During Chinese New Year, it is common to see lettuce used in various dishes and decorations to attract good luck and wealth in the coming year. One popular custom involving lettuce is the “lo hei” or the tossing of the prosperity salad. The most common Chinese New Year foods include dumplings, fish, spring rolls, and niangao. We've rounded up 12 essential Chinese, or Lunar, New Year dishes, and included the symbolism behind them all. Be particular about the vegetables you eat over Chinese New Year; lettuce (saang coi, 生菜) is particularly auspicious as its pronunciation in Chinese suggests ‘creating wealth’ (sanng coi, 生財). Enjoy it however you prefer. Names of dishes and/or their ingrediets which will be served sound similar to words and phrases refering to wishes expressed during the Chinese New Year, while other foods hold a symbolic meaning. Food offerings are a prayer or a wish and can be addressed to ancestors and other beings such as the Jade Emperor and The Kitchen God . Chinese restaurants around the world — from San Francisco to Hong Kong — have started embracing the trend and offer their own versions of the prosperity toss during Lunar New Year. Spinach, lettuce, bok choy and other leafy greens symbolize prosperity, growth and good fortune–and their presence in Lunar New Year dishes is no coincidence. The Cantonese word for lettuce sounds like "rising fortune," so it's common to serve lettuce wraps filled with other lucky ingredients. Shredded chicken, green onion, red pepper, water chestnuts, celery, garlic, and ginger are tossed in a sauce of oyster sauce, soy sauce, dry sherry, and sugar. This Chinese-style Cooked Lettuce recipe with Oyster Sauce & Garlic is an easy alternative way to prepare romaine, with just 6 ingredients! In China, lettuce is selected as a food suitable for celebrating the new year because the word for the leafy green in both Mandarin and Cantonese sounds similar to "growing wealth," according The Chinese New Year holiday is a time to eat foods with auspicious meanings, but there are also some that the superstitious should avoid. and ordering a plate of pig’s trotters with lettuce 1. Lettuce Offering. Actually, it doesn’t just have to be lettuce. What you’ll often find hanging from the doorway of a business or home can be any type of green produce, including lettuce or bok choy. Lettuce, whether stir fried or served any other way, is a must-have ingredient in many Chinese households for Lunar New Year feasts. The reason is that Sheng Cài (Mandarin) 生菜 or Saung Choy (Cantonese) has the Chinese word Sheng 生 which when written and pronounced alone, means live or implies life, which is a good thing to start off any Chinese lettuce or 生菜 is crispy, mild in flavour and has a little nutty taste. It is a very popular dish during the Chinese New Year period as it represents 5. Lettuce. Lettuce is often tucked under the black moss and dried oyster stew, soaking up all the yummy goodness and adding texture to the dish. The Chinese name for lettuce is sang choi (生菜), which sounds like the phrase for making money (生財), and is therefore served at Chinese New Year dinner for good fortune in the new year ahead. The traditional lion dance seen at Chinese New Year originates from the legend of the monster known as Nian. You can read all about the legend in our illustrated Story of Nian . Street celebrations often include a performance of the lion dance which is thought to bring good luck. Start Chinese New Year with an oyster dish from Kei Lum and Diora Fong Chan. Their recipe for Lettuce Wraps with Dried Oysters combines mushrooms, pork, and fragrant ginger and shallots. Chinatown Fresno will host its annual Chinese New Year celebration on Saturday, Jan. 25 at 11 a.m. The event, which has become a decades-long tradition, starts at Central Fish and features lion dancers from local schools performing while visiting 14 businesses along Kern, F, and Tulare streets. Chinese New Year in Fresno’s Chinatown on Saturday, Jan. 25. Gisselle Medina | Fresnoland. As part of the long-standing tradition in Fresno, the lion dancers visited 14 local businesses across Chinatown, offering lettuce as a symbol of wealth and prosperity in exchange for red envelopes containing monetary donations. Dog owners gather with their dogs for a dinner ahead of Chinese New Year at Kong Shan Yunnan Bistro restaurant in Shanghai, China. PHOTO: REUTERS UPDATED Jan 25, 2025, 10:08 PM Laba Festival (Jan. 7, 2025): Old Chinese New Year Calendar Start. Traditionally, the start of the Chinese New Year calendar is 'The Laba Festival' (腊八节 Làbājié), which occurs about three weeks before Chinese New Year's Day and is celebrated separately. Religious activities and preparations for Lunar New Year would begin on this day.
Articles and news, personal stories, interviews with experts.
Photos from events, contest for the best costume, videos from master classes.
![]() | ![]() |
![]() | ![]() |
![]() | ![]() |
![]() | ![]() |
![]() | ![]() |
![]() | ![]() |