In Qingdao, Shandong, various of pastry cooks making glutinous rice balls in various colors, shapes, pastry chefs at food stores have been busy lately making Tangyuan, or glutinous rice balls with different fillings, that are traditionally eaten during the Lantern Festival.

Unlike the traditional look, the little rice balls sold here are of various shapes and colors, like lucky rabbit, gold ingot and little koi.

"This year is the Year of the Rabbit, so we specially designed glutinous rice balls with rabbit elements. For example, this 'New Year's Lucky Rabbit', which means a good harvest, a prosperous family and plentiful wealth. We started to take orders from Jan. 29, the eighth day of the first lunar month and sold 200 boxes in about two hours," said Tang Siyue, founder of the brand.