May Dragon Chinese Restaurant -Four Star Chinese Restaurant in Dallas--Dallas Morning News--
Casual Upscale Chinese Restaurant with today's flair and authentic Chinese Cooking.
Full-service Bar, Liquor, Beer, Wine and Sake.
Lion Dance
Celebrate the Chinese New Year 4723 with May Dragon "The Year of The Snake"!
Lion's Dance Shows! Book your dinner reservation. $10 cover charge per person, please call 9723929998 today!
Performed by Wang Tao Kung Fu & Lion's Dance
Jan 29th, 2025 @7:30 PM
May Dragon Chinese Restaurant
4848 Belt Line Road
DALLAS, TX 75254
It’s Chow Time!
Lion's Dance Shows! Book your dinner reservation. $10 cover charge per person, please call 9723929998 today!
Performed by Wang Tao Kung Fu & Lion's Dance
Jan 29th, 2025 @7:30 PM
May Dragon Chinese Restaurant
4848 Belt Line Road
DALLAS, TX 75254
It’s Chow Time!
During Chinese New Year, May Dragon invites Wang Tao Kung Fu & Lion's Dancers to perform at the restaurant. The performance in the confines of the dining room is extra dramatic. It is loud, it is dynamic, and it never fails to please.
All guests will delight in "feeding" the lions red envelopes with lucky money inside. The restaurant and lion dancers will provide the red envelopes, but you get to provide the dollar bills - consider it a tip for the young men and women under the lion head.
Typically, lion dancers will arrive 15 minutes before Showtime. You will know that the show has started when the drummers start drumming. The lion will enter and parade up and down the aisle in between the tables. It's a high energy show with lots of shaking and shimmering.
All guests will delight in "feeding" the lions red envelopes with lucky money inside. The restaurant and lion dancers will provide the red envelopes, but you get to provide the dollar bills - consider it a tip for the young men and women under the lion head.
Typically, lion dancers will arrive 15 minutes before Showtime. You will know that the show has started when the drummers start drumming. The lion will enter and parade up and down the aisle in between the tables. It's a high energy show with lots of shaking and shimmering.
The Lion Dance embraces the beauty, art, culture, traditions, and history of China. A good performance is believed to bring luck and happiness. Gestures and movements that closely mimic the emotions of the mystical animal tell the story behind the performance. Emotions and expressions portrayed by the dancers include excitement, caution, curiosity, playful, anger, sleepiness, confusion, happiness, and sadness, to name a few. In addition to this, acrobatic skills are sometimes displayed by the dancers to add excitement to the performance.
The Lion is made of paper mache and is controlled by two people. One person plays the head, and the other person plays the tail and they both choreograph their movements to the rhythm of a drum beat. The choreographed set usually takes place in a setting of a story where a hungry lion awakens and seeks out food most commonly in the form of lucky green lettuce. This lucky lettuce is offered by the people and is usually placed in a manner that the Lion must move around an obstacle in order to grab and eat it. Some of these obstacles require the Lion to climb, jump, or move about cautiously to check for traps and other ambushes to ensure a safe path to the lucky green lettuce.
Sometimes seen accompanying the Lion is the comical monk, who plays the role of Lion's mentor and helps it seek out the lucky green lettuce. The monk has a very large round head and is always in good spirits. His lighthearted character often acts foolish and silly, making him very likeable.
The lion is an important Chinese totem, the symbol of power, majesty and courage, capable of warding off evil spirits. In Chinese legend it is said that the lion was the ninth son of the dragon and was the best employable guard, thus it was usually seen in front of royal palaces, offices and residences. Lion dance is more frequently performed during the Lunar New Year and can be seen in all parts of the community including schools, birthdays, corporate functions, sponsored events, festivals, and even Bar Mitzvahs
The Lion is made of paper mache and is controlled by two people. One person plays the head, and the other person plays the tail and they both choreograph their movements to the rhythm of a drum beat. The choreographed set usually takes place in a setting of a story where a hungry lion awakens and seeks out food most commonly in the form of lucky green lettuce. This lucky lettuce is offered by the people and is usually placed in a manner that the Lion must move around an obstacle in order to grab and eat it. Some of these obstacles require the Lion to climb, jump, or move about cautiously to check for traps and other ambushes to ensure a safe path to the lucky green lettuce.
Sometimes seen accompanying the Lion is the comical monk, who plays the role of Lion's mentor and helps it seek out the lucky green lettuce. The monk has a very large round head and is always in good spirits. His lighthearted character often acts foolish and silly, making him very likeable.
The lion is an important Chinese totem, the symbol of power, majesty and courage, capable of warding off evil spirits. In Chinese legend it is said that the lion was the ninth son of the dragon and was the best employable guard, thus it was usually seen in front of royal palaces, offices and residences. Lion dance is more frequently performed during the Lunar New Year and can be seen in all parts of the community including schools, birthdays, corporate functions, sponsored events, festivals, and even Bar Mitzvahs
Awards
“Four Star Chinese Restaurant in Dallas”--Dallas Morning News--
“Upscale Chinese Restaurant”--The DBJ 2006 Consumer Choice Awards for Business Excellence--
“Best Chinese Restaurant”--Dallas Observer Best in Dallas 2007--
"Praised by a number of local publications, May Dragon stands as one of the area's highest-rated Chinese restaurants — and proud it should be. Superbly prepared and presented Mandarin, Hunan, Cantonese, and Szechuan dishes garner equal spotlight time, from lighter fare like vegetable lo mein and dan dan noodles to more substantial numbers like smoked tea duck, sesame chicken, and lobster Cantonese. An attractive setting is punctuated by painted screens, white linens, and soft background music; service is professional and accommodating.--10 Best Chinese Restaurant by 10 Best.com--
"General Tsao's Chicken" #1 Customer's Favorites" --Golden Grub Award 2012--
''Minority Business Leader Awards" --Dallas Business Journal--
"Generous Contribution and Participation in the 2007 Taste of Full Flavors"--Metrocrest Chamber of Commerce"
"City's Best" -- AOL Cityguide
"a four star restaurant located in Dallas and praised one of the best Chinese restaurants by the Dallas Observer, a local newspaper. May Dragon offers traditional Chinese cuisine, never uses M.S.G., uses fresh vegetables prepared by their very own Chinese Chefs. The restaurant also serves a complete wine list.
“Upscale Chinese Restaurant”--The DBJ 2006 Consumer Choice Awards for Business Excellence--
“Best Chinese Restaurant”--Dallas Observer Best in Dallas 2007--
"Praised by a number of local publications, May Dragon stands as one of the area's highest-rated Chinese restaurants — and proud it should be. Superbly prepared and presented Mandarin, Hunan, Cantonese, and Szechuan dishes garner equal spotlight time, from lighter fare like vegetable lo mein and dan dan noodles to more substantial numbers like smoked tea duck, sesame chicken, and lobster Cantonese. An attractive setting is punctuated by painted screens, white linens, and soft background music; service is professional and accommodating.--10 Best Chinese Restaurant by 10 Best.com--
"General Tsao's Chicken" #1 Customer's Favorites" --Golden Grub Award 2012--
''Minority Business Leader Awards" --Dallas Business Journal--
"Generous Contribution and Participation in the 2007 Taste of Full Flavors"--Metrocrest Chamber of Commerce"
"City's Best" -- AOL Cityguide
"a four star restaurant located in Dallas and praised one of the best Chinese restaurants by the Dallas Observer, a local newspaper. May Dragon offers traditional Chinese cuisine, never uses M.S.G., uses fresh vegetables prepared by their very own Chinese Chefs. The restaurant also serves a complete wine list.
Greetings and Blessings for the New Year
Chinese New Year family performing traditional greeting.
There are multiple blessings and greetings for Chinese New Year. But there are variations even for the most basic “Happy New Year!”
The simplest is, of course, Happy New Year: 新年快樂 (xīn nián kuài lè)
China also contains many dialects, such as Cantonese, Shanghainese and the Beijing dialect. And those dialects don’t include the languages of China’s 55 ethnic minorities.
A European scholar once said that if every dialect regions became a separate country, this area would have more countries than Europe. Northerners and Southerners can rarely understand each other, even though the same written language is used.
Other than Mandarin (standardized Chinese), the most well-known Chinese language is probably Cantonese. It’s more difficult for foreigners to learn. English isn’t a tonal language. Mandarin has 4 tones. And Cantonese has 9.
But if you wish to learn, “Happy New Year” in Cantonese is pronounced: san1 nin4 faai3 lok6!
Happy Spring Festival in Mandarin. ceon1 zit3 faai3 lok6!
Happy Spring Festival in Cantonese. You can also say (chūn jiē yú kuài), which uses a more formal way to say “happy.” In Cantonese, it’s: ceon1 zit3 jyu4 faai3
In Cantonese-speaking regions, it’s more popular to say恭喜發財(gung1 hei2 faat3 coi4). This is a blessing for wealth and prosperity. The phrase is also used in other regions (Mandarin: gong xǐ fā cái). But the Cantonese like to say this in place of the usual “Happy New Year.”
Some more poetic and “advanced” variations of “Happy New Year”:
恭賀新禧 (gōng hè xīn xǐ)
Literal translation: respectful congratulations on the New Year. 新春志禧 (xīn chūn zhì xǐ)
Literal translation: to record the happiness from the new spring. 拜年 磕頭Bài Nián and kowtow
It can be said that Chinese culture is based off of Confucianism. This philosophy emphasizes manners, politeness and respect. Age, status and rank are ingrained in actions. This is especially clear during Chinese New Year.
The act of greeting and blessing during Chinese New Year is called 拜年 (bài nián), which literally means to pay a visit for the New Years. You must visit the eldest (seniors from the husband’s side) in the family first. Don’t forget to bring gifts!
Red envelopes are filled with money and given to children during the New Year.
In return, the grandparents and elders will give the younger generation red envelopes. The money in red envelopes is also known as 压岁钱 (yā suì qián). Literally, it is “money to anchor the year.”
In the past, currency was in the form of coins similar in shape to donuts. Parents would use red string to tie the coins together and give to their children. It transitioned to be wrapped in red paper and now, put into red envelopes.
Before red pockets, ancient coins were wrapped with red string as a gift for kids.
By giving the money to the children, the elders are also hoping to pass on a year of good fortune and blessings. In some regions of China, rather than between generations, married couples will give red envelopes to their unmarried friends to transfer some luck.
To receive this, you must perform 3 kowtows to the elders.
Kowtow (磕头—kē tóu) literally means to knock your head (against the floor.) Basically, you kneel and place your hands on the ground before you. Bend over and rest your head between your hands. This is the ultimate show of respect.
Dinner customs
The most important meal of the year is the New Year’s Eve reunion dinner. Because the Chinese love treating others to meals, there will also be multiple other dinners throughout the holiday.
Whether it takes place at home or in a restaurant, the seating arrangement is always set.
Dinners at home
If the traditional table is used, there will be 4 benches. Each seats 8 people.
The eldest sits in the north, facing the south. Then in descending order, people are seated in the east, west and lastly south. This is due to beliefs in fēng shuǐ (风水).
There are assigned seats in each bench as well. On the northern bench, the leftmost is the most important guest. The right side is reserved for the host.
For the eastern and western benches, the ones closer to the north are usually older (or more important.) It is more casual for the southern bench.
Dinners at a restaurant
The round tables in Chinese restaurants usually seat 8-12 people. If in a private room, the innermost and centered table is reserved for the highest ranks. The host sits on the right, while the most important guest sits on the left.
For the other tables, the seating arrangement is the same as at home.
Dinner superstitions and manners
Disney’s Mulan was a great movie. But they made a grave mistake.
Whenever they ate, they would stick the chopsticks straight into their bowl of rice. Never do that, especially if eating with elders! It looks like burning incense to commemorate passed ancestors.
Unlike in the West, it’s polite to keep your elbows on the table while eating. You should also make sure you eat everything on your plate. But here’s a friendly tip: if someone sees your plate empty, they’ll naturally pile on more food. So if you don’t want all this food, try to find the right balance and timing!
Also, be prepared for some awkwardness. The Chinese have a habit of asking questions that may make foreigners uncomfortable. Most genuinely want to know because they care or are concerned. Grandparents and aunties and uncles will ask:
Did you get a job? Where do you work? What’s your annual income? Did you get a promotion? Did you find a boy/girlfriend? Why not? Do you want to meet my friend’s kid? When are you getting married? When are you having kids?
It’s a very annoying but heartwarming phenomenon.
You should also ask around for local superstitions and customs. For example, in some regions, there is 1 dish that is always placed on the table. But it’s not meant to be eaten until the very last day of the holiday. Don’t be that guy.
The most important rule of all: no arguments, crying, bickering or fights. It’ll bring bad luck and ruin the mood.
Despite the complicated rules and social customs, Chinese New Year is a time of celebration. Once you have everything down pat, you’ll be able to enjoy yourself (and feast on the great food)!
What to eat during Chinese New Year
Chinese New Year feast
Family is the basis of the Chinese society, which is seen through the significance placed on the New Year’s Eve dinner (年夜饭- Nián yèfàn) or Reunion dinner (团年饭 - tuán niánfàn). This feast is extremely important to the Chinese. All family members must come back. Even if they truly can’t, the rest of the family will leave their spot empty and place a spare set of utensils for them.
In the legend of the Spring Festival’s origin, this was when the monster Nian would come and terrorize the villages. The people would hide in their homes, prepare a feast with offerings to the ancestors and gods, and hope for the best.
Everyone brings out their specialty dishes for the feast.
Food is one of the things that the Chinese take the most pride in. And of course, lot of care and thought is put into the menu for the most important holiday of the year.
As with Chinese New Year activities and decorations, the dishes are created to give blessings for the next year. Both the names and looks are symbols of wishes for prosperity, happiness and auspiciousness.
Though every region (even household) have different customs, there are some common dishes seen on every table
Spring rolls 春卷 (chūn juǎn)Eggrolls are probably the most well-known of Chinese cuisine. However, they’re actually “spring rolls.” They are eaten during the Spring Festival in Southern China to celebrate the coming of spring. More specifically, they are eaten on the first day of spring (立春—lì chūn). They can appear on the table as a dinner dish, appetizer or snack.
Because they look like bars of gold, spring rolls are a wish for prosperity and wealth.
Most are familiar with the deep fried version of spring rolls. Throughout China, they can also be steamed or baked. Size and shape vary from small rectangles to large flat circles.
During the Jin Dynasty (circa 265-420), people would arrange spring rolls and vegetables together on a plate. This was known as the Spring Platter (春盘—chūn pán). During the Spring Festival, emperors would award officials with Spring Platters. Each platter is said to have been worth thousands.
Spring roll skins are made of flour, water and some salt. The filling depends on your personal taste. Traditionally, the filling is made of pork, Chinese cabbage, shiitake, carrots and seasoning.
For those with a sweet tooth, there are Shangainese style red bean paste spring rolls. Now, there are even ice cream fillings!
To make, create the filling of your choice. Place around 2 spoons onto the center of the spring roll skin. Tuck in the sides and roll it up, sealing the edges with egg whites. Finish by throwing them into the deep fryer until the skin is golden and crispy.
Dumplings 饺子 (jiǎo zi)
Another well-known dish, dumplings are the northern equivalent of spring rolls. They are eaten during every special occasion, but are the most significant during Chinese New Year. That’s a lot of dumplings! But there’s good reason.
Dumplings are shaped like ancient Chinese silver and gold ingots. By wrapping dumplings, you are wrapping in the fortune. After eating them, you will live a wealthy and prosperous life.
In Chinese, dumplings (饺子—jiǎo zi) sounds like 交子(jiāo zi). 交 (Jiāo) means “exchange” and 子(zi) is the midnight hours. Put together, jiāo zi is the exchange between the old and new year. All dumplings should be wrapped at this time. By eating dumplings, you are sending away the old and welcoming the new.
Dumplings are steamed but they can be pan-fried too and called pot stickers (锅贴—guō tiē).
There are too many different types of filling to count. You can have whatever type of meat, vegetable and flavor you’d like.
Typically, they include Chinese cabbage, green onion, pork and shrimp (similar to spring rolls).
In the Suzhou province, egg fillings are a must. The dumpling symbolizes the silver ingot, while the egg is gold. Meat and bamboo strip filling is called 丝丝齐齐 (sī sī qí qí), which means that everything needed will be available.
Some people will also put a coin in a random dumpling. Whoever eats it will have great luck that year.
In addition to the joy of eating delicious food, the making process is a family bonding activity too. During New Year preparations, every member of the family participates and wraps dumplings. In certain regions, the daughter-in-law must make a dumpling to be considered part of the family.
Noodles 长面 (cháng miàn)
In some places, it’s custom to cook dumplings and noodles together. This is called gold silk and gold ingots. It’s yet another dish to express people’s wishes for prosperity.
Though the origin of noodles is heavily disputed, there’s no doubt that noodles are a staple in Chinese cuisine.
There are all types of noodles: long, short, dry, vegetarian, meat, and more. They can also be made of flour, rice or even green bean powder.
In the beginning, they were called “soup pancakes” (汤饼—tang miàn). People would tear the dough into little pieces and throw them into the pot. It wasn’t until the Tang Dynasty when people began rolling them into the noodle shape we know today.
For Chinese New Year, people like to eat long noodles.
They are also called 长寿面 (cháng shòu miàn), which means “longevity noodles.” You aren’t allowed to cut them and should try not to chew either. The longer the noodle, the longer your life will be. This calls for a lot of slurping.
With noodles, there is great flexibility for sides and ingredients. Many vegetables and meats have symbolic meanings as well.
For example:
Fish is a must for the Chinese New Year. Why does fish symbolize surplus and wealth? In Chinese, fish (鱼—yú) has the same pronunciation as 余, which means “surplus” or “extra.” The typical blessing is 年年有余 (Nián nián yǒuyú), wishing you to have a surplus (or fish) of food and money every year.
People will steam a whole fish for the New Year Eve’s dinner.
Half of the fish is eaten for dinner, and the second half the next day. This is to prolong the surplus and make the future prosperous as well. A whole fish also represents a harmonious and whole family.
Some would cook a bigheaded carp. But only the middle would be eaten, while the head and tail are left intact. The Chinese phrase is 有头有尾 (yǒu tóu yǒu wěi)—to have both a head and tail. This is a reminder to finish everything you start and wish for positive results. During dinner, the fish head should be placed facing the guests.
In Hunan, red peppers are added after broiling the fish. Red is a festive and lucky color and the spicy hotness expresses wishes for fiery (thriving) business in the new year.
Steamed Chicken 蒸鸡 (zhēng jī)
A whole chicken is another symbol of family. Rich in protein, one chicken is enough to feed an entire family. It represents reunion and rebirth. To express this auspicious meaning, people keep the head and claws.
After cooking, people will first offer the chicken to the ancestors. Though only a superstition now, praying to the ancestors for blessings and protection is still a significant part of the Spring Festival and Chinese culture.
In Hunan, the chicken is steamed and, when arranging, the head should be upright.
In Hubei, chicken soup is the first meal of the new year. It is a wish for peace. The main workers of the family should eat chicken feet, also called “phoenix claws” (凤爪—fèng zhuǎ). This is supposed to help them grasp onto wealth. Chicken wings help you fly higher, while the bones represent outstanding achievement.
For the first meal, some also cook eggs. The egg white and yolk represent gold and silver and are simple gifts for friends and neighbors.
Nian gao 年糕 (nián gāo)Nian gao, also known as “rice cake” or “New Year cake” in English, are a must for Chinese New Year.
In ancient times, nian gao were used only as offerings to the ancestors and gods. Gradually, they became a traditional dish during the Spring Festival. Now they are available every day of the year, but are still a special treat for the festival.Nian gao also has the same pronunciation as 高 (gāo – tall/high). It’s a wish to be successful and “higher” each year. Every year will be better than the last. Some humorous parents like to tell their children that eating this will help them grow taller too.They are either made of sticky glutinous rice or yellow rice, giving nian gao two major colors and textures.Depending on their shape, they can represent gold and silver bricks or bars.Nian gao was already popular during the Wei and Jin dynasties (220-420). But after more than two thousand years of development, there are a crazy amount of variations. Nian gao from northern regions and the south almost seem like entirely different things.
They are typically are savory in the South. Store-bought nian gao are hard and must be boiled first. They are then steamed or cooked with vegetables and meat.
A common dish includes Chinese cabbage, salted vegetables and thin strips of pork. Prepared like this, nian gao are a substitute for rice or noodles.
Rather than the usual batter, sugar can be added to the glutinous rice powder to make the sweet nian gao favored by the North. The batter can also include lard, rose petals, osthmanthus, hibiscus and mint for extra flavoring. For the ones with a true sweet tooth, it’s also acceptable to directly dip nian gao in white sugar.
Northern style nian gao are more like desserts and snacks.
In Beijing, the types seen are jujube nian gao (红枣年糕—hóng zǎo nián gāo), hundred fruit nian gao (百果年糕—bǎi guǒ nián gāo) and white nian gao (白年糕—Bái nián gāo). Jujube (枣—zǎo) has the same pronunciation as early (早), while hundred fruit nian gao represent a cornucopia of precious gems.
It’s common to steam nian gao with jujube and red beans in Hebei. On the other hand, people of Shanxi and Inner Mongoliao like to deep fry the batter and add fillings of red bean paste and mashed jujube.
Vegetable dishes
Spring is the season to plant new seeds. Traditionally, the Spring Festival is the best time to finish all the vegetables stored and preserved from the winter.
A dish of all sorts of vegetables put together can always be seen on the table during New Years.
This dish can be called 田园素小炒 (tián yuán sù xiǎo chǎo), or countryside vegetarian stir-fry. Mushrooms, jujube and Chinese cabbage are often included, in addition to your typical greens.
Some symbolic vegetables to consider are:
Hot pot 火锅 (huǒ guō)
For many, hot pot is the centerpiece of Spring Festival dinners.
The bubbling soup in the pot gives off a warm and festive feeling.
Hot pot is another food that has a long history. Emperor Qianlong of the Qing dynasty is the most avid fan. When he held feasts for old and retired officials, hot pot with meat were always on the menu. During his New Year’s Eve dinner, there were 120 dishes for lunch and even more for hot pot.
Despite being loved by commoners and royalty alike, hot pots are actually quite basic. It’s simply a bubbling pot and plates of uncooked meat and vegetables. You can choose whatever you like to throw into the pot. Wait until it’s cooked, take it out and eat.
Part of the flavor comes from the broth you choose in the pot. The other part is your own dipping sauce. There are special hot pot sauces. You can also make your own using one raw egg, sesame paste, salt, sugar, cilantro and peppers. Hot pot is an extremely customizable dish. Everything mentioned in this article can be included, even the noodles!
Some of the foods in this article, such as spring rolls and dumplings, can also be eaten outside of the main meal. Of course, there are many more snacks and desserts throughout the duration of the Spring Festival. As the TV Show “A Bite of China” (舌尖上的中国—shé jiān shàng de zhōng guó) said, even if the other ancient traditions of the Spring Festival are modernized, the food culture will never disappear.
Chinese New Year feast
Family is the basis of the Chinese society, which is seen through the significance placed on the New Year’s Eve dinner (年夜饭- Nián yèfàn) or Reunion dinner (团年饭 - tuán niánfàn). This feast is extremely important to the Chinese. All family members must come back. Even if they truly can’t, the rest of the family will leave their spot empty and place a spare set of utensils for them.
In the legend of the Spring Festival’s origin, this was when the monster Nian would come and terrorize the villages. The people would hide in their homes, prepare a feast with offerings to the ancestors and gods, and hope for the best.
Everyone brings out their specialty dishes for the feast.
Food is one of the things that the Chinese take the most pride in. And of course, lot of care and thought is put into the menu for the most important holiday of the year.
As with Chinese New Year activities and decorations, the dishes are created to give blessings for the next year. Both the names and looks are symbols of wishes for prosperity, happiness and auspiciousness.
Though every region (even household) have different customs, there are some common dishes seen on every table
Spring rolls 春卷 (chūn juǎn)Eggrolls are probably the most well-known of Chinese cuisine. However, they’re actually “spring rolls.” They are eaten during the Spring Festival in Southern China to celebrate the coming of spring. More specifically, they are eaten on the first day of spring (立春—lì chūn). They can appear on the table as a dinner dish, appetizer or snack.
Because they look like bars of gold, spring rolls are a wish for prosperity and wealth.
Most are familiar with the deep fried version of spring rolls. Throughout China, they can also be steamed or baked. Size and shape vary from small rectangles to large flat circles.
During the Jin Dynasty (circa 265-420), people would arrange spring rolls and vegetables together on a plate. This was known as the Spring Platter (春盘—chūn pán). During the Spring Festival, emperors would award officials with Spring Platters. Each platter is said to have been worth thousands.
Spring roll skins are made of flour, water and some salt. The filling depends on your personal taste. Traditionally, the filling is made of pork, Chinese cabbage, shiitake, carrots and seasoning.
For those with a sweet tooth, there are Shangainese style red bean paste spring rolls. Now, there are even ice cream fillings!
To make, create the filling of your choice. Place around 2 spoons onto the center of the spring roll skin. Tuck in the sides and roll it up, sealing the edges with egg whites. Finish by throwing them into the deep fryer until the skin is golden and crispy.
Dumplings 饺子 (jiǎo zi)
Another well-known dish, dumplings are the northern equivalent of spring rolls. They are eaten during every special occasion, but are the most significant during Chinese New Year. That’s a lot of dumplings! But there’s good reason.
Dumplings are shaped like ancient Chinese silver and gold ingots. By wrapping dumplings, you are wrapping in the fortune. After eating them, you will live a wealthy and prosperous life.
In Chinese, dumplings (饺子—jiǎo zi) sounds like 交子(jiāo zi). 交 (Jiāo) means “exchange” and 子(zi) is the midnight hours. Put together, jiāo zi is the exchange between the old and new year. All dumplings should be wrapped at this time. By eating dumplings, you are sending away the old and welcoming the new.
Dumplings are steamed but they can be pan-fried too and called pot stickers (锅贴—guō tiē).
There are too many different types of filling to count. You can have whatever type of meat, vegetable and flavor you’d like.
Typically, they include Chinese cabbage, green onion, pork and shrimp (similar to spring rolls).
In the Suzhou province, egg fillings are a must. The dumpling symbolizes the silver ingot, while the egg is gold. Meat and bamboo strip filling is called 丝丝齐齐 (sī sī qí qí), which means that everything needed will be available.
Some people will also put a coin in a random dumpling. Whoever eats it will have great luck that year.
In addition to the joy of eating delicious food, the making process is a family bonding activity too. During New Year preparations, every member of the family participates and wraps dumplings. In certain regions, the daughter-in-law must make a dumpling to be considered part of the family.
Noodles 长面 (cháng miàn)
In some places, it’s custom to cook dumplings and noodles together. This is called gold silk and gold ingots. It’s yet another dish to express people’s wishes for prosperity.
Though the origin of noodles is heavily disputed, there’s no doubt that noodles are a staple in Chinese cuisine.
There are all types of noodles: long, short, dry, vegetarian, meat, and more. They can also be made of flour, rice or even green bean powder.
In the beginning, they were called “soup pancakes” (汤饼—tang miàn). People would tear the dough into little pieces and throw them into the pot. It wasn’t until the Tang Dynasty when people began rolling them into the noodle shape we know today.
For Chinese New Year, people like to eat long noodles.
They are also called 长寿面 (cháng shòu miàn), which means “longevity noodles.” You aren’t allowed to cut them and should try not to chew either. The longer the noodle, the longer your life will be. This calls for a lot of slurping.
With noodles, there is great flexibility for sides and ingredients. Many vegetables and meats have symbolic meanings as well.
For example:
- Eggs: big and healthy family
- Lobster: endless money rolling in
- Shrimp: fortune and wealth
- Roasted pig: peace
- Duck: loyalty
- Peaches: longevity
- Tofu: happiness and fortune for the entire family
- Fish: surplus and wealth
Fish is a must for the Chinese New Year. Why does fish symbolize surplus and wealth? In Chinese, fish (鱼—yú) has the same pronunciation as 余, which means “surplus” or “extra.” The typical blessing is 年年有余 (Nián nián yǒuyú), wishing you to have a surplus (or fish) of food and money every year.
People will steam a whole fish for the New Year Eve’s dinner.
Half of the fish is eaten for dinner, and the second half the next day. This is to prolong the surplus and make the future prosperous as well. A whole fish also represents a harmonious and whole family.
Some would cook a bigheaded carp. But only the middle would be eaten, while the head and tail are left intact. The Chinese phrase is 有头有尾 (yǒu tóu yǒu wěi)—to have both a head and tail. This is a reminder to finish everything you start and wish for positive results. During dinner, the fish head should be placed facing the guests.
In Hunan, red peppers are added after broiling the fish. Red is a festive and lucky color and the spicy hotness expresses wishes for fiery (thriving) business in the new year.
Steamed Chicken 蒸鸡 (zhēng jī)
A whole chicken is another symbol of family. Rich in protein, one chicken is enough to feed an entire family. It represents reunion and rebirth. To express this auspicious meaning, people keep the head and claws.
After cooking, people will first offer the chicken to the ancestors. Though only a superstition now, praying to the ancestors for blessings and protection is still a significant part of the Spring Festival and Chinese culture.
In Hunan, the chicken is steamed and, when arranging, the head should be upright.
In Hubei, chicken soup is the first meal of the new year. It is a wish for peace. The main workers of the family should eat chicken feet, also called “phoenix claws” (凤爪—fèng zhuǎ). This is supposed to help them grasp onto wealth. Chicken wings help you fly higher, while the bones represent outstanding achievement.
For the first meal, some also cook eggs. The egg white and yolk represent gold and silver and are simple gifts for friends and neighbors.
Nian gao 年糕 (nián gāo)Nian gao, also known as “rice cake” or “New Year cake” in English, are a must for Chinese New Year.
In ancient times, nian gao were used only as offerings to the ancestors and gods. Gradually, they became a traditional dish during the Spring Festival. Now they are available every day of the year, but are still a special treat for the festival.Nian gao also has the same pronunciation as 高 (gāo – tall/high). It’s a wish to be successful and “higher” each year. Every year will be better than the last. Some humorous parents like to tell their children that eating this will help them grow taller too.They are either made of sticky glutinous rice or yellow rice, giving nian gao two major colors and textures.Depending on their shape, they can represent gold and silver bricks or bars.Nian gao was already popular during the Wei and Jin dynasties (220-420). But after more than two thousand years of development, there are a crazy amount of variations. Nian gao from northern regions and the south almost seem like entirely different things.
They are typically are savory in the South. Store-bought nian gao are hard and must be boiled first. They are then steamed or cooked with vegetables and meat.
A common dish includes Chinese cabbage, salted vegetables and thin strips of pork. Prepared like this, nian gao are a substitute for rice or noodles.
Rather than the usual batter, sugar can be added to the glutinous rice powder to make the sweet nian gao favored by the North. The batter can also include lard, rose petals, osthmanthus, hibiscus and mint for extra flavoring. For the ones with a true sweet tooth, it’s also acceptable to directly dip nian gao in white sugar.
Northern style nian gao are more like desserts and snacks.
In Beijing, the types seen are jujube nian gao (红枣年糕—hóng zǎo nián gāo), hundred fruit nian gao (百果年糕—bǎi guǒ nián gāo) and white nian gao (白年糕—Bái nián gāo). Jujube (枣—zǎo) has the same pronunciation as early (早), while hundred fruit nian gao represent a cornucopia of precious gems.
It’s common to steam nian gao with jujube and red beans in Hebei. On the other hand, people of Shanxi and Inner Mongoliao like to deep fry the batter and add fillings of red bean paste and mashed jujube.
Vegetable dishes
Spring is the season to plant new seeds. Traditionally, the Spring Festival is the best time to finish all the vegetables stored and preserved from the winter.
A dish of all sorts of vegetables put together can always be seen on the table during New Years.
This dish can be called 田园素小炒 (tián yuán sù xiǎo chǎo), or countryside vegetarian stir-fry. Mushrooms, jujube and Chinese cabbage are often included, in addition to your typical greens.
Some symbolic vegetables to consider are:
- Seaweed: symbolize wealth and fortune
- Lotus seeds: a blessing for many children and a healthy family
- Bamboo shoots: represent longevity, as well as going onward and up
- Muskmelon and grapefruit: symbolize family and hope. In addition, grapefruit symbolizes wealth and prosperity
- Osmanthus flower petals: in Chinese, osmanthus (桂—guì) is a homophone 贵, which means noble and precious
- Leek/chives: leek (韭—jiǔ) sounds similar to 久, meaning long and everlasting
- Poria mushrooms: another play on words, this mushroom (茯苓—fú líng) sounds similar to 福禄 (fú lù), or blessings and fortune
Hot pot 火锅 (huǒ guō)
For many, hot pot is the centerpiece of Spring Festival dinners.
The bubbling soup in the pot gives off a warm and festive feeling.
Hot pot is another food that has a long history. Emperor Qianlong of the Qing dynasty is the most avid fan. When he held feasts for old and retired officials, hot pot with meat were always on the menu. During his New Year’s Eve dinner, there were 120 dishes for lunch and even more for hot pot.
Despite being loved by commoners and royalty alike, hot pots are actually quite basic. It’s simply a bubbling pot and plates of uncooked meat and vegetables. You can choose whatever you like to throw into the pot. Wait until it’s cooked, take it out and eat.
Part of the flavor comes from the broth you choose in the pot. The other part is your own dipping sauce. There are special hot pot sauces. You can also make your own using one raw egg, sesame paste, salt, sugar, cilantro and peppers. Hot pot is an extremely customizable dish. Everything mentioned in this article can be included, even the noodles!
Some of the foods in this article, such as spring rolls and dumplings, can also be eaten outside of the main meal. Of course, there are many more snacks and desserts throughout the duration of the Spring Festival. As the TV Show “A Bite of China” (舌尖上的中国—shé jiān shàng de zhōng guó) said, even if the other ancient traditions of the Spring Festival are modernized, the food culture will never disappear.
Chinese New Year Decorations
What they mean and where they came from
Chinese New Year decorations are bright and colorful.
Every year, the horrendous monster 年 (Nián) would terrorize villages. It would eat everything, from mosquitos to human beings. As time went on, the villagers realized that the monster came every 365 days to wreak havoc before disappearing back into the forests.
So the villagers decided that on that day, they would prepare a feast and dine before the ancestors for protection. After years of hiding like this, a youth came up with the idea to use firecrackers and scare the monster away once and for all.
Such goes the legend of the origin of Chinese New Year, also known as the Spring Festival. Because the purpose was to scare off Nian and prevent it from returning, the holiday decorations are typically a bright and loud red.
The color red is much loved by the Chinese in general as it represents happiness and good fortune. Below are some popular decorations used to create festivity for the celebration.
Paper Cutting Arts 窗花 (chuāng huā)
Paper cutting is a folk craft that can be seen in every season, but are especially prominent during the Spring Festival. Usually seen on windows, the literal translation its name is “window flower.” The craftsmen will painstakingly create these beautiful works and paste them on using sticky rice glue.
Paper cuttings of the Chinese zodiacs.
These decorations are usually of auspicious symbols and words and made of red paper. Images include fish, peaches, grains, dragons, phoenixes and more. Some, such as fish, are puns for blessings. Others, like dragons and peaches, are symbols from folktales and legends. Grains and related images, on the other hand, represent hopes for a good harvest. More on that later.
Door Gods 门神 (mén shén)
Chinese folk religion includes various types of gods, as well as revered historical figures (either real or legendary.) One type is Door Gods. As the name implies, paintings of these gods are pasted onto the main door of a home. The main entrance traditionally consists of two doors, so the gods always appear in pairs.
Door gods from Chengdu.
The most famous demon hunter Zhong Kui (钟馗 – Zhōng kuí) has a terrifying face. This is why door gods all have angry eyes, twisted features and hold traditional weapons. They are ready to protect the family against any demon or spirit.
In another story, the Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty (唐太宗 – Táng tài zōng) heard the cries of demons at night. He ordered two generals to guard him outside the door. The cries were never to be heard again and the Emperor decided to paste portraits of the generals on the door.
Although these decorations are not as popular in modern times, some regions of China still do this to bring peace and fortune into the household.
Fortune 福 (fú)
Similarly, Chinese people decorate by hanging up certain words. The most common word is fu, happiness and good fortune. It is written with calligraphy onto a square piece of red paper. These can then be pasted onto walls, doors or windows.
Upside down fu.
Fu is often incorporated into other decorations, such as paper cuttings and paintings. As a play on words, many like to put fu upside down. The word for “upside down” (倒 - Dào) is a homophone of “here” (到). This pun represents that good fortune is coming, or is already here.
This clever play apparently began as an accident though. The story goes that the servants of a prince decorated the manor for the holiday by pasting fu onto all the doors. However, because they were illiterate, one of the fu’s ended upside down. The prince was enraged at this, demanding why they were so careless. Thankfully, one servant was able to think quickly and made up the explanation for the pun. “I’ve always heard people say that Your Highness is full of fortune,” he said. “And now, the fortune really is here.”
Spring Festival Couplets 春联 (chūn lián)
Originating from the Shu era (more than one thousand years ago), Spring Festival couplets have a long and rich history. In ancient times, these couplets were carved into tablets made from peach trees.
Spring festival couplets, door gods and fu.
According to myths, there was a giant peach tree in the spirit world. Every morning, the spirits who visited the human world must return there. The entrance guarded by two gods. Spirits who did harm during the night would be captured and fed to the tigers. People began to carve the names of the two gods into peach wood to protect against angry spirits. This transformed into writing blessings and, later, poetry on red paper.
Nowadays, you can see them alongside the doors of nearly every household during New Year’s season. An optional shorter third line is placed above the doorframe. Much thought is put into these poems. The number of words of each line should be the same; if you're writing your own use a word counter to make sure each line contains the same number of words.
The format and rhythm should be either identical or complimentary. Some writers even take the challenge of using alliteration or the same side radical for each word. There are countless different versions and styles, but every couplet conveys the writer’s wishes for the new year.
Paintings 年画 (nián huà)
The literal translation of this specific type of painting is “[new] year drawing.” They are also known as “New Year prints.” This is a craft with a history of at least one thousand years. In line with all New Year decorations, these paintings are used by the people to express their wishes for the future year. The traditional Chinese art style is used, but with the invention of printing technology, the style and image depicted diversified. Some call these paintings the encyclopedia of folk life. Concepts can go from heavenly creatures to folktales to everyday activities.
A large majority of prints depict either a chubby doll-like child or a beautiful woman. These images express wishes of healthy children and a loving a family. There are three distinctive major schools of nian hua: Táohuā wù (桃花坞) from Sūzhōu (苏州), Yángliǔqīng (杨柳青) from Tiānjīn (天津) and Wéifāng (潍坊) from Shāndōng (山东).
Kumquats 金桔 (jīn jú)
The English name of this golden fruit comes from its Cantonese pronunciation gam kwat, which translates literally to “golden tangerine.” As you may guess, this fruit is popular in Southern China, especially Hong Kong and other Cantonese-speaking regions. Guangdong is known to be the home of kumquats.
Kumquats and red pockets.
The character 桔 (jú – tangerine) looks similar to 吉 (jí), which means “luck,” while the golden color is festive and represents wealth and fortune. Add to that the fruit's delicious flavor on its own and in various desserts, and it’s really no wonder why so many will buy a small tree to plant in their homes during Chinese New Year!
Other auspicious plants include mandarin oranges (桔子 – júzi), which are popular for the same reasons as kumquats, chrysanthemum flowers and peaches.
Lanterns 灯笼 (dēng lóng)
The Spring Festival celebration spans a total of 15 days, with different activities for each day, culminating in the Lantern Festival (元宵 – yuán xiāo). There are many styles of lanterns, from basic shapes like spheres, to lotuses and even dragons! Some people write the word fu (福 – Fú), poetry or other calligraphy on the lanterns before releasing them.
People setting off Kongming lanterns during the Chinese New Year festival.
The Kongming Lantern (孔明灯 – Kǒngmíng dēng), named after Confucius, is especially important during the Lantern Festival. People write down wishes on each side of the lantern and let it fly to the heavens, hoping their wishes will come true in the New Year.
Symbols
As touched upon throughout this article, there are various symbols that can be seen from Spring Festival decorations. All have auspicious meanings, but can be divided into two general groups: play on words and objects from legends. Due to the nature of the Chinese language, there are countless homophones. It’s a goldmine for those who like to think of clever puns. Take, for example, the fish mentioned in the paper cutting section. New Year paintings will sometimes be of a child holding a large fish as well. Why?
The word 鱼 (yú) has the same pronunciation as 余, which means “extra.” The common phrase is 年年有余 (Nián nián yǒu yú), meaning to have “yu” every year. Here, the character for “extra” is interchangeable with “fish.” So if you have fish every year, you’ll also have extra money, harvests and luck! As for things of myths, dragons and various gods can always be expected. Zodiac animals, especially the animal of the year, go without saying as well.
Chinese culture has a history that spans thousands of years. The Spring Festival, being the most important holiday, is infused with cultural essence. Ancient traditions are passed down and still influential today. By taking a closer look at Chinese New Year decorations, you can glimpse at the stories behind each carefully thought out detail.
What they mean and where they came from
Chinese New Year decorations are bright and colorful.
Every year, the horrendous monster 年 (Nián) would terrorize villages. It would eat everything, from mosquitos to human beings. As time went on, the villagers realized that the monster came every 365 days to wreak havoc before disappearing back into the forests.
So the villagers decided that on that day, they would prepare a feast and dine before the ancestors for protection. After years of hiding like this, a youth came up with the idea to use firecrackers and scare the monster away once and for all.
Such goes the legend of the origin of Chinese New Year, also known as the Spring Festival. Because the purpose was to scare off Nian and prevent it from returning, the holiday decorations are typically a bright and loud red.
The color red is much loved by the Chinese in general as it represents happiness and good fortune. Below are some popular decorations used to create festivity for the celebration.
Paper Cutting Arts 窗花 (chuāng huā)
Paper cutting is a folk craft that can be seen in every season, but are especially prominent during the Spring Festival. Usually seen on windows, the literal translation its name is “window flower.” The craftsmen will painstakingly create these beautiful works and paste them on using sticky rice glue.
Paper cuttings of the Chinese zodiacs.
These decorations are usually of auspicious symbols and words and made of red paper. Images include fish, peaches, grains, dragons, phoenixes and more. Some, such as fish, are puns for blessings. Others, like dragons and peaches, are symbols from folktales and legends. Grains and related images, on the other hand, represent hopes for a good harvest. More on that later.
Door Gods 门神 (mén shén)
Chinese folk religion includes various types of gods, as well as revered historical figures (either real or legendary.) One type is Door Gods. As the name implies, paintings of these gods are pasted onto the main door of a home. The main entrance traditionally consists of two doors, so the gods always appear in pairs.
Door gods from Chengdu.
The most famous demon hunter Zhong Kui (钟馗 – Zhōng kuí) has a terrifying face. This is why door gods all have angry eyes, twisted features and hold traditional weapons. They are ready to protect the family against any demon or spirit.
In another story, the Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty (唐太宗 – Táng tài zōng) heard the cries of demons at night. He ordered two generals to guard him outside the door. The cries were never to be heard again and the Emperor decided to paste portraits of the generals on the door.
Although these decorations are not as popular in modern times, some regions of China still do this to bring peace and fortune into the household.
Fortune 福 (fú)
Similarly, Chinese people decorate by hanging up certain words. The most common word is fu, happiness and good fortune. It is written with calligraphy onto a square piece of red paper. These can then be pasted onto walls, doors or windows.
Upside down fu.
Fu is often incorporated into other decorations, such as paper cuttings and paintings. As a play on words, many like to put fu upside down. The word for “upside down” (倒 - Dào) is a homophone of “here” (到). This pun represents that good fortune is coming, or is already here.
This clever play apparently began as an accident though. The story goes that the servants of a prince decorated the manor for the holiday by pasting fu onto all the doors. However, because they were illiterate, one of the fu’s ended upside down. The prince was enraged at this, demanding why they were so careless. Thankfully, one servant was able to think quickly and made up the explanation for the pun. “I’ve always heard people say that Your Highness is full of fortune,” he said. “And now, the fortune really is here.”
Spring Festival Couplets 春联 (chūn lián)
Originating from the Shu era (more than one thousand years ago), Spring Festival couplets have a long and rich history. In ancient times, these couplets were carved into tablets made from peach trees.
Spring festival couplets, door gods and fu.
According to myths, there was a giant peach tree in the spirit world. Every morning, the spirits who visited the human world must return there. The entrance guarded by two gods. Spirits who did harm during the night would be captured and fed to the tigers. People began to carve the names of the two gods into peach wood to protect against angry spirits. This transformed into writing blessings and, later, poetry on red paper.
Nowadays, you can see them alongside the doors of nearly every household during New Year’s season. An optional shorter third line is placed above the doorframe. Much thought is put into these poems. The number of words of each line should be the same; if you're writing your own use a word counter to make sure each line contains the same number of words.
The format and rhythm should be either identical or complimentary. Some writers even take the challenge of using alliteration or the same side radical for each word. There are countless different versions and styles, but every couplet conveys the writer’s wishes for the new year.
Paintings 年画 (nián huà)
The literal translation of this specific type of painting is “[new] year drawing.” They are also known as “New Year prints.” This is a craft with a history of at least one thousand years. In line with all New Year decorations, these paintings are used by the people to express their wishes for the future year. The traditional Chinese art style is used, but with the invention of printing technology, the style and image depicted diversified. Some call these paintings the encyclopedia of folk life. Concepts can go from heavenly creatures to folktales to everyday activities.
A large majority of prints depict either a chubby doll-like child or a beautiful woman. These images express wishes of healthy children and a loving a family. There are three distinctive major schools of nian hua: Táohuā wù (桃花坞) from Sūzhōu (苏州), Yángliǔqīng (杨柳青) from Tiānjīn (天津) and Wéifāng (潍坊) from Shāndōng (山东).
Kumquats 金桔 (jīn jú)
The English name of this golden fruit comes from its Cantonese pronunciation gam kwat, which translates literally to “golden tangerine.” As you may guess, this fruit is popular in Southern China, especially Hong Kong and other Cantonese-speaking regions. Guangdong is known to be the home of kumquats.
Kumquats and red pockets.
The character 桔 (jú – tangerine) looks similar to 吉 (jí), which means “luck,” while the golden color is festive and represents wealth and fortune. Add to that the fruit's delicious flavor on its own and in various desserts, and it’s really no wonder why so many will buy a small tree to plant in their homes during Chinese New Year!
Other auspicious plants include mandarin oranges (桔子 – júzi), which are popular for the same reasons as kumquats, chrysanthemum flowers and peaches.
Lanterns 灯笼 (dēng lóng)
The Spring Festival celebration spans a total of 15 days, with different activities for each day, culminating in the Lantern Festival (元宵 – yuán xiāo). There are many styles of lanterns, from basic shapes like spheres, to lotuses and even dragons! Some people write the word fu (福 – Fú), poetry or other calligraphy on the lanterns before releasing them.
People setting off Kongming lanterns during the Chinese New Year festival.
The Kongming Lantern (孔明灯 – Kǒngmíng dēng), named after Confucius, is especially important during the Lantern Festival. People write down wishes on each side of the lantern and let it fly to the heavens, hoping their wishes will come true in the New Year.
Symbols
As touched upon throughout this article, there are various symbols that can be seen from Spring Festival decorations. All have auspicious meanings, but can be divided into two general groups: play on words and objects from legends. Due to the nature of the Chinese language, there are countless homophones. It’s a goldmine for those who like to think of clever puns. Take, for example, the fish mentioned in the paper cutting section. New Year paintings will sometimes be of a child holding a large fish as well. Why?
The word 鱼 (yú) has the same pronunciation as 余, which means “extra.” The common phrase is 年年有余 (Nián nián yǒu yú), meaning to have “yu” every year. Here, the character for “extra” is interchangeable with “fish.” So if you have fish every year, you’ll also have extra money, harvests and luck! As for things of myths, dragons and various gods can always be expected. Zodiac animals, especially the animal of the year, go without saying as well.
Chinese culture has a history that spans thousands of years. The Spring Festival, being the most important holiday, is infused with cultural essence. Ancient traditions are passed down and still influential today. By taking a closer look at Chinese New Year decorations, you can glimpse at the stories behind each carefully thought out detail.
10 Chinese New Year Myths
Once upon a time...
The New Year monster Nian
We’re all familiar with myths, legends and fairytales. It’s always interesting to see how they explain traditions that we still have in modern society today—the things we feel are normal, but are actually quite weird if we think about it.
So why do the Chinese celebrate the Spring Festival (Chinese New Year) the way they do? Why do people put up red decorations and light firecrackers? Who chose the 12 Chinese zodiacs? What‘s the point of malt candy?
The stories date back to thousands of years ago. Here is a collection of a few popular and interesting Chinese New Year myths.
The Monster and New Year’s Eve
In ancient times, there was a monster named Nián (年). It usually lives at the bottom of the sea and comes up once a year to feast on animals and humans. On this day, the villagers would all escape into the mountains.
Nian is a horned beast, a mix between a dragon and a kirin.
One year, a beggar came to seek shelter, but everyone was hurrying away. Only an old woman took him in and he promised to chase Nian away. He busied himself with decorating the homes.
At midnight, Nian lumbered in but stopped short when it saw the red paper on the doors. As it roared in anger, firecrackers suddenly sounded and it trembled in fear. When it saw the beggar, dressed in red, laughing at it, it could only run away.
The villagers came back the next day and were pleasantly surprised that the homes were all still standing. They realized that loud noises and the color red were Nian’s kryptonite.
This is why, on New Year’s Eve, families eat dinner in their homes fortified by red decorations. At midnight, firecrackers are sounded. In addition, people will wear new and festive red clothing to celebrate.
Evil Spirits and Poetry
One of the red decorations that Chinese people love is Spring Festival couplet poems (春联—chūn lián). They are pasted on both sides of the doorframe. And Nian isn’t the only monster that these poems protect you against!
More specifically, they guard against demons who wander around the human world at night looking for trouble. They must return to the underworld at dawn. Two gods guard the entrance, which is under a giant peach tree. Any demons that harmed humans during the night would be seized and fed to the tigers.
To safeguard their homes, people began to carve the gods’ names into peach wood tablets. By placing them outside their doors, they were able to scare the demons away.
Through time couplets became much longer and more complex poems.
Fortune has Arrived!
Another decoration is calligraphy. The most common word is fú (福), meaning happiness or fortune. But you’ll rarely see it upright.
It is said that in the Ming dynasty, the Emperor ordered every household to decorate by pasting fu onto their doors. On New Year’s Day, he sent soldiers to check. They found that one illiterate family pasted the word upside down.
The Emperor ordered the family to be punished by death. Thankfully, the Empress was there and came up with an explanation: “Upside down” (倒—dào) is a homophone of “here” (到—dào). When it’s upside down, it means that fu is here.
The explanation made sense to the Emperor and he set the family free. From then on, people would hang the word upside down, both for fortune and in remembrance of the kind Empress.
Fu is usually written on red paper in the style of traditional calligraphy.
Dumplings and Ears
Some people say that dumplings are shaped like gold and silver ingots. Others say they look like ears.
That may be due to a myth about the goddess Nǚwā (女娲).
Nǚwā has the body of a snake and is known as the mother of all life.
She created humans out of yellow clay. But she realized that the ears would freeze and crack off in the winter. To solve this problem, she sewed the ears in place and put the end of the thread in the humans’ mouths.
Later, to thank Nǚwā, people molded dough into the shape of ears. They then stuffed it with meat and vegetables rather than thread.
So next time your ears are so cold you think they’ll fall off, be glad they won’t and eat some dumplings!
Origin of Spring Festive Wine
There are some drinks specific to the Chinese New Year. One of them is Tusu wine (屠苏酒—Tú sū jiǔ).
In one story, there was a plague going through villages, taking many lives. A man put some herbs, leaves and grains into bags. He brought one to each of his neighbors, telling them to soak the bag in water.
They were to drink the water on New Year’s Day. And they found that this magical drink saved them from the plague. It became known as Tusu wine, named after the Tusu-structured home of the man.
Tusu is a type of Chinese white wine, stored in ceramic vats in ancient times.
No one knows if this story is true, but wine is often used as a part of traditional Chinese medicine. And it won’t hurt to take a sip of this rich drink during the holidays!
Origin of Red Pockets
According to legends, there used to be an evil spirit named Sui (祟). It would appear on New Year’s Eve and pat the heads of sleeping children three times. The children would end up with a fever. Even if they recovered from the fever, they’d never be the same again.
During Chinese New Year, children receive red envelopes filled with money.
One couple entertained their child with some coins at night. When he fell asleep, they placed the coins on red paper and left it by the pillow. When Sui came, the coins flashed and frightened it away. From then on, parents would give children money wrapped in red paper every New Year’s Eve. Read our full article on red pockets to learn more about their origin, history and how much to put in one.
The Stove God and Candy
The Stove God (灶神—zào shén) is in charge of people’s meals and livelihoods. He’s one of the gods that interact with humans the most.
On the little new year (小年—xiao nián) before the official “big” New Year (大年- dà nián), he returns to the heavens. The Stove God reports to the Jade Emperor (玉帝—yù dì), telling him how each family was during the year. He later returns to Earth to either bless or punish the families, as ordered by the Jade Emperor.
This is why families will make malt candy gourds and leave it out at night (kind of like cookies for Santa Claus).
The candy will sweeten the Stove God’s mouth so he’ll only praise the family. It can also stick his teeth together, stopping him from saying bad things. This way, the family will enjoy plentiful food the entire year.
The Stove God returns on the fourth day of the Spring Festival. Families leave out meals to welcome him back.
The 12 Zodiac Animals
The Chinese zodiacs’ order was chosen by the Jade Emperor through a race. Many people wonder how the tiny Rat beat the others. Well, it’s because he’s a cunning fellow.
The 12 Chinese zodiac animals are: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig.
Cat and Rat were supposed to go together. But Cat overslept because Rat had slipped something into his tea the night before.
Then on the way, Rat ran into Ox and they struck up a deal: Ox would carry Rat while Rat would sing for him. With Rat’s encouraging singing, they quickly made it to the finish line. But just as they were crossing over, Rat jumped down and landed in front of Ox, in first place.
Tiger and Rabbit arrived soon after. Dragon could’ve been earlier, but he took a detour to save a village from a flood. Snake arrived at the same time, but he was too small to be seen at first. Horse and Goat traveled together, but Horse was a bit faster.
Monkey, Rooster and Dog arrived together after helping a god in another country. Pig’s home was destroyed by a wolf and he had to rebuild it before joining the race.
Red Underwear Tradition
Your zodiac animal year is called your benming year (本命年—běn mìng nián). During that entire year, you’re prone to catching the attention of demons. The way to protect yourself is to wear red underwear.
It’s believed that before turning 100 days old, infants’ souls can be taken back at any time. So parents would give their babies a lock pendant.
During the Liao Dynasty, the benming year was also known as rebirth. People would celebrate their rebirth with a ceremony conducted by a priestess (or witch). It’s equally dangerous during your rebirth year.
To lock in your luck and soul, make sure you wear red underwear! (And have many pairs, since you must wear them every day.)
Some people also wear protective charms made of red string and/or jade, red belts, red shoe inserts and much more.
The Swan and the Lantern Festival
The Lantern Festival (元宵节—yuán xiāo jié) is fifteen days after the Spring Festival. It marks the end of Chinese New Year celebrations. As you may guess from the name, everyone lights lanterns for this festival. It’s a beautiful night, but why lanterns?
As the story goes, a heavenly swan was killed by a hunter when it visited the human world. To avenge its death, the Jade Emperor planned to send his knights and burn the earth down.
The lesser gods were horrified at this plan and secretly went to warn the humans. On that night, the humans lit firecrackers and each household hung lanterns. From the heavens, it seemed like Earth was in flames. It tricked the Jade Emperor and humanity was saved from his wrath.
For the Lantern Festival, lanterns light the houses and roads
These ten myths are only the tip of the iceberg. There are many more interesting traditions and details about Chinese New Year. Delve deeper and learn more about this ancient and long-lived celebration!
Once upon a time...
The New Year monster Nian
We’re all familiar with myths, legends and fairytales. It’s always interesting to see how they explain traditions that we still have in modern society today—the things we feel are normal, but are actually quite weird if we think about it.
So why do the Chinese celebrate the Spring Festival (Chinese New Year) the way they do? Why do people put up red decorations and light firecrackers? Who chose the 12 Chinese zodiacs? What‘s the point of malt candy?
The stories date back to thousands of years ago. Here is a collection of a few popular and interesting Chinese New Year myths.
The Monster and New Year’s Eve
In ancient times, there was a monster named Nián (年). It usually lives at the bottom of the sea and comes up once a year to feast on animals and humans. On this day, the villagers would all escape into the mountains.
Nian is a horned beast, a mix between a dragon and a kirin.
One year, a beggar came to seek shelter, but everyone was hurrying away. Only an old woman took him in and he promised to chase Nian away. He busied himself with decorating the homes.
At midnight, Nian lumbered in but stopped short when it saw the red paper on the doors. As it roared in anger, firecrackers suddenly sounded and it trembled in fear. When it saw the beggar, dressed in red, laughing at it, it could only run away.
The villagers came back the next day and were pleasantly surprised that the homes were all still standing. They realized that loud noises and the color red were Nian’s kryptonite.
This is why, on New Year’s Eve, families eat dinner in their homes fortified by red decorations. At midnight, firecrackers are sounded. In addition, people will wear new and festive red clothing to celebrate.
Evil Spirits and Poetry
One of the red decorations that Chinese people love is Spring Festival couplet poems (春联—chūn lián). They are pasted on both sides of the doorframe. And Nian isn’t the only monster that these poems protect you against!
More specifically, they guard against demons who wander around the human world at night looking for trouble. They must return to the underworld at dawn. Two gods guard the entrance, which is under a giant peach tree. Any demons that harmed humans during the night would be seized and fed to the tigers.
To safeguard their homes, people began to carve the gods’ names into peach wood tablets. By placing them outside their doors, they were able to scare the demons away.
Through time couplets became much longer and more complex poems.
Fortune has Arrived!
Another decoration is calligraphy. The most common word is fú (福), meaning happiness or fortune. But you’ll rarely see it upright.
It is said that in the Ming dynasty, the Emperor ordered every household to decorate by pasting fu onto their doors. On New Year’s Day, he sent soldiers to check. They found that one illiterate family pasted the word upside down.
The Emperor ordered the family to be punished by death. Thankfully, the Empress was there and came up with an explanation: “Upside down” (倒—dào) is a homophone of “here” (到—dào). When it’s upside down, it means that fu is here.
The explanation made sense to the Emperor and he set the family free. From then on, people would hang the word upside down, both for fortune and in remembrance of the kind Empress.
Fu is usually written on red paper in the style of traditional calligraphy.
Dumplings and Ears
Some people say that dumplings are shaped like gold and silver ingots. Others say they look like ears.
That may be due to a myth about the goddess Nǚwā (女娲).
Nǚwā has the body of a snake and is known as the mother of all life.
She created humans out of yellow clay. But she realized that the ears would freeze and crack off in the winter. To solve this problem, she sewed the ears in place and put the end of the thread in the humans’ mouths.
Later, to thank Nǚwā, people molded dough into the shape of ears. They then stuffed it with meat and vegetables rather than thread.
So next time your ears are so cold you think they’ll fall off, be glad they won’t and eat some dumplings!
Origin of Spring Festive Wine
There are some drinks specific to the Chinese New Year. One of them is Tusu wine (屠苏酒—Tú sū jiǔ).
In one story, there was a plague going through villages, taking many lives. A man put some herbs, leaves and grains into bags. He brought one to each of his neighbors, telling them to soak the bag in water.
They were to drink the water on New Year’s Day. And they found that this magical drink saved them from the plague. It became known as Tusu wine, named after the Tusu-structured home of the man.
Tusu is a type of Chinese white wine, stored in ceramic vats in ancient times.
No one knows if this story is true, but wine is often used as a part of traditional Chinese medicine. And it won’t hurt to take a sip of this rich drink during the holidays!
Origin of Red Pockets
According to legends, there used to be an evil spirit named Sui (祟). It would appear on New Year’s Eve and pat the heads of sleeping children three times. The children would end up with a fever. Even if they recovered from the fever, they’d never be the same again.
During Chinese New Year, children receive red envelopes filled with money.
One couple entertained their child with some coins at night. When he fell asleep, they placed the coins on red paper and left it by the pillow. When Sui came, the coins flashed and frightened it away. From then on, parents would give children money wrapped in red paper every New Year’s Eve. Read our full article on red pockets to learn more about their origin, history and how much to put in one.
The Stove God and Candy
The Stove God (灶神—zào shén) is in charge of people’s meals and livelihoods. He’s one of the gods that interact with humans the most.
On the little new year (小年—xiao nián) before the official “big” New Year (大年- dà nián), he returns to the heavens. The Stove God reports to the Jade Emperor (玉帝—yù dì), telling him how each family was during the year. He later returns to Earth to either bless or punish the families, as ordered by the Jade Emperor.
This is why families will make malt candy gourds and leave it out at night (kind of like cookies for Santa Claus).
The candy will sweeten the Stove God’s mouth so he’ll only praise the family. It can also stick his teeth together, stopping him from saying bad things. This way, the family will enjoy plentiful food the entire year.
The Stove God returns on the fourth day of the Spring Festival. Families leave out meals to welcome him back.
The 12 Zodiac Animals
The Chinese zodiacs’ order was chosen by the Jade Emperor through a race. Many people wonder how the tiny Rat beat the others. Well, it’s because he’s a cunning fellow.
The 12 Chinese zodiac animals are: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig.
Cat and Rat were supposed to go together. But Cat overslept because Rat had slipped something into his tea the night before.
Then on the way, Rat ran into Ox and they struck up a deal: Ox would carry Rat while Rat would sing for him. With Rat’s encouraging singing, they quickly made it to the finish line. But just as they were crossing over, Rat jumped down and landed in front of Ox, in first place.
Tiger and Rabbit arrived soon after. Dragon could’ve been earlier, but he took a detour to save a village from a flood. Snake arrived at the same time, but he was too small to be seen at first. Horse and Goat traveled together, but Horse was a bit faster.
Monkey, Rooster and Dog arrived together after helping a god in another country. Pig’s home was destroyed by a wolf and he had to rebuild it before joining the race.
Red Underwear Tradition
Your zodiac animal year is called your benming year (本命年—běn mìng nián). During that entire year, you’re prone to catching the attention of demons. The way to protect yourself is to wear red underwear.
It’s believed that before turning 100 days old, infants’ souls can be taken back at any time. So parents would give their babies a lock pendant.
During the Liao Dynasty, the benming year was also known as rebirth. People would celebrate their rebirth with a ceremony conducted by a priestess (or witch). It’s equally dangerous during your rebirth year.
To lock in your luck and soul, make sure you wear red underwear! (And have many pairs, since you must wear them every day.)
Some people also wear protective charms made of red string and/or jade, red belts, red shoe inserts and much more.
The Swan and the Lantern Festival
The Lantern Festival (元宵节—yuán xiāo jié) is fifteen days after the Spring Festival. It marks the end of Chinese New Year celebrations. As you may guess from the name, everyone lights lanterns for this festival. It’s a beautiful night, but why lanterns?
As the story goes, a heavenly swan was killed by a hunter when it visited the human world. To avenge its death, the Jade Emperor planned to send his knights and burn the earth down.
The lesser gods were horrified at this plan and secretly went to warn the humans. On that night, the humans lit firecrackers and each household hung lanterns. From the heavens, it seemed like Earth was in flames. It tricked the Jade Emperor and humanity was saved from his wrath.
For the Lantern Festival, lanterns light the houses and roads
These ten myths are only the tip of the iceberg. There are many more interesting traditions and details about Chinese New Year. Delve deeper and learn more about this ancient and long-lived celebration!
The Rat is the first of all zodiac animals. According to one myth, the Jade Emperor said the order would be decided by the order in which they arrived to his party. The Rat tricked the Ox into giving him a ride. Then, just as they arrived at the finish line, Rat jumped down and landed ahead of Ox, becoming first.
The Rat is also associated with the Earthly Branch (地支—dì zhī) Zi (子) and the midnight hours. In the terms of yin and yang (阴阳—yīn yáng), the Rat is yang and represents the beginning of a new day.
In Chinese culture, rats were seen as a sign of wealth and surplus. Because of their reproduction rate, married couples also prayed to them for children. Rats are clever, quick thinkers; successful, but content with living a quiet and peaceful life. Paired with the Celestial Stems (天干—Tiān gān), there is a 60-year calendrical cycle. Although zi is associated with water, the years also cycle through the five elements of nature (五行—wǔ xíng).
Personality and characteristics Optimistic and energetic, people born in the Rat year are likable by all. They are sensitive to other’s emotions but are stubborn with your opinion. Their personality is kind, but due to weak communication skills, their words may seem impolite and rude.
On the financial side, they like saving and can be stingy. However, their love for hoarding will sometimes cause them to waste money on unnecessary things.
Compatibility and Meaning of the Signs
Rats in the Year of the Rat (2020)
Although a zodiac’s year is traditionally the most unfortunate, laden with bad omens and mishaps, 2020 will perform reasonably well for the Rat. Success will come in the form of career; celebrate the fact that your efforts will be rewarded and seen. On the other hand, your health and relationships will prove to be a struggle. Visit your doctor at the first sign of illness, and work toward creating a loving, open environment for all of your relationships. The year will have its issues, but the positive factors can turn it around.
Career
Even though the year will be a challenge in many areas, the Rat’s career will not be among them. Success will flourish in the workplace, yielding benefits of all kinds. Hard work will be rewarded; your clever skills, quick-thinking, and optimism will drive you forward. Exclusive bonuses will come to those born in the first half of the year. Rats born in the following months will have to push a bit harder for their goals.
Finances will be booming for the entirety of the year! Your income might even double. It would do you well to save and invest your hard-earned money. Try to avoid spending it all on luxurious items and vacations. Instead, splurge on little experiences here and there. Take your family to a theme park or your husband on a dinner date. Your girlfriend might enjoy a trip to the fair.
Lucky Months: March, September, and November.
Unlucky Months: April, July, and October.
Education
The Rat will maintain a decent academic standing in their educational studies. Hard work will be valued and necessary. With the right amount of focus on your studies, you will surely meet your goals. Be wary of your well-being; stress over your course schedule might get you down and even cause illness. Avoid sickness by pairing vitamins with at least seven to eight hours of sleep and proper nutrition. Although you might want to enjoy a full social calendar, it would be better to take some downtime to recuperate.
Health
Vulnerable to sicknesses, like colds and fatigue, the Rat will have to be extra careful in 2020. At the first sign of symptoms, head to your general practitioner immediately. The faster you get medicine and the treatment you need, the quicker you will heal. To stay healthy, do your body a favor and eat more proteins and vegetables; boost your immune system by adding vitamins to your diet as well. As a general rule, proper diet, exercise, and sleep keep one healthy.
Relationships
Luck is also not in your favor this year for love. Romance will be hard to come by for married couples and singles alike. You will face many struggles throughout the year; however, your innate positivity will help you push through hard times. If you’re single, it is best to avoid longing for a partner this year. The likelihood of finding someone long-term is very low. Instead, have fun and enjoy the freedom of not being tied down romantically. Enjoy light conversation, some partying (but not too much) and meet new people. Take this bad news and look for the bright side!
The same misfortune goes for married couples; be on the lookout for challenges in your relationship. Petty arguments, financial battles, or suspicions might plague your love-life. When these issues surface, don’t let them fester. Deal with everything head on to experience a better year. Focus on the love you have for your partner; this person is your home, your safe zone, and your beloved. Keep yourself grounded in love.
Lifestyle
Rats will experience both successes and failures in the Year of the Rat. Success will show itself in the workplace and education, while relationships and health will be the areas that suffer. Overall, the year has a far better outlook than one’s typical zodiac year suggests. Rats should rejoice in their good fortune. Their natural ability to create success is a gift, a gift that will prove itself in financial gain. If you are feeling nervous about the year ahead, protect yourself with a Buddha statue. And have hope for good times to come amidst misfortune.
