The competition kicked off with the gong. The participants continuously pounded the glutinous rice flour in the stone mortar, and the villagers cheered for them. 

 

During festivals, making ciba is an essential activity for every household in Jiangtang Village. Unlike previous years, all villagers made ciba together this year.

 

They flipped over the glutinous rice paste from time to time. As the rice paste becomes softer, other members divided them into pieces and manually kneaded them into long and flat ciba.

 

“I think that ciba made by the second group has a fuller and more rounded appearance and it’s gonna taste more al dente,” said a villager with more than 20 years of experience in making ciba. 

 

 

The finished products of 16 teams were presented. The winners were selected by the villagers based on the speed, shape, color, and other aspects of making ciba.

 

“Making ciba is a unique folk culture in the village. The competition held before the Spring Festival enables the young people to understand the local traditional culture and improves the cohesion among villagers,” said Zhu Gonghui, Party secretary of Jiangtang Village. When the hot ciba was put on the table, the villagers coated it with sugar or fermented bean curd, and tasted it. 

 

In the future, Jingpo Town will launch more innovative and popular cultural activities to enhance the cultural participation and happiness of villagers.

 

 

Chinese source: rednet