The shapes of zongzi range from being approximately tetrahedral in northern China to an elongated cone in southern China. Wrapping a zongzi neatly is a skill that is passed down throughfamilies, as are the recipes. Making zongzi is traditionally a family event of which everyone helps out.While traditional zongzi are wrapped inbamboo leaves, the leaves of lotus,maize, banana, canna, shell ginger andpandan leaves sometimes are used as substitutes in other countries. Each kind of leaf imparts its own unique smell and flavor to the rice.