As an important part of traditional Chinese festivals, Xiao Nian carries rich cultural connotations and folk customs. Among them, food culture is an indispensable part of the festival. The following will take you into the food world of Xiaonian, and take stock of Xiaonian's special foods from all over the world to feel the unique flavor of the New Year.
First of all, we need to understand the basic background of Xiao Nian. Xiao Nian, often seen as the beginning of a busy year, means that people begin to prepare New Year's goods, sweep dust, sacrifice stoves, etc., to welcome the arrival of the new year. In different regions, the date of the Lunar New Year varies slightly, with the northern region celebrating the Lunar New Year on the 23rd day of the lunar month, while the southern region mostly celebrates the Lunar New Year on the 24th day of the lunar month. But no matter what day it is, the food of the new year is a place of people's yearning and prayers for a better life.
Northern New Year's Food:
In the north, one of the most important customs on this day is to worship the god of the stove, and sweets such as sugar melon, Kanto sugar, and hemp sugar have become indispensable offerings. These candies are not only sweet and delicious, but also symbolize sticking to the mouth of the god of the stove, so that he can say good things to heaven and auspicious to earth. In addition, northerners will also eat dumplings, roasted, fried corn and other delicacies, which means that there is more than enough every year, and it is prosperous.
Southern New Year's Food:
In the south, the food of the young year is equally colorful. Rice cakes are a must-have food for southerners to celebrate the New Year, implying that they will rise every year. In addition, southerners will also eat rice balls, zongzi, rice crackers and other delicacies. In Guangxi, Wuxuan and Guiping have the custom of making rice cakes, and the shape of rice cakes is round, implying reunion, harmony and beauty.
Other regional New Year's delicacies:
In addition to the differences between the north and the south, the small year cuisine in various parts of China also has its own characteristics. In the southeast of Shanxi, people like to eat fried corn, which means that the house is full of gold and jade, and the five grains are abundant. In eastern Henan, people will cook a pot of steaming dumplings, which means that it is auspicious to wrap in the year. In some ethnic minority areas, people will also make unique Xiaonian delicacies according to local ingredients and tastes, such as Miao glutinous rice and Zhuang five-color glutinous rice.
These delicacies are not only delicious, but more importantly, they carry people's good wishes for the New Year and yearning for a happy life. On this day of the New Year, whether it is sugar melons in the north or rice cakes in the south, people are pinned on people's expectations and wishes for the new year.
In conclusion, Xiao Nian's food culture is an important part of traditional Chinese culture. It not only enriches people's festival life, but also inherits the excellent traditional virtues of the Chinese nation. I hope that through this inventory, everyone can have a deeper understanding and feel of the food culture and unique charm of Xiaonian.