For the Vietnamese, making Banh Chung is an ideal way to express gratitude to their ancestors and homeland.
Banh Chung was invented by the 18th prince of Hung King in the contest of looking for his successor.
According to the legend, 3,000-4,000 years ago, Prince Lang Lieu made round and square cakes, with the round Day cake symbolising the sky and the square Chung cake, the Earth (under the ancient Vietnamese perception), as offerings on the occasion of Spring.
In ancient concept, the Earth is square; hence Banh Chung has a square shape to reflect the Earth.
Since the cakes he offered were of special meaning and delicious taste, Lang Lieu was selected to be the next king.
Since then, in honor of this, Vietnamese people always make and have this for the Lunar New Year. Chung cake has become the most famous and irreplaceable traditional Vietnamese food of the Tet holiday.
This legend aims to remind the next generations of the ancient tradition as well as the primary of Chung cake. Besides, it emphasises the important role of rice and nature in the water rice culture.
In contrast to the fast food of modern times, the process of making Banh Chung is time-consuming and requires the joint work of several people.
The main ingredients are glutinous rice, pork, and green beans wrapped square in broad-blade leaves that will give the rice a green color after about 12 hours' boiling. The wrapping must be neither too tight nor too loose.
The food has a high level of nutrition with an original tasty flavor and may be kept for a long time. Eating Banh Chung with vegetable pickles will bring you unforgettable taste.
In the traditional conception of Vietnamese people, the process of making Banh Chung is an opportunity for the family’s reunion. Sitting around the fire, family members tell one another the past stories and prepare for a New Year with best wishes.
Nowadays, in some big cities, the lifestyle of modern society prevents people from preparing the cake, however the habit of worshipping the ancestors with it never changes. It is evidence of the loyalty and deep gratitude of Vietnamese people to their ancestors.
