In some parts of the country red bean rice congee is eaten, not as a tonic but to ward off the demon of pestilence. According to legend this demon is the ghost of a son of Kung Kung, supervisor of works under the sage emperor Yao, who died one winter. He disliked red beans and so these are eaten to deter him.
有些地方則吃紅豆稀飯，但不是為進補，而是相傳上古的共工氏有個兒子在冬天去世，化為疫鬼，但它怕紅豆，所以人民就吃紅豆稀飯來驅它。