New Year's Memories Today is Chinese New Year's Eve. On this day, every family's dining table will be filled with all kinds of delicacies, implying auspicious and happy reunion in the new year. However, in our profound Chinese culture, the Chinese New Year's Eve dinner is not eaten casually, and some dishes are taboo to be served on the table on the Chinese New Year's Eve! Today, let's reveal these "unlucky" dishes to you, let's take a look at which dishes we should avoid at the special moment of Chinese New Year's Eve dinner!
1. Bitter gourd. 
Reason: Bitter gourd gets its name because of its bitter taste, and in the Chinese New Year's Eve, a moment of reunion and sweetness, the bitter taste is obviously unpopular. In traditional culture, bitter gourd is believed to mean bitter days and misfortune, so on the day of the Chinese New Year's Eve, we should avoid bringing bitter gourd to the table so as not to bring bad omens to the new year.
Alternatives: If you like to eat vegetables, you can choose some auspicious vegetables instead of bitter gourd, such as lettuce (meaning wealth), celery (meaning hard work), spinach (meaning health), etc. These vegetables are not only nutritious, but also have a good meaning, and are perfect for eating at the Chinese New Year's Eve dinner on the 30th day of the Chinese New Year's Eve.
2. Salted fish. 
Reason: Salted fish is seen as a symbol of poverty and hardship in traditional culture. Because salted fish is usually made after being marinated and dried for a long time, its taste is salty and heavy, and it is easy to recall the hard life of life. At the time of the 30th anniversary of the Chinese New Year's Eve, which symbolizes the good fortune of the new year and the beginning of the new year, we naturally want to avoid all associations related to poverty and hardship! So, remember not to appear salted fish on the table of the Chinese New Year's Eve dinner!
Alternatives: If you like to eat fish, you can choose some fresh fish as a substitute for salted fish. For example, carp (meaning more than every year), sea bass (meaning more than rich) and so on. These fish are not only delicious, but also auspicious, making them perfect for Chinese New Year's Eve dinner. In addition, you can also choose some seafood with beautiful meanings to enrich your Chinese New Year's Eve dinner table, such as shrimp (meaning laughing haha), crab (meaning wealth from all directions) and so on.
3. Dog meat. 
Reason: In traditional culture, dogs are seen as a symbol of loyalty and bravery, so eating dog meat is considered an unlucky act. Especially on the special day of the Chinese New Year's Eve, eating dog meat is believed to bring bad luck and misfortune to the new year. Therefore, in order to avoid touching the moldy head, we should try to avoid eating dog meat on the table of the Chinese New Year's Eve dinner!
Alternatives: If you like meat, you can choose other auspicious meats instead of dog meat. For example, chicken (meaning auspicious), pork (meaning wealth and auspiciousness) and so on. These meats are not only nutritious and delicious, but also symbolize that our lives can be happy and smooth in the new year!
Fourth, lotus root. 
Reason: Although lotus root is a nutritious vegetable, in traditional culture, it is considered to mean "the road leads to the road", which means that there are loopholes and imperfections. And in the Chinese New Year's Eve, a moment of perfection and reunion, we naturally want to avoid all associations related to imperfection! So, remember not to appear lotus root on the table of the Chinese New Year's Eve dinner!
Alternatives: Although you don't eat lotus root for Chinese New Year's Eve, you can choose other auspicious vegetables instead! For example, taro (meaning to meet the jackpot), radish (meaning good luck) and so on.
5. Goose meat. 
Reason: In traditional culture, the goose is seen as an unlucky animal because its cry is similar to "hungry hungry" and is easily associated with hunger and poverty. Therefore, in the 30th anniversary of the Chinese New Year's Eve, which symbolizes a good harvest and wealth, we naturally want to avoid all associations related to hunger and poverty! So, remember not to have goose meat on the table of the Chinese New Year's Eve dinner!
Alternatives: You can choose other auspicious meats instead! For example, duck meat (meaning suppressing evil and avoiding disasters), pigeon meat (meaning peace and happiness) and so on. These meats are not only delicious and nutritious, but also symbolize a safe and happy life in the new year!
6. Leeks. 
Reason: Leeks are regarded as an unlucky vegetable in traditional culture, because its name is homophonic with "Jiucai", which is easily reminiscent of long-term poverty and misfortune. And in the Chinese New Year's Eve, which means saying goodbye to the old and welcoming the new year, we naturally want to avoid all associations related to poverty and misfortune! So, remember not to see leeks on the table of the Chinese New Year's Eve dinner!
Alternatives: You can choose other auspicious vegetables instead! For example, spinach (meaning health and longevity), mustard (meaning getting rich) and so on. These vegetables are not only refreshing and nutritious, but also symbolize that our lives can be healthy and prosperous in the new year!
I hope that everyone can pay attention to these traditional taboos when preparing the Chinese New Year's Eve dinner, and choose auspicious ingredients to make delicious dishes! Although these traditional taboos reflect our yearning and pursuit of a better life to a certain extent, the most important thing is that we must maintain a positive and optimistic attitude to face all the challenges and difficulties in life! 【Chinese New Year's EveChinese New Year's Eve Rice】