Five-color glutinous rice. [Photo/Xinhua]

Five-color glutinous rice, commonly known as five-color rice, is also known as Qingjing rice or assorted rice. It is cooked with five kinds of rice of different colors: black, red, yellow, purple, and white. When it comes to Tomb Sweeping Festival or the Song Festival on lunar March 3, every household of the Zhuang ethnic group in Wuming cooks the dish to treat their guests. 

Zhuang ethnic people love the rice dish and regard it as a symbol of happiness and auspiciousness. When their children's are one month old or when they move to new houses, they cook the rice dish and send it to their neighbors. Zhuang people also love maple leaves. They believe that maple leaves can drive "evil spirits" away and bring back auspiciousness and peace. Therefore, on March 3 in the lunar calendar, Zhuang people will carefully pick up a branch of maple leaf and stick it at the door or sprinkle the leaves under the foot of the outer wall of the house. People will even use the redness of maple leaves to dye the rice. Evil spirits will then not be able to enter their houses and the whole family will be safe and sound.