Chinese New Year (CNY) is a festive season but for most people it is a time to tap on to luck and fortune in the next one calendar year. It is noteworthy to comprehend that a large number of various specialties is prepared and consumed during the CNY period. In addition to the good tastes, many of these are designed to represent traditional wishes following the rules of feng shui.
Learning about their symbolism regarding these Chinese new year goodies can help you make wise choices on the foods so as to strengthen their lucky significance. Every aspect of the food, from their ingredients and forms, colors and other aspects, have some symbolic representation. When you remain purposefully creative with your chosen special foods for the celebration and seasons, you can increase your chances of being lucky in the different facets of your life in the following year.
Tangerine and Pineapple Tart being Sweet
The most preferred and frequently baked CNY cookies are tangerine and pineapple cookies which are small enough for a bite. This round cookies are soft and flaky and the lime and coconut in them will start of the new year with a refreshing note. However their sweetness is also seen by the people of the feng shui theories as a desire for sweetness in life and in the relationships that an individual engages in. This is in addition to its golden color and the circular appeal which are also Wimmel signifying coins or accomplishment of wealth. Putting a bowl of these cheery cookies in the middle of parties and in house serving spreads good luck to the party goers and the people at home.
The Ris of Fermi and Second Born Auspicious Shape of Glutinous Rice Balls
Indispensable piece for CNY, these are called tang yuan or tangyuan – round rice dumplings made of glutinous rice flour. By their round shape at once it refers to circles and money, to the notion of the endless cycle of good luck. The ball of glutinous rice also cannot be separated indicating the unity within a family or togetherness. That is not all; tang yuan is available in all colors of the rainbow and each of these colors have symbolic meaning associated with prosperity. White stands for innocence and a new start, red being associated with prosperity and happiness, Green meaning health and balance. Whether offered scooped in a beautiful bowl of sweet soup or garnished with sesame and peanut toppings in a round shape that symbolically relates the guests to the unlimited rice bowls expected of them.
Higher Impact of CNY Layer Cakes
Large round shaped cakes are traditionally bought or made for the reunion dinner on CNY’s Eve. These magnificent productions prove that food art can call upon feng shui luck. Their glamour interlocks everyone through the display of the tall structures and glowing colours that makes every event cheerful to the occasion of success. The more complex and high the cake upraised the higher your luck can get. Some of the most common variations are the rainbow one and those which are covered with gold and consist of several layers. Each color of Rainbow symbolizes a wish for all kinds of fortunes. On the other hand, the color gold stands for prosperity more discriminately. When there is a cake this special, it should be surrounded by family to enhance the positive energy of it metaphorically pulling things upward.
It is evident that fruits are always decorations during the CNY and more importantly symbolisms. When arranged artistically on trays, they imply good health, happiness, prosperity and all things considered, good ‘luck’ through the coming year. Each fruit carries unique meaning to enhance different blessings:
- Oranges and tangerines symbolize wealth and success at career because their color is gold and they are round. Both of them also provide happiness and repeated sweet juicy experiences and people.
- Pineapples symbolize prosperity and advancement because of the spikes on its head and assistance as well because of the golden hue. Turn one upside down for this effect to increase this rising luck luck.
- Apples and star fruit well guard safety through their form and their red and gold color to discourage evil fate.
- Many seeded grapes symbolize fertility and balance, happiness within fold massive families.
- Recently harvested melons including honey dew stand for sweet, happy life in the next year.
When arranged artistically on super large plates/tabels, this colorful assortment of lucky fruits indeed transmits wishes of an adequate fortune for every lack in the new year.
CNY Nuts and Seeds in all its Rich indulgence
Other nuts and seeds also find their way into CNY parties because of their dense, richly packed nutritional content. Chestnuts, lotus seeds, water chestnuts, peanuts, cashews, almonds, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, pistachios and much more are some of the first-rung festive types. Because of their nutritiously rich qualities, they portray a desire for plenty of finances in the New Year together with fertility. When presented decoratively in plateaus of mountains, their granules also playing symbolic significance conveying the sentiment of prosperity are an outright delight to the palate. Red and gold nuts and seeds also attract auspicious things compensating for wealth and happiness for gifts and formal decors. Candied nuts produce sweetness with their shiny appearance and offer an additional benefit for a sweet, full life.
The prosperity bubble of lemons and oranges
Last but not least, no preparation of CNY decoration can be without the using of fresh lemons and oranges. These cheery fruits bear multiple meanings of good fortunes due to their profitability colors, round shape and sweet-sour taste. Lemons also retain the color gold even before they ripen, they symbolize prosperity, or being wealthy at any age. They offset sweet foods and flavours as the sour component removes the bitter taste from oil and other fats. They accumulate in spheres of luck, calling in prosperity from all four quarters. When arranged in a creative way as the centerpieces or around the objects related to holiness and deities, statue lamps and candles, lemon and oranges have definitely a lucky aura. It washes environments, charges positive energy, positivity, money consolidated efforts, and love and wealth prosperity for the new year.
It is rather sweet to taste the lucky money and complement celebrations with the colorful quaternary goodies and the ornamental fruits. Well-chosen Chinese New Year goodies and snacks that creatively follow feng shui rules create harmonious environment in the space and in life to invite prosperity in the New Year. As you gorge on Chinese New Year fare, may all the roundcakes and oranges, nuts and pineapple tarts signify a lucky, auspicious and healthy new year in waiting.