“AS long as we strive for life, we can hold happiness in our hands,” said Zhang Zhangmei, the fourth inheritor of Nan’ao sea urchin zongzi.

A hometown association market carnival was held in Victoria Park, Hong Kong, from June 1 to 5. Among the highlights was the appearance of Nan’ao sea urchin zongzi, an intangible cultural heritage delicacy from Dapeng New Area.

The event featured Zhang, an inheritor of this traditional craft, who demonstrated the intricate techniques and processes behind making sea urchin zongzi.

Since the technique of making Nan’ao sea urchin zongzi was listed as a district-level intangible cultural heritage in 2019, Zhang has become the fourth inheritor. Later on, the Nan’ao sea urchin zongzi was listed as a city-level intangible cultural heritage in 2021.

Zhang is also an entrepreneur promoting sea urchin zongzi outside Nan’ao.

Born in Nan’ao, Zhang has been closely linked to sea urchins since childhood. There was an old saying in Nan’ao, stating that the locals cannot afford eggs but eat sea urchins for every meal. This was because the traffic was inconvenient on Dapeng Peninsula in the past, and the locals found it difficult to leave the peninsula to buy fresh eggs. However, it was easy for them to catch sea urchins.

The diligent Nan’ao residents turned sea urchins into various delicacies, such as sea urchin zongzi.

From the age of 7, Zhang began wrapping sea urchin zongzi with her grandmother. “The thing I looked forward to the most was eating sea urchin zongzi while watching the dragon boat race,” Zhang said.

In 1993, she established Nantiange Hotel. She would personally wrap zongzi for frequent customers as a gesture of gratitude during the Dragon Boat Festival. She then founded Shenzhen Nan’ao Tourism Food Service Co. Ltd., and sea urchin zongzi became their bestseller, with sales seeing yearly growth.

Zhang not only aimed to popularize sea urchin zongzi, but also sought to let more people pass down the skills of making the zongzi.

Nantiange has organized numerous activities that have allowed more than 6,000 residents, children, and tourists to experience making sea urchin zongzi.

A platform jointly created by Nantiange, the women’s federations in Shenzhen, and the city’s innovation and entrepreneurship base has launched a program to help women in need. This initiative has assisted more than 100 local women in finding jobs by providing training in traditional food-making skills.

Zhang also initiated an intangible cultural heritage workshop in September 2023. (Chen Siqi)