A distinct subgroup of Han Chinese called the Hakka practices an unusual ritual in honor of the mythological goddess Nuwa.
Every 20th day of the first lunar month in the Chinese calendar, the Hakka people and those from Shanxi and Henan provinces believe that Nuwa patches breaks in the sky. During this so-called Tian Chuan Day, there is a superstition that working brings misfortune, so Nuwa devotees rest.
“People in northern China who celebrate the day usually make round and thin pancakes and throw them into the sky, up to the rooftop, or lay them on the ground as a symbol of mending the sky and the ground,” the South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported.
“After the pancake ritual is over, some families also gather to eat the pancakes, wishing for all members to have a healthy and happy year,” according to SCMP.
Meanwhile, a 31-year-old man from Sichuan, China, immigrated to Los Angeles, United States, in 2022 and made a living by selling jianbing, or Chinese pancakes, from a cart.
The snack of Xiao Tang literally sold like hotcakes. With his business success, he turned to charity, giving away pancakes to homeless and low-income people in different neighborhoods.
Livestreaming his food donations became his new source of income, and it made him popular and well-loved in the community. Tang’s charity pancake stall also attracted supporters and volunteers.
In April, Tang announced through social media that he would run for mayor after three years. A slogan on his stall urges voters to vote for him, promising to make Los Angeles great again if elected.
As early as now, a netizen expressed support for Tang by posting online that he would vote for him to help the Chinese immigrant “make Los Angeles the capital of savory pancakes.”
Another supporter asked Tang to help him sell luosifen, a form of Chinese noodle soup, in the United States, according to SCMP.
