Food Symbolism in Chinese Festival

Chinese like playing with words and symbols. Often homonyms (words that share the same pronunciation but have different meanings) are used. Names of dishes and/or their ingredients which will be served sound similar to words and phrases referring to wishes expressed during the Chinese New Year, while other foods hold a symbolic meaning.

There are many kinds of food with symbolic meanings in the Chinese cuisine. In particular, the most popular are those foods symbolizing the family reunion (tuanyuan). Since traditional Chinese attach great importance to the family values, these foods can express their best wishes for the family reunion. also is the centuries-old "lucky" food traditions come from superstitions about feeding the spiritual world, legends and history.

Rice Glue Ball
Yuanxiao, sweet dumpling (Rice Glue Ball , "round balls in soup") - togetherness, reunion . it is a kind of traditional food . January 15th on Chinese lunar calendar is called the night of Lantern Festival. On the lantern festival, every household eats glutinous rice dumplings. For celebrated Lantern Festival which is the last items for the spring festival. People in the north and south call it differently and make it in different ways. in the past they were do it by handmade but now also use the Rice Glue Ball Machine or buy it in the store

With its connotation of reunion and good luck, even the overseas Chinese, thinking of their relatives far away on festive days, will never forget to eat the lard “Tangtuan” on the Spring Festival, looking forward to reunion and delivering their homesickness.

Nian gao - sweet sticky glutinous rice cake
In the Chinese language, so many different characters have the same sound and it is ripe for word play. For instance nian gao - which is a new year's cake - also means tall or high, so it is eaten to represent doing better or reaching higher every year

Nian gao - sweet sticky glutinous rice cake, dipped in egg batter. Chinese new year's cake. It is considered good luck to eat nian gao because it has the symbolism of increasing prosperity every year.  Nian gao is also part of the phrase "nian nian sheng gao" meaning "every year you rise up the ranks".is to wish people "advance toward higher positions and prosperity step by step.the word of  "Nian" also means "sticky", so you will stick with loved ones through thick and thin. to make Niangao use by Sticky rice also mean cohering of family

Jiaozi- Dumplings
Jiaozi- Dumplings - wealth (the shape of the jiaozi dumplings is that of a yuanbao ingot, also the word Jiaozi shares the same pronunciation with the word that is a small jiao coin used in old times. Other meanings: togetherness, heavenly blessing .The northern Chinese tradition of eating dumplings (called jiaozi in Mandarin) to ensure a plentiful and prosperous year ahead.

Jiaozi dumpling symbolises prosperity to diners, who traditionally sit down for a family feast on the eve of Chinese New Year. It also means wealth when the dumpling is crescent shaped, like the gold ingot once used in ancient China as money. in the past they were do it by handmade and everyone in the home but now use Dumpling /Samosa Machine or buy it in the store

It's a celebration of past, present and future. A big family gathering and a great excuse to eat great food. Eating is a social occasion in China because Chinese food is cooked in a way that is specifically for sharing, with lots of dishes at the dinner table.  So animals meat must be served whole to symbolise family unity and togetherness, and whole roasted animals symbolise fidelity. Sweet, steamed cakes are also eaten as the sweetness symbolises a rich, sweet life and the round shape signifies family reunion.