Fish holds great significance as a traditional dish during the Chinese New Year, representing abundance and a boost in prosperity.
China, with its rich history, has long recognized the pivotal role of food in shaping its culture. Over the years, numerous festivals and special events have been celebrated with unique culinary delights. These foods carry deep meanings, symbolizing good fortune, well wishes, unity, and commemoration.
The Origins of Food Symbolism in China
Dating back thousands of years, the symbolism attached to food in China arises from deep-rooted superstitions and traditional beliefs, aimed at invoking blessings and celebrating special occasions. Through factors like the pronunciation of food names, their shapes, colors, historical significance, and legends, specific meanings or “powers” are attributed to different foods.
Here, we present a few examples of festival and special occasion foods.
Chinese New Year
Eating Dumplings
The Chinese New Year, also known as the Spring Festival, stands as the most significant traditional celebration in China. During this time, the Chinese people place great importance on expressing wishes for happiness and good fortune. Therefore, New Year foods are carefully chosen to symbolize good luck and well wishes.
- ‘Year cake’ or niangao represents increasing prosperity as the name sounds similar to “year high” or “yearly increase” (年高 nián gāo).
- Dumplings symbolize wealth, owing to their traditional resemblance to gold or silver ingots.
- Candy represents aspirations for a sweet, abundant life due to its delightful taste.
To delve deeper into the intricacies of Chinese New Year food traditions, you can refer to Chinese New Year food.
Lantern Festival
Indulging in Sweet Round Sticky Rice Balls
The Lantern Festival, which coincides with the first full moon night of the Chinese calendar year, serves as a symbol of family reunion, just like the full moon and the food associated with it.
- The sweet round sticky rice balls in soup, known as tangyuan (汤圆 tāngyuán), signify togetherness and reunion.
The term tangyuan bears resemblance to “tuanyuan” (团圆 tuányuán), meaning “reunion.” Additionally, the round shape of the rice balls represents unity and togetherness cherished in Chinese culture.
Sister’s Meal Festival
The Miao ethnic group celebrates the Sister’s Meal Festival on the 15th day of the third Chinese lunar month in Guizhou Province, located in south central China. During this festival, they partake in a feast featuring five-color rice, which holds deep significance within Miao culture.
- Five-color rice symbolizes a vibrant and harmonious life, as well as a spirit of solidarity.
The sticky rice, infused with vibrant hues of purple, red, yellow, white, and black, represents unity and is achieved by using different leaves, berries, and flowers.
For more insights into the Sister’s Meal Festival, please refer to Sisters’ Meal Festival.
Dragon Boat Festival
Delighting in Zongzi
The Dragon Boat Festival holds immense significance in China as it commemorates the famous patriotic poet, Qu Yuan, from ancient times.
- Zongzi, glutinous rice dumplings wrapped in bamboo or reed leaves (粽子 Zòngzi), symbolize the commemoration of Qu Yuan.
The symbolism behind zongzi is linked to the legend of Qu Yuan’s demise. It is said that people threw rice dumplings into the Miluo River to prevent the fish from devouring Qu Yuan’s body.
To explore the wonders of the Dragon Boat Festival further, feel free to refer to Dragon Boat Festival.
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The Festival of the Harvest Moon
Delightful Mooncakes
The Festival of the Harvest Moon stands as the second most significant traditional holiday in China. A time of profound connection and reunion, it draws together families and loved ones in joyous celebration. To honor this occasion, people prepare foods that bear a sacred symbolism of family unity.
- Mooncakes embody the essence of ‘family unity,’ resembling the rounded harvest moon. For more insights into mooncakes, explore further.
- Pomeloes (柚yòu /yoh/) carry connotations of ‘family unity’ and ‘abundance.’ With their roundness, they resemble the Chinese word for ‘to have’ (有 yǒu).
Extraordinary Culinary Customs in China
Seeds of Significance
In addition to the festive delicacies, specific foods hold symbolic meanings when consumed at special occasions, invoking blessed outcomes and jubilant celebrations…
During Weddings
- Seeds (such as lotus seeds, watermelon seeds, etc.) embody the idea of ‘having many children’.
The Chinese word for ‘seed(s)’ (子 zǐ /dzrr/) also signifies ‘child(ren)‘.
- Lobster and chicken are symbolic of ‘a harmonious marriage’.
As one of the characters in the Chinese word for lobster (龙虾 lóngxiā) is ‘dragon’ (龙), and a chicken bears resemblance to a phoenix, the combination of lobster and chicken represents the auspicious pairing of yin and yang in Chinese culture.
During Birthday Celebrations
Noodles for Eternity
- Noodles embody the concept of ‘longevity’.
The elongated shape of noodles symbolizes a prosperous and enduring life. Tradition holds that it is ill-fated to cut noodles.
- Peaches also convey the notion of ‘longevity’.
In Chinese folklore, peaches hold sacred significance as they were served during the birthday celebrations of the immortal Queen Mother of the West.
When Celebrating the Birth of a Child
The symbolism in this case is self-evident. After the birth of a baby, parents may present “red-boiled” (chicken’s) eggs to announce the arrival of their little one to family and friends.
Savor the Exquisite and Meaningful Cuisine of China
Discover Authentic Chinese Delights
If you yearn to partake in the Chinese festivals mentioned above and experience the true flavors of authentic Chinese cuisine, China Highlights stands ready to assist you! Explore our renowned festival tours and embark on a tantalizing journey through our food tours.
