The True Meaning Of Chinese New Year

It's the rabbit year.

I have to post this entry before the clock strikes 12.....not because I am Cinderella-wannabe. It's 'Chap Goh Meh' (the fifteenth day of the first month of the chinese lunar calendar) today, which marks the end of the chinese new year celebration. Today is also the chinese valentine's day where eligible maidens will throw oranges into the sea in hope of finding a good partner.

Anyway, lets get back to the topic of the day, to how I spent my lunar new year for the past 15 days. Besides dining, wining, gambling, receiving red packets and attending endless gatherings, I realised one very important value that is missing in the younger generation.

Ask a man in his fifties what chinese new year means to him and then post this question to a twenty year old. The youth will answer that chinese new year means holiday (no books, no work), indulging in sumptuous delicacies, the time to gamble, red packets, lots of drinking and the time to have fun. The former on the other hand, will give a one word answer. Family!

Besides all those fun and indulgences, chinese new year is the time for family. It is the time where family members, no matter how busy they are or how far apart they are from each other, get together under one roof to welcome the lunar new year. This year, I decide to blog about items that carries auspicious meanings to usher in chinese new year.

See the blue bowls? They are new and every year, we have to add at least one new bowl. This symbolises that we will have descendants and there will be more to eat.
'Kam' which sounds like gold in cantonese is a must have during chinese new year.
'Kat chai' which is part of an auspicious cantonese saying 'tai kat tai lei' loosely means big fortune and luck to come.
'Wo lou'. People in the olden days keep money in this. So when you display this, it means you have plenty of money to keep.
'Lin ngau' which rhymes with there is abundance every year.
'Suen' which sounds like count in cantonese symbolises that there is plenty to count.
'Wong lai' aka pineapple means arrival of luck in cantonese.
'Nian gao' which literally means every year also go higher / climb upwards the ladder of success.
Rice, the staple food of chinese. On new year's eve, we have to cook more rice to ensure that there are excess. The excess rice symbolises that we have enough to eat and they can even last until next year.
Hampers are a goodwill gesture and it means the recipient is likeable among his friends.
'Nin fa' is a must have during this chinese new year because when it blossoms, it symbolises fertility and beauty as well as life.


The most important day during chinese new year is the new year's eve dinner. On this day, we cook dishes which carry auspicious meanings.
Chicken have to be served in whole because it symbolises unity of the family members.
'Har' which sounds like the sound of laughter is a must have too.
Roasted pork is a delicacy and is usually served for this festive season.
Can you spot the fish balls amidst the brocollis? My family is not a fan of fish but fish or 'yu' in cantonese is a must have during chinese new year because it means there are excess in everything.
'Choi' rhymes with good fortune.
'Yee sang' is a delicacy which is sold only during this festive season. It consist of chopped carrots and turnips with marinated onions and fried biscuits, topped with a sourish sauce and pomelo scrapes.
All the family members toss the 'yee sang' with chopsticks as high as possible. As we do this, we shout out auspicious sayings like success, good health, longevity etc. The higher we toss means that the more successful we will be in achieving our dreams.


After dinner, we go for our last prayer of the year at the temple. We usually thank God for the blessed year and wish for a better year ahead.



When the clock strikes 12 and it's officially the first day of the chinese lunar year, we drink a bowl of this dessert known as 'lin chi pak hup'. Drinking this extremely sweet soup give us the hope that we will have a sweet and great year ahead.



The seventh day of chinese new year is known as 'yan yat' which loosely translate to human day or everybody's birthday. On this day, we will eat porridge cooked with 'sang yu' and garnished with 'sang choi'. 'Sang' means life.



Must have items during chinese new year :-
A place is quiet and dark when the occupants are sad and grieving. The thundering sound of firecrackers and the bits of red papers from the fire crackers scattered on the floor shows that a happy occasion took place in the family.
Lion dance brings luck.
'Hong pao' or red packets are given by married couples to children. When some one gives 'hong pao', it means the person has excess money and when the recipient receives 'hong pao', it means the giver acknowledges his/her status.
'Fook Lok Sau' which means happiness, abundance of descendants and longevity.


People nowadays do not really appreciate the meaning and details of chinese new year. They merely brush them off as grandmother's superstitious tales and outdated, non-scientifically proven beliefs. But to me, all these make the celebration meaningful. Besides the preparation, the part I enjoy most about chinese new year is the reunion dinner on new year's eve because it is the time where all the family members sit together for a sumptuous meal and catching up session.
Chinese new year is a time to celebrate family togetherness and to be able to celebrate this special day with your loved ones around is true blessings