According to the Gregorian calendar, the date of celebration of the New Year by the inhabitants of China and Asian countries falls annually from January 21 to February 21, the holiday does not have a constant date, its number changes from year to year. Each year, it begins after the completion of the full lunar cycle, starting on the winter solstice on December 21st. In 2020, the second new moon after the winter solstice is on January 25th.
2020 is the year of the Rat (Mouse). And it will last until February 11, 2021.
Chinese New Year culinary traditions
On New Year’s Eve, Chinese families usually gather around the table. By the way, in the Celestial Empire it is customary to richly set the table for a festive dinner. Housewives, as a rule, prepare the most favorite dishes in the family. Traditionally, meat and fish must be on the table, as well as dumplings (jiaozi), which are the figurative embodiment of one of the main wishes – the birth of sons. Not complete without pork, duck, baked chicken, and various sweets.
The dishes served on the table on all these days (and the Chinese New Year lasts 15 days), as well as on the eve of the great holiday, have their own special meaning. Thus, the traditional “jiaozi” dumplings, which are fried in water, are a wish for all those who have tasted them to find lost happiness. These same dumplings have a more ancient meaning, and mean wealth and prosperity in the new year. They look like ancient Chinese coins. In some provinces of China, the custom has been preserved to discreetly put a coin in one of the jiaozi. And whoever gets it will be a successful person.
Shrimp bring happiness and health, dried ho Xijiang oysters bring success, raw fish salad (or yu sheng) good luck, and the beautifully named Angel Hair (Fai-hai) seaweed, prosperity. In general, the festive table is extremely plentiful these days. Much more food is prepared for him than the family can eat. This is also a good omen – how rich and satisfying the table is on New Year’s Eve, so it will be all year round.
There is an ancient superstition that does not allow eating meat on the first day of the New Year. It is believed that such food can ward off happiness from a person for a whole year. Early the next morning, children congratulate their parents, wishing them health and a happy New Year, and in return they receive wishes for future success and red envelopes with money.
After that, the whole family goes to congratulate relatives and neighbors. Such visits to the guests usually completely take the first five days of the new year. In addition, when visiting, it is customary for the owners to present two tangerines, and when leaving, they receive two other tangerines from them. Thus, the hosts and guests exchange symbols of financial well-being, which, according to the Chinese, are tangerines.
Recall that earlier we talked about what traditional Chinese dishes can be easily cooked, and also shared the main secrets of Chinese cuisine.