Chinese Food Symbolism | Lee Kum Kee (2024)

FAQs

What does Chinese food symbolize? ›

Love is a big part of Chinese food symbolism. At Chinese New Year meals shared with family and friends are important for showing them love and togetherness. Sharing a whole Chicken symbolises a united family, while eating meatballs and duck symbolises the strength of a family bond.

Dumplings and Potstickers: Wealth

The reason that dumplings are a lucky food for Chinese New Year is because they symbolize wealth. Why? They look like boat-shaped Chinese gold and silver ingots! The idea is that the more dumplings you eat during the Spring Festival, the more money you may make throughout the year.

In Lunar New Year traditions, revelers believe tangerines, oranges and pomelos bring good fortune. Their Mandarin names echo words with symbolic meanings: "jú" for oranges suggests "good luck" or "fortune," "chéng" for tangerine is akin to "success," and "youzi" for pomelos sounds similar to "have" or "abundance."

Though noodles are part of everyday life in Chinese culture, they also hold a lot of symbolism when eaten during significant events. In China, noodles are frequently eaten during the start of the Lunar New Year and on birthdays. In fact, they symbolize longevity and good health for the year ahead.

A BBC article about food symbolism, names a few of these foods: steamed fish (referred to as nian nian you yu) represents abundance and good fortune, noodles represent a long life, oranges represent wealth, tangerines represent good luck and autumn mooncakes represent the “roundness” of the moon.

Chinese symbols often have auspicious meanings associated to them, such as good fortune, happiness, and also represent what would be considered as human virtues, such as filial piety, loyalty, and wisdom, and can even convey the desires or wishes of the Chinese people to experience the good things in life.

Oranges, kumquats, tangerines and pomelos are common Chinese New Year food gifts because they're believed to bring good luck and happiness. The Chinese words for orange and tangerine closely resemble the words for luck and wealth. The gold color also symbolizes prosperity.

The Chinese character fu (), meaning 'fortune' or 'good luck' is represented both as a Chinese ideograph and, at times, pictorially, in one of its hom*ophonous forms. It is often found on a figurine of the male god of the same name, one of the trio of "star gods" Fú, Lù, and Shòu.

Greens. A ubiquitous New Year's Day good luck food in Europe and the United States, leafy greens from kale to collards are eaten to represent money and wealth. In the American South, collard greens especially are eaten with two other New Year's good luck foods, black-eyed peas and cornbread, for some extra fortune.

Served in a large metal pot, the circular shape and sharing of food symbolizes unity in Chinese culture. Circles, and in particular yin and yang, represent harmony, which is an important principle in Chinese philosophy.

What does rice symbolize in Chinese culture? ›

For the Chinese, rice (Chin. 米饭) symbolizes a link between Heaven (Gods) and Earth (Men). Rice is the staple food for the Chinese people and a source of life for centuries with great popularity.

Serving dumplings during special occasions is believed to bring joy and good fortune to those partaking in the meal. In summary, the smiling dumpling is a lucky food in Chinese culture that represents happiness due to the phonetic resemblance of its name to the word for smile.

Peking Duck holds not only culinary importance but also symbolizes Chinese culture and tradition. It represents the elegance, sophistication, and mastery of Chinese cuisine. The preparation of Peking Duck requires skill, patience, and a deep understanding of the right ingredients and techniques.

In essence, noodles are a kind of cereal food, which is the main body of the traditional Chinese diet. It is the main source of energy for Chinese people and the most economical energy food.

The phrase is a testament to the popularity of Chinese food around the world. Food is an important part of daily life for Chinese people. Chinese not only enjoy eating but believe eating good food can bring harmony and closeness to the family and relationships.

Chinese cuisine is one of the world's oldest and most diverse cuisines, comprising foods originating from China. Chinese meals include four main food groups — fruits, vegetables, grains and meat. These dishes don't contain large amounts of dairy.

China's cultural influence has spread, shaping societal norms and international relations globally. From its impact on the philosophies of East Asia to its contributions to world literature, cuisine, and art, China has played an essential role in human development and culture.

Eggs. Whilst not strictly circular, the egg is also a symbol of new beginnings. Eggs are a repository for new life and representative of fertility, and the egg is associated with Christian Easter and Neo-Pagan Ostara.