The children would then eat the fruits upon waking up the next morning. Workers loading pots of tangerines—a type of mandarins—from a truck in a flower farm for Chinese New Year in Hong Why do we eat pineapple tarts during Chinese New Year? Pineapple Tarts Serving any kind of sweet dessert is encouraged during Chinese New Year because it symbolises bringing a sweet life into the new year. The Hokkiens also consider certain fruits auspicious, and they are particularly fond of pineapple, ong lai in the Hokkien dialect, which Grace Young's citrus fruit display for the New Year includes tangerines, oranges, pomelo, a red money envelope and a golden ingot. . Photo: Grace Young To celebrate Lunar New Year—aka Chinese New Year—I always make a fruit centerpiece featuring a pomelo, at least two tangerines, ideally with shiny green leaves attached, and lots of oranges. For the Chinese Lunar New Year, many people are eating foods that look like money, sound like good fortune and represent wholeness. Why it matters: "The Chinese believe that you have to have a These fruits would then be the first thing they would eat when they woke up on the morning of Chinese New Year. Originally introduced to the West from China in the 19th century, the word "Mandarin" was a reference to Chinese government officials, according to the National Library Board's Singapore Infopedia. As Hong Kong strides into a new lunar year, the city fills up with mandarin oranges. Smaller and less round than other varieties of oranges, Citrus reticulata are considered particularly auspicious for Chinese New Year. As they mark the beginning of a new lunar year, families and shopkeepers across Hong Kong buy pots of these oranges for Just like plenty of other proverbial nuances denoted from the Chinese culture, the inclusion of oranges as a new year staple comes down to simple wordplay Adding some historical context to the origin, mandarin oranges were cultivated as an antiquity in China, highly valued and often presented as a tribute to visitors of the imperial court. Also regarded as chap goh mei, the last night (15th day) of Chinese New Year is also regarded as Chinese Valentine’s Day8. This is where courtship and the possibility of romance hangs in the air. Mandarin oranges are sweet (酸酸甜甜; suān suān tián tián) — with a tinge of sourness— just like love (的爱情; dí ài qíng)! 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 SINGAPORE - A hallmark of Chinese New Year, the sight of mandarin oranges each year signals that the festive season has officially begun. In Cantonese, to gift mandarin oranges is to “song gam Almost like clockwork, striding into the Lunar New Year sees multiple avenues of Chinese culture and heritage bloom around town. From decorative lanterns and a splatter of red across everything and anything, professionally conducted Lion Dances and handing out ang pows, this festive season in Malaysia is one many look forward to. The Many Symbols of the Chinese New Year. Chinese culture is rich with symbolism. This is especially so during the Chinese New Year celebration, which is associated with many symbols and customs. Certain colors, fruits, flowers, animals, actions, and sounds are examples of things that have special symbolic meaning. Oranges and Other Citrus Oranges, kumquats, tangerines and pomelos are common Chinese New Year gifts because they’re believed to bring good luck and happiness. The Chinese words for “orange” and “tangerine” closely resemble the words for “luck” and “wealth.” The gold color of these fruits also symbolizes prosperity. Why do we give oranges on Chinese Read More »Do You Give Yusheng is a popular dish to served during Chinese New Year. It is a Cantonese-style raw fish salad mixed with colorful shredded vegetables and pickles served with variety of sauces, nuts and herbs. Yusheng is a symbol of abundance, prosperity and vitality. twomeows/Getty Images. As the second new moon after the winter solstice approaches, between late January to mid-February, millions of Oranges and tangerines are a must for the New Year! In Chinese culture, the word for tangerine, “kam,” sounds like the word for “luck.” And their round, golden shape? It’s the perfect symbol for wealth and abundance! That’s why they’re given as gifts or used as decorations to bring success and happiness in the new year. 3. 1. They sound good (in many ways!). In Chinese culture, it isn’t uncommon for different characters to sound similar but have completely different meanings.The direct translation from English to Mandarin for mandarin oranges (瓯柑; ōugān)1 means “gold and wealth” in abundance. The ancient Chinese associated the colour with harvests, happiness, wealth, and celebrations. No wonder that tangerines and oranges are the primary food symbols of the Chinese New Year! What is a typical gift for Chinese New Year? Money: the most prosperous gift of all The “lucky red packet” is probably the most famous symbol of Lunar New The Chinese word for orange, 橙 (chéng), sounds similar to the word for “success” (成 chéng), so eating oranges during the New Year is believed to bring good luck and prosperity. Oranges are also believed to have many health benefits in Chinese medicine, such as boosting the immune system and improving digestion. When we lived in Hong Kong, I looked forward to the arrival of the big mandarin orange trees, some with red and gold envelopes hanging from branches, in the weeks before Chinese New Year. These gorgeous trees graced the doorways of the lobby entrance to our home at Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong and almost every major storefront or business Just like dumplings, Mandarin oranges also resemble gold ingots, in both shape and colour, carrying a meaning of wealth. As 'orange' and 'success' sound similar in Mandarin, and one of the ways of writing tangerine includes the Chinese character for 'luck', eating or displaying Mandarin oranges or tangerines around the home is believed to bring good luck and fortune.
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