Why Chinese eat dumplings on New Year's Eve
According to Chinese traditional customs, dumplings must be a delicacy on the table of every household on New Year's Eve. So why eat dumplings on New Year's Eve? What is the meaning of eating dumplings on New Year's Eve? Next, let's popularize science together.
First, according to ancient legends, eating dumplings on New Year's Eve is to commemorate Pangu's pioneering work and end the confusion. Dumplings evolved from "wonton". At that time, the homonym of "wonton" and "hoarding" meant "food hoarding".
Second, there is another saying about eating dumplings on New Year's Eve. It is said that Nuwa put a small eye in people's ears at that time, tied her ears with thin thread, and put the other end of the line in the mouth of the Loess people to bite, so as to do the ears well. In order to commemorate Nuwa's achievements, the common people wrapped dumplings, pinched the shape of adult ears with noodles, wrapped with stuffing (thread), and bit them with their mouths.
The Meaning of Eating Dumplings on New Year's Eve
First, dumplings are usually wrapped before 12 o'clock on New Year's Eve. When the first day of the first lunar month begins, we can eat dumplings. It is precisely because "Zi" is "Zi Shi", and the homonym of "dumpling" is handed over. To eat dumplings means "having children at a younger age", which implies "happy reunion" and "good luck".
Second, dumplings with different fillings have different meanings. For example, gold, sugar, peanuts, dates and chestnuts are wrapped in stuffing. Those who eat the best and sugar will have sweeter days in the coming year. Those who eat peanuts will live a long and healthy life. Those who eat dates and chestnuts will have younger babies.
3. Customs vary from place to place. In some places, dumplings are eaten with side food as a sign of good luck. For example, eating persimmon symbolizes everything is going well; eating three fresh vegetables symbolizes Sanyang Kaitai; eating fish, meat and hair dishes symbolizes reunion and wealth.
Fourth, the same dumplings, but different eating methods also represent different implicatures, such as: in some areas of the north, dumplings and noodles are cooked together, and in some places, dumplings are cooked in vermicelli broth, and then they are eaten together with dumplings in soup, implying that gold thread wears yuan bao.