Children at Jinchengjiang No.1 Kindergarten, Hechi, Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, made five-color sticky rice cakes, a traditional Zhuang food, on March 24, to celebrate the upcoming Shangsi festival.

The Shangsi Festival, falling on March 30 this year, is a festival that observed by Chinese ethnic groups including Han and Zhuang, to ward off evil spirits and natural disasters.

Children at Jinchengjiang No.1 Kindergarten make five-color sticky rice cakes with the help of their teacher on March 24, to celebrate the upcoming Shangsi Festival. [Photo/hcwang.cn]

Five-color sticky rice cakes is a must-have food in Zhuang regions during such festivals as the Shangsi and Qingming Festival, and can be eaten directly after steaming or made into fried rice.

Made using sticky rice and various natural colorings, such as buffalo grass, the delicacy is not only eaten because of its bright colors, but also because it is healthy.

Natural colorings are used to make the sticky rice cakes in vibrant hues. [Photo/hcwang.cn]

"Special local foods are regarded as important reflections of local culture and history," said one of the teachers at the kindergarten.

"The activity is aimed at teaching the children how to carry on their local traditions."

A teacher shows the children how to soak the sticky rice before steaming. [Photo/hcwang.cn]

Children tuck in to their five-color sticky rice cake. [Photo/hcwang.cn]