The Philosophical Meaning Behind Chinese New Year Dishes 

Chinese New Year is one of the Chinese traditions celebrated during the Chinese New Year. This celebration is an expression of gratitude for the blessings given throughout the year and a form of prayer and hope for the coming year. Chinese New Year celebrations start from the night before the New Year until the next 15 days. 

At Chinese New Year celebrations, not only festive decorations have meaning, but every food served also has its own philosophy. For example, noodles symbolize longevity, sticky and sweet basket cakes symbolize prosperity, and chicken and duck are believed to help prevent greed. 

Iconic Chinese Food in Chinese New Year Celebration

Here are some iconic Chinese New Year foods that are usually served during Chinese New Year and their philosophies:

1. Kue Keranjang (Nian Gao)
   Kue keranjang is one of the traditional foods often served during Chinese New Year celebrations. Made from sticky rice and brown sugar, Kue keranjang are usually round or square in shape. Kue keranjang or in Mandarin “Nian Gao” means a higher year. So the philosophy of Kue keranjang describes the hope for a prosperous and prosperous life. Kue keranjang also has a chewy, sticky, and unbreakable texture that symbolizes resilience and strength to live life.
    
2. Yu Sheng
   Yu Sheng is one of the most popular Chinese New Year dishes in Malaysia, Singapore and other parts of Southeast Asia. The dish consists of raw fish, vegetables, and is served with a sweet and sour sauce. Yu Sheng has a philosophy that symbolizes prosperity and good fortune in the new year.
   In serving Yu Sheng, there is a ritual called “Lo Hei”, where each family member or guest present will stir or mix the Yu Sheng with their hands using chopsticks, while uttering wishes and prayers for prosperity, health, and good fortune. The higher one raises the Yu Sheng, the greater their hope of achieving success and prosperity.
    
3. Jeruk Mandarin
   Mandarin oranges, or “Chen Pi” in Chinese, are an important symbol in Chinese New Year celebrations symbolizing success, prosperity and good luck. Their bright orange color resembles sunlight, symbolizing life energy and hope. Mandarin oranges are also often offered to the Goddess of Wealth as a prayer for financial blessings and abundant profits in the new year. Its presence is not only a symbol of good fortune, but also hope for a better life.
    
4. Chicken or duck
   Chicken and duck dishes symbolize prayers and hopes for the family in the new year. Chicken symbolizes prosperity, happiness, and family unity. In Chinese culture, a whole chicken symbolizes the integrity of family relationships, so it is usually served to signify perfection and harmony within the family. Meanwhile, the philosophy of duck comes from the duck's habit of living in pairs, making it a symbol of eternal love and loyalty. The combination of chicken and duck in Chinese New Year dishes symbolizes harmonious relationships and close bonds between family members.
    
5. Kue Lapis Legit
   The layers on the Kue Lapis Legit symbolize wealth and sustenance that is abundant and multi-layered. The process of making it, which requires patience and precision, reflects the importance of effort, perseverance and hard work in achieving success. In the Chinese New Year tradition, Kue Lapis Legit are often used as offerings to ancestors as a form of respect and gratitude. With such a deep philosophy, it has become one of the must-have dishes in Chinese New Year celebrations, bringing warmth and new hope for a better year.

The Role of Food in Boosting Chinese New Year's Spirit
 

Food in Chinese New Year celebrations is not just a meal, but also a symbol of hope, happiness and good fortune. Each dish has a special meaning designed to strengthen togetherness and optimism for the new year. These dishes are carefully chosen for their deep philosophies, symbolizing good fortune and hope, strengthening family relationships, serving as a means of prayer and gratitude, creating a spirit of celebration through flavors and colors, and honoring traditions and cultural heritage.