The auspicious symbolism of these traditional Chinese New Year foods is based on their pronunciations or appearance. Not only do the dishes themselves matter, but also the preparation, and ways of serving and eating mean a lot. The most common Chinese New Year foods include dumplings, fish, spring rolls, and niangao. We've rounded up 12 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. Sweet and sour fish is an exciting dish that brings a dynamic mix of flavors to your Chinese New Year feast. The crispy fish fillets, combined with the sweet and tangy sauce, create a perfect balance of textures and tastes. It represents harmony and joy, making it an excellent choice to start off the year with positive energy and delicious food. 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. Bottom-dwelling fish – These could bring stagnation. Birds that scratch backward – Like chickens, they symbolize focusing on the past. Bread with large holes – This represents emptiness, not something you want at the start of a new year. In Conclusion: The Year of the Snake in 2025 brings a fresh breath of change, wisdom, and opportunities. The next stop on our little Chinese New Year food and meaning tour is fish. In Chinese, the word for ‘fish’ (yú) is in the word for ‘surplus’ (shèngyú). This has led to fish symbolizing abundance and hope for surplus in Chinese culture and makes fish dishes the perfect candidates for Spring Festival celebrations. Mention Chinese New Year food, dumplings, fish, glutinous rice balls, and niangao may come into mind. Food plays an important role in Chinese New Year and certain foods which have symbolic meanings of luck and auspiciousness are especially popular and essential during the festival. Here are 7 Chinese New Year Foods that will bring you good luck. 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 1. Steamed whole fish. Fish is a homonym for abundance. It symbolizes the Chinese idiom "May you always have more than you need." When served with the head and tail intact, the fish carries an additional meaning: a positive beginning and end for the coming year. In Chinese, fish is called “Yu”, which has the similar pronunciation of “surplus”. So eating fish in Chinese New Year expresses a good wish of abundance and prosperity in the next year. Steamed Perch is one of the most popular Chinese New Year recipes of fish, with a good appearance of a whole fish, fresh taste, and easy cooking skills. Chinese New Year Side Dishes. Even some vegetable dishes are iconic Chinese New Year foods. Buddha’s Delight, consisting of at least 8 ingredients, is often eaten the morning of Chinese New Year after a ceremonial offering of food to honor family ancestors. Dumplings Caitriana Nicholson/Flickr. Resembling coin purses, dumplings are said to bring wealth and prosperity in Chinese culture. Traditionally filled with a mixture of meat, tofu, egg, and/or Fish is a quintessential Chinese New Year food, symbolising prosperity and surplus for the year ahead. Serving fish during this celebration represents an abundance of wealth and good fortune, as the Chinese word for fish sounds like “surplus.” Additionally, dumplings, or jiaozi, are another symbolic food associated with prosperity. 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.) 32 Lunar New Year Recipes to Bring Luck and Prosperity. Celebrate the Year of the Snake with dumplings, whole fish, noodles, and more. The act of sharing and enjoying these delectable pockets during the New Year celebrations becomes a communal tradition that extends beyond culinary delight, fostering a sense of togetherness and the belief in the prosperous journey that lies ahead. 20. Niangao (Chinese New Year Cake) The tradition of celebrating Lunar New Year goes back 3,500 years, and marks the end of winter, the beginning of spring, and the start of a new cycle in the Lunar Calendar, per Wake Forest University. Score the fish flesh, cutting 3-4 diagonal slits through to the bone on both sides. Season with salt rubbing the salt into the cuts. Cook under a preheated grill 4 minutes each side. The Chinese New Year, also known as Lunar New Year, is the most important festival in China: it lasts up to two weeks and is the only time of the year when China shuts down. Unlike Western countries, the Chinese New Year generally falls between January 21st and February 20th in the Gregorian calendar, according to the Chinese lunar calendar.
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