Eating two fish, one on New Year's Eve and one on New Year's Day, (if written in a certain way) sounds like a wish for a surplus year-after-year. If only one catfish is eaten , eating the upper part of the fish on New Year's Eve and the remainder on the first day of the new year can be spoken with the same homophonic meaning. The Cultural Importance of Serving Whole Fish during Chinese New Year. Symbol of abundance and prosperity: The Chinese believe that serving whole fish during Chinese New Year symbolizes abundance and prosperity in the coming year. The word for “fish” in Mandarin sounds like the word for “abundance,” and the phrase “may there be Chinese New Year celebrations revolve around food and family Fish holds special symbolic importance and is integral to the traditional reunion dinner on New Year’s Eve The pronunciation of fish in Mandarin and Cantonese sounds like the words for “surplus” or “abundance”, so eating fish represents hopes for prosperity in the coming year. Culinary traditions during Chinese New Year often highlight fish as a centerpiece, showcasing its significance in symbolizing abundance. Serving a whole fish on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day embodies wishes for prosperity and wealth, aligning with the phrase "nian nian you yu." Here are some key culinary customs surrounding fish: Overall, fish plays a crucial role in Chinese New Year celebrations, symbolizing abundance, wealth, good fortune, perseverance, and success. Preparing and serving fish during the festivities became a tradition that dates back centuries ago and continues to be cherished and practiced by many Chinese families worldwide. Some rules of eating fish in Chinese New Year: 1. Don’t turn over the fish after you have finished eating one side. In Chinese culture, it means unlucky. 2. To show respect, the head of fish needs to be placed toward elders or distinguished guests. 3. The typical blessing is 年年有余 (Nián nián yǒuyú), wishing you to have a surplus (or fish) of food and money every year. People will steam a whole fish for the New Year Eve’s dinner. Half of the fish is eaten for dinner, and the second half the next day. This is to prolong the surplus and make the future prosperous as well. Every year, people around the globe celebrate Lunar New Year, also known as the Spring Festival in China or, more commonly, the Chinese New Year (via Cnet).Legend has it that at the beginning of each year, a monster by the name of Nian, the Chinese word for "year," would come and eat villagers. Chinese people eat foods with the symbols of good luck, prosperity, and happiness during the Chinese New Year. The lunar New Year 2025 is coming, try these traditional dishes with auspicious meanings and have good fortune in the new year. 1. Fish - Fortune and Abundance The traditions of eating fish and dumplings during Chinese New Year have transcended time and borders, evolving in step with a changing world. In the contemporary Chinese New Year celebrations, these customs have not only endured but also adapted to accommodate shifting dietary preferences, globalization, and the demands of modern life. Usually, it takes eight minutes for a smaller fish or 12 minutes for a bigger fish. According to Chef Leung Fai Hung, a fish weighing 1 catty (0.6kg) takes six minutes to steam, while a fish twice the size will take double the time. All over China, people have the tradition of having a lucky plate of fish on Spring Festival. In the south of China, the plate of fish is the last dish on the table at a Chinese New Year’s Eve dinner. People place it on the table, but don’t eat it. They keep the plate of fish through the New Year in hopes that it will bring them wealth. Because of this, eating fish for the Lunar New Year symbolizes a surplus of wealth at the end of the year. For the festivities, this Chinese New Year food — usually carp — are most often Chinese New Year in Singapore means food – lots of it. From reunion dinners to snacks during visits to relatives, the eating seems endless. Hosts show their generosity through abundant spreads, with tempting dishes like meat and seafood, and sweets such as bak kwa, love letters, nian gao and Eating fish during Chinese New Year is believed to bring surplus and abundance in the coming year. The Chinese word for fish, yu, sounds similar to the word for surplus, making it a popular choice for the celebration. Traditionally, whole fish such as Chinese mud carp, Chinese catfish or crucian carp are steamed in a bamboo steamer and served at the unity dinner on New Year's Eve. If these options are unavailable in your local market, you may use red snapper or other fish types, as long as the fish is prepared and served whole. Eating fish during Chinese New Year time symbolizes having an abundant year ahead in the coming year. The fish should be the last course of the festival eve feast and it should be left with some leftover for next meal which is the first meal of the New Year. The Chinese word for fish, “yu,” sounds similar to the word for surplus or abundance, so eating fish on New Year is thought to bring an abundance of wealth and prosperity for the coming year. Additionally, in ancient China, fish was a luxury food that was not accessible to everyone. Eating an entire fish on new years symbolizes abundant food, money and luck for the new year. "You cannot cut [the fish]," Zhu said. "Have the whole fish on the table." Most Americans consider January 1 the start of the new year, but many Asians and Asian-Americans don’t. Instead, they follow Lunar New Year, also referred to as Chinese New Year in the U.S., which begins on January 29, 2025. (That’s the Year of the Snake in the Chinese zodiac, BTW.)
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