Longevity Peach

Longevity Peach	Longevity Peach

The longevity peach, also called Shoutao in Chinese, is not a fruit but a Chinese steamed bun in the shape of a peach, with lotus paste filling and colored a bright festive pink. The buns are piled with the shape of a pagoda. Traditionally, the Shoutao is eaten at birthday celebrations of elderly people.
Peaches are well known Chinese symbols of longevity and there is a Taoist story about the Queen Mother of the West, namely Huanmu Niangniang in Chinese, who has a magical peach tree which bears peaches granting immortality to those who eat them. The tree however only bears fruit every three thousand years. The peach shaped steamed buns are made to symbolize those magical, immortality granting peaches.                          
The numbers of the Shoutao presented to the people held his/her birthday celebrations should be paid attention to. Generally, the number must be nine, with one peach representing the wish of long-living for the host and the rest eight peaches representing the Eight Immortals. Also there is a custom that the number equals with the age of the host in some places.