Unveiling the Meaning Behind Red Envelopes and Heads of Lettuce in Chinese New Year Traditions. Chinese New Year, also known as the Spring Festival, is a time of celebration and tradition for many Asian cultures. One of the most popular customs during this festive time is the giving and receiving of red envelopes and heads of lettuce. 1. Lettuce Offering. Actually, it doesn’t just have to be lettuce. What you’ll often find hanging from the doorway of a business or home can be any type of green produce, including lettuce or bok choy. If you’re lucky enough to attend a Chinese New Year celebration, you may have the chance to view a lion dance. Likely dating back 2,000 years to the Han Dynasty period of Chinese history, the dance is a spectacular, high-energy affair, with performers in bright lion costumes leaping and twirling to the sound of loud drums and cymbals, dancing to bring good fortune in the new year. The two syllables of Fat Choy in Cantonese sound the same as a Cantonese Chinese New Year greeting "Gung1 hei2 faat3 choi4" (恭喜发财) meaning "congratulations and be prosperous"; additional meanings: - good luck, exceeding wealth. Seeds - lotus seeds, watermelon seeds, etc. - having a large number of children 籽 [zǐ] 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 In Lunar New Year traditions, revelers believe tangerines, oranges and pomelos bring good fortune. Their Mandarin names echo words with symbolic meanings: "jú" for oranges suggests "good luck" or Cakes have a special place in Chinese New Year celebrations because their sweetness symbolizes a rich, sweet life and the often-present layers inside symbolize rising abundance for the coming year. On top, their round shape signifies family togetherness, so eating cake during the celebration is a must. For over 2,000 years, Chinese culture has infused food with deeper meaning, believing that a hearty, well-chosen meal can invite blessings and prosperity into your life. Learn the story about each dish and how it represents values like wealth, happiness, and longevity. Many of the dishes are assigned symbolic meanings. Tourists wait to board a train at Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station to return home for Chinese Lunar New Year holiday in Shanghai on Jan 25 In Malaysia, meanwhile, many people claim the dish was invented by chefs, inspired by traditional fish noodles, at a restaurant called Loke Ching Kee in Seremban City in the 1940s. However, the Chinese New Year firecrackers and fireworks that are symbols of Chinese New Year have a different meaning than those for other holidays. It is believed that the loud noises and the flashes of light from both firecrackers and fireworks could scare away evil spirits and usher in good fortune. The new orders prevent transgender people from openly serving in the military, greenlight the process of developing a missile defense shield to protect the U.S., and reinstate service members that Chinese New Year good luck salad is tossed together at the table. William Meppem. Lucky 88 recipes for Chinese New Year; How to make Kylie Kwong's Lunar New Year feast During Chinese New Year, various charms and decorations are used to attract good fortune. These range from paper cutouts to couplets and paintings, all featuring wealth, happiness, and longevity themes. Paper cutouts: Artistry and auspiciousness. Chinese New Year paper cutouts. Paper cutouts, usually in red, are a popular form of decoration. Lunar New Year may be called different names in different East Asian countries and communities, but it is celebrated on the same date (and surrounding days) with similar celebrations. China. In China, Lunar New Year is known as Chinese New Year or in Chinese 'Spring Festival' (Chunjie). The celebrations traditionally last for 16 days, beginning Cut pumpkin and yam into medium pieces. Blanch spare ribs and then cook in a pressure cooker for 20 minutes. In a wok, fry chopped garlic and onions, add spare ribs, yam, pumpkin and chicken stock Chinatown Fresno will host its annual Chinese New Year celebration on Saturday, Jan. 25 at 11 a.m. The event, which has become a decades-long tradition, starts at Central Fish and features lion dancers from local schools performing while visiting 14 businesses along Kern, F, and Tulare streets. 5. Lettuce. Lettuce is often tucked under the black moss and dried oyster stew, soaking up all the yummy goodness and adding texture to the dish. The Chinese name for lettuce is sang choi (生菜), which sounds like the phrase for making money (生財), and is therefore served at Chinese New Year dinner for good fortune in the new year ahead. An annual celebration event is coming up this week to mark a fresh start for many. The Chinese New Year is imminently approaching, with celebrations and festivities expected to take place all over The Lion Dance is a traditional Chinese dance performed on important occasions such as weddings, business launches and festive occasions for good luck and prosperity, but it is most important during the first 15 days of Chinese New Year. The lions have a direct connection to the heavens, and as well as attracting good fortune []
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