How do Chinese Celebrate New Year?

Lively and vibrant red lanterns and colorful lights are the foremost symbols of the Chinese New Year in Western countries but for Chinese people, there are only some rituals and traditions to celebrate the arrival of the Lunar New Year.

1. House Cleaning and Decorating
Roughly half a month before the year end, a meticulous cleaning of the house is done to welcome the New Year at its very best. After the comprehensive cleaning, every house is decorated with red lanterns and traditional red decorations as well.

2. Family dinner on New Year’s Eve
On New Year’s Eve, the whole family come together to have dinner with the whole family. The banquet includes meat, fish, vegetables, noodles and desserts.

3. Red Envelopes
Red Envelopes (hongbao) filled with money will be handed to the younger members of the family by the seniors. The money is wrapped in red packets in the hope of dispelling evil spirits from the kids.

4. Firecrackers

On New Year’s Eve, it is very normal to watch the fireworks from 0:00 to 0:30 and even later on. As it is said in the legend, the fireworks were used to scare away the monster Nian, a beast in Chinese mythology that lives under the sea or in the mountains which appears at midnight.

5. Visiting Relatives
On the 1st day of the New Year is being spent at home, and then it follows by visiting of relatives. Relatives bring gifts to one another’s homes and gives red envelopes to the kids.

6. Folk Shows and Temple Fairs
There are also folk shows, fairs, and events are also happening around until the 15th day of the 1st lunar month. It is also the time when people go and pray at the temple.
Like in any traditional holiday, observance or practice changes depending on the individual, but in most cases, food is seriously present during the celebration of the Chinese New Year.

Some of the most important and lucky Chinese New Year foods to eat.
Almost every food in China symbolizes something and representation is always related with every traditional dish eaten for the Lunar Year. Here are the most important Chinese New Year Foods and their meanings:

1. Dumplings

Dumplings, a primary of Chinese cuisine, are linked with the wealthiness: along with tradition, the more dumplings you eat during the New Year celebrations, the more money you can make in the New Year.
Before eating the dumpling, all the people at the dinner table have to say these phrase: “Zhao cai jin bao,“ which means “Bringing in wealth and treasure.”

2. Spring Rolls

The name Spring Rolls indicates specifically to eating this dish during the Lunar Year (also called the Spring Festival). There are no certain rules to follow when it comes to spring rolls, but it’s customary to say the phrase “A ton of gold,“ signifying this dish as a carrier of prosperity.

3. Niangao

Nian Gao is an old-fashioned glutinous rice cake made of sticky rice, sugar, chestnuts, dates, and lotus leaves. Eating Nian Gao is go together with by the phrase “Getting higher year-after-year by year,” which means a general improvement in life.

4. Sweet Rice Balls

The rice balls are an essential of the Chinese celebrations and their rounded shape is connected with reunion and being together especially for family.

5. Noodles

Longevity Noodles symbolize longevity and in fact, they are longer than normal noodles and uncut. The longer they are, the better for life.

6. Fish

Fish is a customary Chinese New Year dish and it’s usually steamed. Different types of fishes can be served based on the family’s wishes or request like the following:

・ Crucian carp: brings good luck for the next year;
・ Chinese mud carp: brings good fortune;
・ Catfish: a wish for overflow in the year.

However, it said that the fish should be the last dish left on the dinner table with some leftovers because the fish is considered as a good sign to having more money in the upcoming year. And it is for this reason that the fish need to be carefully positioned on the dinner table such as:

・ The fish head should be placed toward distinguished or important guests or elders;
・ People can enjoy the fish only after the one who faces the fish head eats first;
・ The fish shouldn’t be moved.
Eating the fish comes with by the popular saying, “May you always have more than you need!”.

7. Steamed Chicken

One whole chicken is also another symbol of the family and that’s why once it’s cooked, Chinese people first offer the chicken to the ancestors requesting for blessings and protection.

8. Fruit and Vegetables

Fruits and vegetables plays an important role in a Chinese dinner table, and each of them symbolizes something specific.
・ Bamboo shoots: represent longevity;
・ Poria mushrooms: represent blessings and fortune;
・ Muskmelon and grapefruit: represent family;
・ Seaweed: represents wealth and fortune.

9. Fa Gao

Fa Gao is a classic Chinese dessert made with soaked rice that is then ground into a paste and steamed. Exactly like the Nin Gao, it is a wish or request for success in life.

New Year is a once a year celebration to welcome another year in our life looking forward to have a good life, abundance in fortune and business as well, happiness in family and love life and that is why each one of us tries to do what we can to celebrate it with our family and loved ones. We all wanted the best of good life there is.

Happy Chinese New Year Everyone!!! 新年快楽 Xinnian kuaile