Happy Chinese New Year From Whatcom Family Acupuncture!
Happy Chinese New Year!
恭喜发财 / 恭喜發財 (Gōngxǐ fācái)
'Happiness and prosperity!'
Happy Chinese New Year From Whatcom Family Acupuncture!
Chinese New Year celebrations begin on February 16th. The Year of the Rooster is ending and we are moving into the Year of the Dog. Below are some fun facts about the Chinese Lunar New Year, and ideas for a "lucky" start of the year.
Traditionally, the holiday is celebrated with red paper decorations, gifts of money, deep house cleaning and big family dinners filled with symbolic foods meant to ensure luck and prosperity in the new year. If you would like to add some good luck in the New Year, add some of the following foods to your meals:
Whole Fish: In Chinese, the word for fish sounds a lot like the word for abundance (food puns/sound-alikes are a big theme in Chinese New Year foods). It is important that the fish be served whole with the head and tail intact; this will guarantee a great start and finish to the year.
Leafy Greens: Greens, like Chinese broccoli or bok choy, are served whole to symbolize a long life for parents.
Leeks: The word for leek in Chinese is a homophone for calculating money. While leeks are typically served with slices of Chinese sausage (because they look like coins) they can also be sliced into coin-shaped rounds and cooked until tender.
Uncut Noodles: Long, uncut noodles represent longevity.
Dumplings: Rectangular dumplings symbolize money and prosperity because they resemble gold or silver ingots. Round or crescent-shaped dumplings are also acceptable, as making them symbolizes packing luck into a little, edible gift.
Seeds: If you’re hoping to add a new member to your family this year, include some pumpkin, sunflower, or melon seeds in your meal—they symbolize fertility.
So you may find me munching on whole fish with noodles, greens, leeks, and dumplings next week. I'm going to leave the seeds out though! ;) Gōngxǐ fācái
