Inspired by Lillian Pearl Bridges
The Chinese New Year is an opportunity to honor family and friends and enjoy some of China’s traditions. Lucky colors for the year are brown, red, and purple, and lucky numbers are two and seven. Some foods are considered lucky because of the similarity of their names to other words in the language, such as the fact that the Chinese word for “orange”, 橙 chéng, sounds like the world for gold, 金 jīn, or that the word for “tangerine”, 柑橘 gānjú, sounds like the word for “luck”, 运气 yùnqì. The bright orange color of the fruits also represents the metallic sheen of gold. Find out what other lucky foods to eat and display to ensure a prosperous and happy new year!
Luck in money: bamboo shoots; clams; oranges, tangerines and pomelos (especially with the leaves attached); potstickers and egg rolls; whole fish. The head and tail of the fish also indicate a good beginning and end to the year.
Prosperity: lotus root; dried lily buds; sea moss.
Abundance: greens and rice.
Happiness: dried bean curd.
Reunions: meatballs.
Good omens: daikon radish; sweets; lettuce.
Relationships and marriage: chicken.
Fertility: lotus seeds, and eggs for creativity as well.
Longevity: noodles and peanuts.
Wishes: shiitake mushrooms.