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Auspicious and Lucky Foods for Chinese New Year 

Top Lucky Foods to Eat during Spring Festival Chunjie

These Symbolic Chinese Foods Bring Prosperity and Fortune for Lunar New Year

Lunar New Year is the most important Chinese holiday that marks the importance of spending time with family in an atmosphere of joy and serenity. In this period of the year, food plays a fundamental role and it’s the center of the celebration since everything rotates around eating together. During these 16 days of celebrations, the tradition includes some foods and delicacies, specially chosen because of their auspicious meaning. For the duration of the Spring Festival, people gather to reunite with family, or in reunions with loved ones, visiting their homes with gifts and presents. Traditional Chinese New Year foods have become standard because of their pronunciations or their appearance. But it’s not only the dishes themselves that play a role. Their preparation and the ways of serving them, eating them, and the quantity are also very important for a good omen.

中国过年吃的吉利食物 你知道都有什么寓意吗?
Do you know what are the auspicious foods for the Chinese New Year? 

Savoring a meal with loved ones is also one of the main and most important elements of the party. The tables are set differently according to the customs of each family, regarding local and regional cuisine, but what unites all Chinese and Asians is the certainty that the meal will be rich in foods with an important meaning from a symbolic and superstitious point of view essentially linked to good luck and prosperity. The good wishes also start from the fact that the dishes have been specially cooked and served with love to bring good luck. Chinese families outside China or lovers of the traditions of this country, thanks to the variety of restaurants in the world, can find, eat and taste some of the foods with auspicious and prosperous meanings. Some of the foods of the Chinese New Year are not only delicious, but they can be examples of enhancing culinary art. Those who want to try at home some recipes can find these dishes recipes online in many variations. A significant number of the ancient culinary traditions have been modernized, evolving, and increasing the choice of dishes, and foods, that are also available in the form of snacks and desserts.

The Chinese diaspora also plays an important role in the adaptations of dishes in various countries around the world. In recent years, as the percentage of Chinese who have chosen a plant-based diet (vegetarian or vegan) has increased considerably (since 2014 it was estimated that the vegetarian Chinese of the Mainland included about 50 and 70 million people) restaurants, but also online recipes offer variants with the vegetable substitutes ingredients if the recipe requires it. It’s important, to keep in mind that from the point of view of Chinese culture, Chunjie is a festival that at the same time has a value as the Western New Year. But it adds the feelings and meaning of Thanksgiving Day and Christmas since there is a huge sense of gratitude, and appreciation for the territory due to the richness it offers. In addition, it’s a festive time of love and joy due to the fact of finally being reunited with family or loved ones. For all these reasons, the Lunar New Year is full of symbols and traditions designed to welcome and usher in the new year, but also hoping to somehow be able to influence the future. There are many stories behind some of the traditional Chinese dishes, snacks, and delicacies of the Spring Festival. 

 N.B. (Of course, this list may not be complete, considering the sheer breadth of Chinese cuisine and all the various local and personal adaptations.) 

Sources:

Wikipedia
https://chinesenewyear.net/food/
https://www.chinahighlights.com/travelguide/chinese-food/chinese-new-year-food.htm
https://k.sina.cn/article_6085103909_16ab3512500100wf7d.html

Topics: lucky lunar year food china, Chinese new year food 2022, what to prepare for the Chinese new year 2023

Last Updated on 2022/02/03

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