Lunar New Year: Foods That Bring Good Fortune

Chinese New Year, or Spring Festival, is the most important holiday in the Chinese calendar. Every dish served during this celebration carries deep symbolic meaning, representing wishes for prosperity, happiness, and good fortune in the coming year.

Fish for Abundance

A whole fish is essential to the New Year feast. In Mandarin, the word for fish (鱼, yú) sounds like the word for surplus. The fish is often steamed whole and should be left unfinished to symbolize having more than enough in the new year.

Dumplings for Wealth

Shaped like ancient Chinese gold ingots, dumplings represent wealth and prosperity. Families gather on New Year's Eve to make dumplings together, with some hiding coins inside for extra luck.

Noodles for Longevity

Long noodles represent long life and should never be cut. The longer the noodle, the longer the life it symbolizes. At Ming Restaurant, we serve special longevity noodles during the festival.