Take a bite of the pears

The origins of this tradition are unclear, but eating pears is a big part of Jingzhe. It is thought to be healthy in the changing climate.

The Chinese have various ways of preparing pears, even it is easiest to just take a bite of the fresh, crisp fruit. They can be made into juice, baked, steamed with Chinese wolfberries and crystal sugar, or boiled.

Other culinary traditions vary regionally. For instance, in the northwest, people eat fried beans while in some areas of Shandong province, pancakes are the preferred food.