Cooks prepare a gigantic zongzi, which was served free on the June 8 Dragon Boat Festival in Shunde in southern China's Guangdong Province. [Photo]

(CRIENGLISH2008-06-09 20:51:34)For people in Shunde, Guangdong Province, eating zongzi or glutinous rice dumplings on Sunday's Dragon Boat Festival was not just to fulfill a tradition but also to experience a gastronomical delight.

A zongzi -- which was served free at the local dragon boat race -- was gigantic: 4 meters in height and 3 tons in weight. It took 10,000 spectators at the race three hours to finish it, Nanfang Daily reports.

Many diners marveled at the hill-like dumpling and dubbed it "the biggest zongzi in the world."

"It tastes very good," a diner surnamed Huang commented on the rice dumpling, which was stuffed with pork, red beans, green beans, peanuts and eggs.

Making and eating zongzi are an essential part of China's Dragon Boat Festival celebrations. While making an ordinary zongzi takes a little over a few hours, this gigantic zongzi took five professionals three days to make, Nanfang Daily says.

Such arduous zongzi-making has raised eyebrows. A commentary on the Cnhubei.com calls this "biggest zongzi" a big waste. "It's such a show-off gesture," the author wrote.