7 Traditional Chinese New Year Food Dishes And Symbolism 2024

In this blog post, we have shared the Traditional Chinese New Year Food Dishes and associated symbols. We will tell you what you all need to eat at the Chinese New Year Spring Festival. On the happy occasion of the Chinese New Year, certain food dishes are used due to their symbolic meaning and these Chinese New Year Food Dishes are known as Lucky food. These food dishes are served during the 15 Days Long Chinese New Year Spring Festival and are considered a good fortune for the coming year. These 7 Traditional Chinese New Year Food Dishes 2024 have a symbolic association regarding preparation, serving, and eating. Here are the luckiest and most common Chinese New Year Food Dishes are Chinese New Year Dumplings, Spring Rolls, Fish, Tangyuan, New Year Fruits, Noodles, and Niango. Here we will also explain the symbolism associated with all these Chinese Lunar New Year Food Dishes.

7 Lucky Traditional Chinese New Year Food Dishes 2024 With Associated Symbolism:

Chinese New Year Food Dishes

Fish 蒸鱼 (zhēng yú) — Increase in Prosperity:

Fish (鱼—yú) is one of these 7 Traditional Chinese New Year Dishes and it symbolizes an increase or surplus in wealth and prosperity. Every Chinese likes surplus and it is related to making more in the next year. Chinese people love to eat steamed fish on the happy occasion of the Chinese New Year. Chinese people steam whole fish and eat one-half of the fish for dinner on Chinese New Year’s Eve and the other half eat on the next day. This act is assumed to the surplus and future prosperous while a whole fish is considered harmonious. Also, some people cook bigheaded carp and eat the middle part only while the head and tail remain untouched. This is to be assumed that the year will start in a surplus and also finish with a surplus.

Chinese New Year Fish Eating Rules:

  • During the Chinese New Year dinner, the fish head must be placed in front of the guests or elders of the family.
  • No one can start eating the fish before the person who faces the fish head.
  • It is compulsory that the fish will not be turned. The people who are sitting in front of the fish head and tail must drink together which symbolizes lucky meaning.

Chinese Phrases About Fish:

  • 年年有余 (Niánnián yǒu yú /nyen-nyen yo yoo/)
  • 鱼跃龙门 (Yú yuè lóngmén /yoo ywair long-mnn/)
  • 有头有尾 (yǒu tóu yǒu wěi)

The Fish can be prepared in different ways including steaming, boiling, and braising. Some of the very famous Chinese fish dishes are vinegar sauce steamed fish, pickled cabbage chili fish, steamed weever, and spicy broth boiled fish.

Dumplings 饺子 (jiǎo zi) — Wealth:

Dumplings are one of the most-eaten Chinese occasional food. This dish is traditionally eaten on Chinese New Year’s Eve every year and it is most popular in the whole of China, especially in the Northern part of China. Chinese dumplings are like Chinese silver ingots (boat-shaped, oval, and turned up at both ends). According to the Chinese Legend eating more dumplings at the New Year celebrations causes an increase in your money during the New Year.

Chinese New Year Food Dumplings

Basically, the Dumplings consist of thin elastic dough skin, wrapped chopped vegetables, and minced meat. Vegetables, diced shrimp, ground chicken, minced pork, and beef are considered the most popular fillings. Dumplings can be cooked by baking, steaming, frying, and boiling.

Spring Rolls — Wealth 春卷 (chūn juǎn):

The Spring Rolls are eaten during the Chinese New Year and it is the most known Chinese cuisine. Chinese Spring Rolls are mostly used as snacks, appetizers, and dinner dishes. It is most popular in the Eastern part of China including Jiangxi, Jiangsu, Fujian, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, and Shanghai.Chinese New Year Food Spring Rolls

Cylindrical-shaped spring rolls (春卷 Chūnjuǎn /chwnn- jwen/) are filled with vegetables, meat, or something sweet. These rolls are wrapped in thin dough and fried until golden-yellow color. Different sizes and shaped Spring rolls can also be made through baking or steaming but deep-fried are most popular.

Nian Gao 年糕 (nián gāo) Rice Cake — Higher Income or Position:

Chinese New Year Cakes

Chinese New Year Glutinous Rice Cake (年糕 Niángāo) is a famous traditional Chinese New Year Food recipe. According to the Chinese symbolization, glutinous rice cake means “getting higher year-on- by year”. Chinese associate their success in business along with the improvement in general life. This Chinese New Year Food Recipe has the following ingredients rice, sugar, lotus leaves, chestnuts, and Chinese dates.

Chinese Lucky Sayings:

年年高 (niánnián gāo /nyen-nyen gaoww/): “getting higher year-on- by year” means that it can increase in business, raise children’s height, success in study, and job promotions.

Sweet Rice Balls (Tāngyuán 汤圆 – Family Togetherness):

Tāngyuán is known as sweet rice balls and it is one of the most important Chinese New Year Lantern Festival food recipes. In the south part of China, people eat this recipe throughout the Spring Festival. In Chinese symbolization, the tangyuan is associated with a family reunion and togetherness. This is very famous among the Chinese people during the Chinese New Year celebrations.

Soup Ball Dumplings

Longevity Noodles (长寿面 Chángshòu) — Happiness & Longevity:

The longevity Noodles is also one of the best Chinese New Year Food Dish that has symbolic meanings in Chinese culture. These noodles are much longer and uncut as compared to the normal noodles. The longevity noodle’s meaning is associated with the wish for longevity. These longer noodles dish is prepared through boiling and served in a bowl or fried and served in the plate.

Good Fortune Fruit (橙 chéng /chnng/)— Fullness and Wealth

Chinese New Year Fortune Fruits

Chinese people eat many kinds of fruits on the occasion of the Chinese New Year Spring Festival. These good fortune fruits are round and golden in color and the following fruits are included in them which are pomelos, tangerines, and oranges. These good fortune fruits symbolize fullness and wealth. It is considered that good luck and fortune are brought due to eating and displaying tangerines and oranges.

Vegetable Dishes:

The vegetable dish is called 田园素小炒 (tián yuán sù xiǎo chǎo) in Chinese. On the happy occasion of the Chinese New Year, a mixed vegetable dish can be seen on the table which has different kinds of mushrooms, jujube, and Chinese cabbage included.

Some symbolizations associated with vegetables are:

  • Lotus seeds: considered as a blessing for many children and a healthy family
  • Seaweed: associated with wealth and fortune
  • Bamboo shoots: represent longevity
  • Muskmelon and grapefruit: symbolize family, hope, wealth, and prosperity.
  • Osmanthus flower petals: (桂—guì) noble and precious
  • Leek/chives: leek (韭—jiǔ) everlasting and long
  • Poria mushrooms: (茯苓—fú líng) blessings and fortune

 

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