Biggest meal of the year
Print Edition
CHINESE New Year’s Eve dinner is a tradition many Chinese value greatly and is possibly the most important meal of the year.
It’s a family event, a big reunion for Chinese New Year where everyone celebrates the past year and welcomes the next while enjoying a special dinner that’s the result of a lot of shopping and preparation.
People living far away from home always try to return, so the time before and after the festival is the busiest for transport systems across China — whether air, rail or road.
For those who can’t join their family for the holiday, cooking nianyefan (年夜饭, Chinese New Year’s Eve dinner) is a nostalgic experience, as the taste and smell bring back memories of home.
The Chinese lunar New Year, also known as Spring Festival, has a history of more than 4,000 years. While New Year’s Eve is the most important part of the celebrations, the festival continues to the 15th day of the first month of the lunar calendar.
Some traditions include cleaning the house to sweep away all bad luck, decorating doors with couplets and windows with red paper cuts and of course, setting off fireworks and firecrackers.
Many customs vary across the country, and what people have on their dinner tables also varies considerably.
The dinner is usually served at a more leisurely pace than other meals, with everyone enjoying the holiday spirit and sharing interesting stories while watching the New Year Gala on CCTV, which has become a tradition since it was first broadcast live in 1983.
As the Chinese word for fish and the word for abundance both sound the same — yu — it is a must-have dish for most families, as it symbolizes prosperity and “more to come” in the year ahead.
But don’t eat all the fish, because leaving a bit represents “let there be a surplus every year.”
In northern China, jiaozi (饺子, dumplings) are usually served at midnight, while niangao
(年糕, rice cake) and tangyuan (汤圆, rice dumpling) are preferred choices in southern China.
Some other festival foods include spring rolls, noodles, various meat dishes and local dishes. Everyday snacks like mandarin oranges, melon seeds, dried fruit and nuts as well as candies are also prepared.
But there’s no absolute when it comes to what dishes people have for the reunion dinner. As many families nowadays have members from different regions, they also blend a bit from here and there on the table.
Here iDEAL will take you to three families from different backgrounds who are celebrating Chinese New Year in Shanghai, and discover what they will prepare for their family dinner.
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