FESTIVAL
CERTAIN FOODS ARE EATEN DURING THE FESTIVAL, ESPECIALLY
AT THE NEW YEAR’S EVE DINNER, BECAUSE OF THEIR SYMBOLIC
MEANINGS BASED ON THEIR NAMES OR APPEARANCES.
Certain foods are eaten during the festival, especially at the New
Year’s Eve dinner, because of their symbolic meanings based on their
names or appearances. Fish is a must for Chinese New Year as the
Chinese word for fish sounds like the word for prosperity. Eating fish
is believed to bring a surplus of money and good luck in the coming
year. Other Chinese New Year foods include dumplings, spring rolls,
glutinous rice cakes, and sweet rice balls.
Because the New Year and Spring Festival is calculated according
to the Lunar calendar, it is celebrated on a different date every year
within the Gregorian calendar. However, it is usually during the
beginning of March. If you are planning to visit China during these
days, you will witness the streets covered with firecrackers and red
lanterns, and several performances where the colorful monster Nian
is always defeated.
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Bu nedenle festivalde özellikle de yeni yıl arifesi yemeğinde, isimlerinden veya görünüşlerinden dolayı sembolik nedenlerle belli başlı
yiyecekler yeniyor. Örneğin, Çincede “balık”, ses olarak “bolluk” kelimesine benziyor. Bu nedenle yeni yılda balık yemenin bol para ve
şans getireceğine inanılır. Diğer yeni yıl yiyecekleri arasında mantı,
çin böreği, pirinç keki ve tatlı pirinç topları bulunuyor.
Ay takvimine göre hesaplanan Yeni Yıl ve Bahar Festivali, miladi
takvimde her sene başka bir tarihe denk gelse de genellikle Mart’ın
başında kutlanıyor. Bu tarihlerde Çin’i ziyaret ederseniz sokakları
kaplayan kestane fişekleri, kırmızı fenerler ve rengarenk canavar Nian’ı alt eden gösterilere tanık olacaksınız.