Eating occupies an important place in the hearts of the Chinese people. Thousands of years of culinary culture has imbued many, if not most, foods with symbolic significance.
Birthday noodle by SHAANXI TOURISM CUISINE PROFESSIONAL COLLEGEWorld Federation of Chinese Catering Industry
1. Longevity Noodles
Longevity Noodles are eaten on one's birthday, and express, as the name suggests, a wish for longevity. The noodles are usually thin and long.
Birthday noodle by SHAANXI TOURISM CUISINE PROFESSIONAL COLLEGEWorld Federation of Chinese Catering Industry
Song dynasty scholar Ma Yongqing wrote in his prose collection Lanzhenzi, "The noodles they ate must be what people call 'longevity' noodles." It proves that these noodles had already been endowed with symbolic value as early as the Song dynasty. The fact that this connotation has survived all the way into modern times makes Longevity Noodles an absolute must during any birthday celebration.
Colored Steam Bun by SHAANXI TOURISM CUISINE PROFESSIONAL COLLEGEWorld Federation of Chinese Catering Industry
2. Huamo
Huamo, also called Mianhua, is prevalent throughout North China. They are uniquely shaped buns made from wheat flour. People not only consider them food, but works of art. Huamo is also considered an intangible cultural heritage.
Colored Steam Bun by SHAANXI TOURISM CUISINE PROFESSIONAL COLLEGEWorld Federation of Chinese Catering Industry
On special occasions, many households will make huamo with varying styles. Some of the shapes the buns are made into include: large flat peaches when celebrating the birthday of someone elderly; a tiger meant to ward off evil when a baby is one month old; a coiled snake when visiting family gravesites during the Cold Food Festival; and a tiger head wonton as a symbol of good fortune when your daughter gets married.
Steamed PerchWorld Federation of Chinese Catering Industry
3. Fish
The Chinese character for "fish," pronounced "yu," has the same pronunciation as the character for "surplus," which also symbolizes great wealth. Fish therefore appear on almost every dinner table on the eve of the Spring Festival.
Braised PerchWorld Federation of Chinese Catering Industry
In China, there is a phrase meant to convey well-wishes, "nian nian you yu" (lit. "may you have fish every year"). This sentiment conveys people's longing for a life of abundance. Any fish that is cooked must keep the head and tail intact, as this is meant to symbolize a complete year with an auspicious beginning and end.
Egg by SHAANXI TOURISM CUISINE PROFESSIONAL COLLEGEWorld Federation of Chinese Catering Industry
4. Eggs
Eggs are an indispensable dish during family reunion dinners, and are also referred to as "reunion eggs."
EggWorld Federation of Chinese Catering Industry
The custom of eating eggs and giving them as New Year gifts has gradually become part of Chinese culture.
Red date by SHAANXI TOURISM CUISINE PROFESSIONAL COLLEGEWorld Federation of Chinese Catering Industry
5. Jujube
The Chinese character for "jujube" has the same pronunciation as the character for "morning." On a couple's wedding day, putting jujube fruits on the bed symbolizes the giver's well-wishes towards the newlyweds and indicates that they will have a baby soon.
Peanut by SHAANXI TOURISM CUISINE PROFESSIONAL COLLEGEWorld Federation of Chinese Catering Industry
6. Peanuts
Due to their shape, peanuts are seen as a symbol of fertility. They are also considered a longevity fruit due to their nutritional value.
Pomegranate by SHAANXI TOURISM CUISINE PROFESSIONAL COLLEGEWorld Federation of Chinese Catering Industry
7. Pomegranates
Pomegranates have two symbolic meanings in Chinese folk culture.
Pomegranate by SHAANXI TOURISM CUISINE PROFESSIONAL COLLEGEWorld Federation of Chinese Catering Industry
The first, which have been bestowed upon it as a result of its appearance, are prosperity, bliss, and being together as a family. The second is fertility.
Due to the pomegranate's wealth of plump seeds, it has become a symbol of fertility, good fortune, and great wealth.
Persimmon by SHAANXI TOURISM CUISINE PROFESSIONAL COLLEGEWorld Federation of Chinese Catering Industry
8. Persimmons
The Chinese character for "persimmon" has the same pronunciation as the character for "thing." Permissions carry a connotation of well-wishes and that everything will go the way one wants to.
Persimmon by SHAANXI TOURISM CUISINE PROFESSIONAL COLLEGEWorld Federation of Chinese Catering Industry
Persimmons have an oblate shape and smooth skin, and tend to be orange in color. They carry an auspicious and festive aura, so people bestowed them with a positive symbolism.
Rice cake by SHAANXI TOURISM CUISINE PROFESSIONAL COLLEGEWorld Federation of Chinese Catering Industry
9. Nian Gao (New Year Cake)
Off-white in color, Nian Gao closely resembles gold and silver, so it has come to symbolize making a fortune in the new year. Nian Gao is a homonym for "higher year," which means things such as being promoted at work and increased prosperity in one's personal life. Children who eat Nian Gao are expected to grow taller with each passing year.
Braised pork balls in gravy by SHAANXI TOURISM CUISINE PROFESSIONAL COLLEGEWorld Federation of Chinese Catering Industry
10. Four Braised Pork Balls in Gravy
Four Braised Pork Balls is a famous Chinese dish. It is also a classic Shandong dish and one of their eight major cuisines. Each of the four pork balls represents a different blessing: fortune, success, longevity, and a happy marriage.
Braised pork balls in gravy by SHAANXI TOURISM CUISINE PROFESSIONAL COLLEGEWorld Federation of Chinese Catering Industry
Sometimes it is also interpreted as four memorable moments in one's life (running into an old friend, making the honor roll, rainfall after a long drought, a blissful wedding night spent under candlelight, etc. ). It is for this reason that Four Braised Pork Balls in Gravy are often the final dish on occasions like wedding banquets, birthday celebrations, or graduation dinners.
Chinese people believe that eating not only satisfies the feeling of hunger, but also enhances interpersonal relationships. As a result, the symbolic meanings of various foods have much to do with well-wishes for one's relatives and friends.
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