A taste of Spring Festival: reunion dinner fun facts (2)

Entrée:

Dumplings 

With a history of more than 1,800 years, dumplings, also known as jiaozi (饺子) in Chinese, are a traditional dish eaten on Spring Festival eve, especially in northern China.

In Chinese, the pronunciation of dumplings sounds the same as 交子 (jiaozi). 交 means “exchange,” while 子 means the midnight hours. Combined, jiaozi means the exchange between the old and new year, while people who eat dumplings are said to leave the past behind, and embrace a new year.

Traditionally, dumplings are made to look like ancient Chinese gold ingots, which were at one point used as currency. Popular fillings include Chinese cabbage, which represents wealth, as well as green leeks, which symbolize everlasting affluence. Rumor has it that the more dumplings you eat during the reunion dinner, the more money you will make in the coming year.

In many regions, a white thread is wrapped inside one of the dumplings, and the person who picks it is believed to gain longevity in the future. Coins are also placed inside some dumplings, and those who choose them are supposed to become rich in the coming year.

In addition to its delicious flavor, the process of making dumplings is also a family custom during the Spring Festival. During dinner preparations, all family members will wrap dumplings together, while in specific regions, the daughter-in-law must make dumplings for the older family members to be considered part of the family.

Flavor: salty

Cooking method: boil, steam or simmer

Cultural Connotation: Jiaozi means sending a farewell to the past, as well as receiving wealth and happiness in the coming year