Clover Amour crochet hook
• Yarn:
• Dumplings - Scheepjes Catona No.130 Old Lace and Sirdar Cotton DK No.502 Vanilla
• Green leaves - DMC Natura Just Cotton N13 Pistache Green
• Carrot - Scheepjes Catona No.411 Sweet Orange and No.281 Tangerine
• Spring onions - DMC 25 No.3865 (off-white), Anchor stranded cotton Nos.264, 256, 257 (greens)
• Stuffing

Materials & Tools - Crochet Tangyuan (Kueh Ee) Amigurumi:

• Pattern - my own, pattern in this post
• 2mm, 2.5mm Clover Amour crochet hook
• Yarn: Scheepjes Catona No.106 Snow White, No.222 Tulip, No.114 Shocking Pink
• Stuffing