CHINA GAZE PRESENTS
R A E Y W NE
FESTI VA L & PA RTY GU I DE
Whats Inside: How to Host a Chinese New Year Party Traditional Food & Recipes Daily Festival Guide Festival Dos and Taboos Kids Activities & More! www.chinagaze.com
CH I N ESE
Chinese New Year Festival & Party Guide
WRITTEN BY
CHINA GAZE
Welcome to the Wonderful World of Chinese Culture!
Chinese culture runs deep over thousands of years. But dont let that scare you. Read this eBook, and youll be impressing your friends with your knowledge of this exotic culture in no time!
A leading online media portal to the world of Chinas past and present.
As the world grows ever more multicultural, celebrations for the biggest festival in the worlds most populous countryChinaare taking place everywhere across the globe. We see decorations of red and gold, parades and costumes, and food galore Everything has its symbolic meaning and purpose. But if you dont speak Chinese or didnt grow up learning the culture, what do all these things mean? Well, they mean a lot. The traditions and customs of the Chinese New Year festival are many and have taken shape over thousands of years, dictating what to do, what to eat, what to buy While some customs have eroded, many still remain and form the rich framework of the celebrations. Get in on the party! There are 16 days of festivities and many things to prepare before they get started. Learn what to do and why, and youll have an even more wonderful time celebrating with your friends and family. Happy New Year! May all your wishes come true!
Highlights
- Everything you need to know to look like a Chinese culture-pro. - You dont need to read or speak Chinese to be a part of the celebrations. - Suitable for all ages and nationalities. - Your family, friends, colleagues, and kids can all get involved.
CHINA GAZE Editors
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Chinese New Year Festival & Party Guide
Table of Contents
The Legends of Chinese New Year
How and why did the Festival begin? Why is red such a prominent color? Do Chinese firecrackers have the same meaning as in the West? Why are lanterns everywhere? And why all the dumplings? Well, it all began with...
Pre-Festival Preparations: 30 Days Before
Getting ready for the New Year starts at the end of the old one, and there are key dates when important things like buying things, cleaning, and worship have to be done to ensure the best success of the coming year.
Daily Festival Guide: Days 1-15
The Chinese New Year Festival runs for 16 days, from the eve of the first day on the Chinese lunisolar calendar to the 15th day of the first month. What to do and what to eat... thats a lot of food and a lot to remember!
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Chinese New Year Festival & Party Guide
Table of Contents
Chinese New Year Taboos: Absolute No-Nos
Call it legend, quackery, customs, or whatever you like, these New Year taboos exist, and you dont want to risk your luck by not following them. Whether people still believe them in their hearts or not, they are still taken seriously.
How to Host a Chinese New Year Party
This is the perfect time to get in on the celebrations, and get your friends and family together for a party theyll truly remember. Heres everything you need to get ready for an authentic Chinese New Year event.
Flickr/Bernadoh
Traditional Food Recipes and Kids Craft Activities
Chinese cooking and crafts arent as difficult as you may think. Give them a try! These traditional recipes will set the mood for the Festival, and these craft activities will look beautiful in your home, and keep the kids entertained.
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Chinese New Year Festival & Party Guide
The Legends of Chinese New Year
It All Started With a Terrible Monster...
In Ancient China, there was a terrible monster called Nian (pronounced nin shu), which ate people, crops, and livestock on the last day of every year. People who tried to fight the monster didnt succeed. The only way people could survive was to leave the village and hide in the mountains. It is said that one New Years eve long, long ago, when most people had already left the village, an old lady whose husband was too ill to move decided to stay. As she was preparing food for her husband, a beggar knocked on the door and asked for food. The old lady felt sorry for him, so she invited him in, and gave him some of the food she had just prepared. After eating, the beggar asked: Why is there no one else in the village? The old lady told him about Nian. Dont worry! he said. I can help you expel the monster. He borrowed red paper and red cloth from her. He pasted the paper on the door, put the red cloth on himself, and sat outside the front door, waiting for the monster. When Nian appeared, the hungry, grumpy monster approached the house, preparing to swallow the beggar.
Different representations of the monster Nian.
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Chinese New Year Festival & Party Guide
The Legends of Chinese New Year
The beggar started to burn the bamboo cane in his hand...
The cracking sound frightened Nian, and made it so dizzy and scared that it fell against the door. When Nian opened its eyes, it saw the bright red paper pasted on it and his eyes hurt like crazy. At that moment, the old lady was chopping dumpling meat loudly in the kitchen. The sound gave Nian a serious headache. Nian couldnt stand it anymore, and finally ran away. Suddenly, the beggar disappeared, and the surprised old lady realized he was actually a god.
The Chinese Character for Luck.
When the villagers returned, they were shocked to see the old lady and her husband still alive. After she told them about her miraculous experience, they adopted the same methods to protect themselves from Nian every Chinese New Years Eve, and Nian has never returned. That is why during the Chinese New Year Festival, you find doors decorated with Chinese couplets on red paper, people wearing red clothing, firecrackers blasting, and families making dumplings to celebrate Chinese New Year.
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Chinese New Year Festival & Party Guide
- lng) The Legend of the Lanterns, (deng
Lanterns, Lanterns Everywhere!
A long, long time ago...
A hunter accidently killed a gods favorite pet bird. The god was so angry that he asked his soldiers to set fire to the village on the fifth day of the first lunar month. One of the gods kindly daughters couldnt bear to see the tragedy happen, and risked her life to warn the people of the village.
See page 27 to learn how to make your own Chinese paper lantern.
The people panicked, but a village elder came up with a brilliant idea... They hung up lanterns, lit firecrackers, and set off fireworks to make the god think that the village was burning down. And it worked! Since then, this tradition occurs every fifth day of the first lunar month to ward off disaster. The 15th day of the New Year is the Lantern Festival. It is the last day of the Festival celebrations.
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Chinese New Year Festival & Party Guide
The Power of Red Packets
A red packet, also called a red envelope,
is a traditional Chinese monetary gift given in the Chinese New Year. Its called (hng bo) in Mandarin Chinese, and in Cantonese. Chinese people usually seal some money inside the red packets, and then give them to children. The money inside is called (y su qin). The amount of money is often small as a symbol of good luck.
Flickr/Koadmunkee
(y su qin) literally means the money to ward off Sui. Sui is believed to be an evil being that attacks children on New Years Eve. It is said that whoever is touched by Sui will lose their intelligence.
See page 28 to learn how to make your own red packets.
One day, a couple placed a red envelope with eight coins under their childs pillow, and it kept Sui away. They later realized that the eight coins were the avatars of eight gods. Since then, many people place red packets with coins inside under their childrens pillows to protect them. When giving red packets, it should be done after New Years Eve and the customary way is to use both hands and look at the receiver as you give it to them.
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Chinese New Year Festival & Party Guide
Pre-Festival Preparations: Decorating
Bright colors, red and gold, symbols of good fortune, properity, surplus, and longevity are seen in Chinese New Year decorations in all buildings and homes.
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Chinese New Year Festival & Party Guide
Pre-Festival Preparations: Plants
Plants, flowers, and fruit are popular items used for decorations and good luck. Mandarin oranges, (j zi), mean good luck because the pronunciation is similar to the word for auspicious, (j xing). They are very popular gifts and decorations.
Bamboo plants, (zh zi) are believed to promote wealth and increase business.
An expensive favorite is the peach flower tree, (to hu), which also indicates that spring is coming.
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Chinese New Year Festival & Party Guide
Pre-Festival Preparations: The Month Before
8th Day: Laba Festival
Laba means the 8th day of the last month of the Chinese calendar. Traditionally, the Laba Festival celebrates the new harvest, and the enlightenment of the Buddha. The day is also a reminder that the New Year is coming and preparations should start. In Northern China, people preserve garlic in vinegar, which is later used on Chinese New Years Eve as part of a dipping sauce for dumplings. People eat delicious Laba congee, which is unique to the Laba Festival. It is a Chinese-style porridge of rice, beans, dried fruit, tofu, potato, meat, and vegetables.
23rd & 24th Day: Kitchen God Reports
The Kitchen God reports to the Jade Emperor, the head of all gods in Heaven, what happened in the household over the past year. To influence his report, people often leave out candy for the Kitchen God.
24th Day: Cleaning the House
After the Kitchen God goes back to Heaven, people finally can start to clean the house without worrying about disturbing the god.
25th-29th Day: Buying & Decorating
It is time for people to buy ingredients for New Years meals, candy, nuts, crackers, new clothes, decorations, and so on. People buy new clothes for the celebrations. Traditional clothes, called (tngzhung), are popular, while others prefer to wear modern clothes.
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Chinese New Year Festival & Party Guide
Pre-Festival Preparations
30th Day: New Years Eve
New Years Eve is a very significant event. Families come together for a reunion dinnerthe most important dinner of the yearand the finest dishes are prepared for the feast. Many people will stay up till midnight, or even all night, which is called shu su. It is believed to give parents longevity. All the lights in the house stay on the whole time to signify a bright year ahead. Fireworks crackle and illuminate the sky at midnight. Even though chicken, pork, and beef are common on the reunion dinner table, what is most prominent is fish, because in Chinese the pronunciation for fish (y) is similar to that for surplus (yu y). The rule for eating the fish dish is that people should never finish it, symbolizing that there will be a surplus of prosperity for the family. In North China, people also eat dumplings, because dumplings are shaped like ancient Chinese money, gold ingots, which are believed to bring good fortune.
Gold ingots (jn yun bo) are an ancient form of currency, a symbol of good fortune, and shaped similarly to dumplings.
Flickr/Kai Hendry
(Wikipedia/ Ramon FVelasquez)
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Chinese New Year Festival & Party Guide
Daily Chinese New Year Festival Guide
During the New Year holidays, streets are alive with festive events and activities. The atmosphere of celebration lasts until the end of the 15th day.
Big doll head masks.
Candied fruit on a stick.
Flickr/Blueberries
Chinese dragon and lion dances are a must during festival parades and events.
Worshipping in temples.
Calligraphy for decorations.
Chinese dancing and costumes.
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Chinese New Year Festival & Party Guide
Daily Chinese New Year Festival Guide
Day 1
Chinese New Years Day
What to Do:
Pray to the gods at home and in temples. Visit or call senior members of extended families, neighbors, bosses, and business partners to wish them a happy New Year.
What to Eat:
In Northern China, people eat dumplings, while those in Southern China eat (nin go), a chewy cake made from glutinous rice flour. In Taiwan, some people only eat vegetarian dishes for breakfast. See page 24 to learn how to make new year Niangao cakes.
Day 2
What to Do:
Married daughters visit their parents with their husbands and children to have lunch. Bring gifts and red packets for the children.
What to Eat
Noodles are eaten on the second day, because they are like threads, and eating them symbolizes threads that connect you to money and good fortune.
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Chinese New Year Festival & Party Guide
Daily Chinese New Year Festival Guide
Day 3
Day Ch kou
What to Do:
(ch ku) means a day for arguments. So people prefer to stay home instead of visit. Some restaurants open this day and traditional lion dancers will visit and collect red packets from owners and guests for good luck.
What to Eat:
(h z), a type of meat or vegetable pie that is said to bring wealth, is eaten on this day.
Day 4
What to Do:
The God of Wealth is coming back from Heaven today. People hold religious services to welcome him. In the past, if an employer wanted to fire someone, he would invite everyone to pray with him except the person he was firing. This was a hint for that person to leave voluntarily.
What to Eat
(lo bng) is a round, flaky, fried pancake. Having lao bing with eggs symbolizes reunion.
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Lao bing (Flickr/Le ciel azure) www.chinagaze.com
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Chinese New Year Festival & Party Guide
Daily Chinese New Year Festival Guide
Day 5
What to Do:
(p) means break and (w) day of the New Year. The taboos observed within the first four can now be broken. To drive out misfortune and poverty, people get up at dawn, light firecrackers, and enjoy a huge feast. People offer prayers to the God of Wealth on the fifth day, which is his birthday.
or Sng qing Day P wu means five, referring to the 5th
(sng qing) means sending poverty away. So on the 5th day, people clean the house, and take out the garbage created during the first four days. For Cantonese people, Songqiong day is on the 3rd day of the Chinese calendar.
Day 6
Sng qing Day in Beijing
Stores in Taiwan reopen, while those in China usually reopen on the 6th day. Some store owners may choose an alternate date to reopen based upon Chinese astrology.
What to Do:
For people in Beijing, (sng qing) is today. Businesses in China usually reopen. Store owners light firecrackers. Every family also uses this day to dump the trash, meaning poverty has left.
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Chinese New Year Festival & Party Guide
Daily Chinese New Year Festival Guide
Day 7
What to Do:
Rn r Day of Humans
According to Chinese myth, humans were created on the 7th day after God created the world, so today is known as the day of humans, (rn r). People pay attention to respecting each other and their elders. Parents dont scold kids, and prisoners arent to be executed. Since today is the birthday of the creation of humans, people eat birthday noodles.
What to Eat:
Day 8
According to Chinese myth, grain was created on the 8th day after God created the world, so this is the day of grain, (g r). If the day is sunny, the harvest will be good this year.
Day 9
Today is the birthday of the Jade Emperor, the head of all gods in Taoism. People worship him with prayers for a good harvest in the coming year.
Day 10
This is the birthday of stone. People worship the God of Stone. On this day, people dont use any tools made of stone.
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Chinese New Year Festival & Party Guide
Daily Chinese New Year Festival Guide
Day 11
It is the day for father-inlaws to host their son-inlaws with leftovers from the meal of the ninth days worship. In rural areas of Guangzhou, children from different villages will play a game that uses stones. The village of the winners will have good luck all year.
Day 12
In Taiwan, this is the day for fathers to invite their married daughters back home for a family visit. The Lantern Festival is approaching. People start to prepare for the festival today.
Day 13
After days of eating heavy meals, today the meals are lighter. People will pray to (gun y), the Chinese God of War, for success and wealth today.
Day 14
By today, all the preparation for the Lantern Festival should be ready.
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Chinese New Year Festival & Party Guide
Daily Chinese New Year Festival Guide
Day 15
Lantern Festival, Last Day of the Chinese New Year Festival
What to Do:
The 15th day of the Chinese calendar, also known as the Lantern Festival, is the final day of Chinese New Year celebrations. People will worship their ancestors, along with legendary Emperor Yao. Carrying Chinese paper lanterns and solving riddles written on lanterns are traditions passed down from generation to generation. Many cities hold large-scale lantern fairs for the Lantern Festival. Most fairs start before the festival, and end on or after it. Going to lantern fairs with friends and relatives is a custom. Releasing floating lanterns into the air on the Lantern Festival is getting popular in China and Taiwan.
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Chinese New Year Festival & Party Guide
Daily Chinese New Year Festival Guide
Day 15
Lantern Festival, Last Day of the Chinese New Year Festival What to Eat:
People in North China have (yun xio) on the Lantern Festival, whereas those in the south have (tng yun). Both are types of glutinous rice balls made with different fillings and methods. Both symbolize reunion.
Glutinous rice balls (Flickr/Avlxyz)
Lantern Riddles
Solving riddles written on lanterns is a traditional activity during the Lantern Festival. The themes of the riddles are broad, from geography, history, and arts.
Lantern Riddle: All the hello kitties are sold out Hint: A place in Taiwan Answer: Maokong (). refers to cats, and means empty. Lantern Riddle: Two fat guys Hint: A city in China Answer: Hefei (). means together, means fat.
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Chinese New Year Festival & Party Guide
10 Things to NOT DO in the New Year
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1 2 3 4 5
Do Not Start the Year With Debts
Pay off all debts before the New Year. If the debtor is not able to pay the money back, creditors should not ask them to do so during the first five days of the New Year.
Lots of Things on Day 1
Avoid eating porridge, or else it is easier to get wet in the rain this year. Avoid taking naps, which symbolize ones being lazy this year. Married daughters should not visit their parents today. If they do, they bring bad fortune to their parents.
Dont Use Unlucky Words on Days 1-4
Unlucky words or phrases such as death, sickness, or loss should not be used during the first four days. If children accidently use them, adults should say (tng yn w j) right away, meaning: Please pardon the child for his reckless words.
Dont Take Out the Trash
Do not take out the garbage during the first four days of the New Year, because it symbolizes cleaning out all of the good luck for the coming year.
Dont Break Anything
Breaking something brings bad luck. If you accidentally break something on days 1-4, say (su su png n), which means: May everyone be blessed all year round. The pronunciation of (su) is the same for both break and year, and (png n) means peaceful or blessed. So you turn bad luck into good luck.
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Chinese New Year Festival & Party Guide
10 Things to NOT DO in the New Year
6 7 8 9 10
Dont Bring an Odd Number of Presents
When married daughters visit their parents on Day 2, they should bring an even number of presents. An odd number is considered bad luck.
Dont Stay for Dinner on Day 2
When married daughters visit their parents together with their husbands, stay for lunch and leave before dinner. If you dont, its bad luck.
Dont Leave Home on Day 4
The Kitchen God is coming back to Earth today, and will do a roll call, so make sure you are at home.
Dont Hang Out the Laundry on Day 9
Today is the birthday of the Jade Emperor. In order to show respect for him, hanging out the laundry is not allowed.
Dont Cut Your Hair
Its considered a bad omen to have a hair cut during the New Year period. Also, wearing completely black or white is avoided, since they are colors used in a funeral, symbolizing bad luck.
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Chinese New Year Festival & Party Guide
(Flickr/L. Allen Brewer)
Popular Chinese New Year Greetings
Happy New Year! nin kui l) (xin Or ) (gong h xin xi May all your wishes come true! sh chng) xiang (xin Or (wn sh r y) May you be prosperous! ci) (gong xi fa Or (d j d l)
How to Host an Awesome Chinese New Year Party
Anyone can hold a party with friends or family during any day of the festival to celebrate and share the good wishes of the occasion.
Before the Party
1. Send out invitation cards or e-cards with Chinese New Year greetings to family and friends, and ask them to wear something red. 2. Clean up the house, and decorate it with spring couplets, Chinese New Year paper cutting designs, and lanterns. 3. Prepare lantern riddles for the party. They could include some Chinese New Year-related questions in the game. 4. Buy ingredients to make the recipes in this book, or order some of your favorite Chinese food. 5. Learn how to say Chinese New Year greetings.
Chinese New Year Greetings For 2014, Year of the Horse
May you [with a horses speed] succeed in all you do. do chng gong (ma ) May you be as energetic as a dragon and a horse. jing (lng ma shn) May you be prosperous in the year of the horse. nin xng d yn) (ma
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Chinese New Year Festival & Party Guide
How to Host a Chinese New Year Party
During the Party
Make the Guests Ready In addition to catching up with friends and enjoying the food, share some information with them about the Chinese New Year to help them be ready for the following activities. Red Packets If there are children in the party, teach them to greet seniors with Chinese New Year greeting phrases. After the greetings, seniors should give them red packets in return, and tell them the meaning behind a red packet. Normally, only red packets are given to children; traditionally, brand new notes are given, not coins. Mahjong Mahjong is a traditional 4-player Chinese strategy game played with tiles. This can make a Mahjong Tiles great party activity. Most players use the game time to catch up with friends or relatives while playing. You can order a set online and make sure you know the basic rules before the party!
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Lantern Riddles Gather everyone to read the riddles written on paper lantern decorations. Challenge each other to solve the riddles, and have a red packet or small gift ready for whoever gets one right.
Red Packet (Flickr/Jimmiehomeschoolmom)
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Chinese New Year Festival & Party Guide
How to Host a Chinese New Year Party
How to Host a Chinese New Year Party
More Party Activities
Chinese Music Music can add a great atmosphere to a party. Try some Chinese music to create a cultural mood for your guests.
Chinese Erhu
Chinese zither music (YouTube) Chinese erhu music (YouTube)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5x7Q7OABoU http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6DyTaijW1Jk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bWSRwrEGRUg
Compilation Chinese music (Youtube) Movies
Chinese Zither
Almost every Chinese TV station has special New Year programs, but they arent likely to have subtitles. If your friends enjoy movies, choose a Chinese movie with subtitles related to the New Year. Here are some ideas: Lost on Journey Last Train Home (Documentary) Travel Geek (Documentary) The Joy Luck Club* Eat Drink Man Woman* These films arent related to the Chinese New Year festivities, but are interesting Chinese films nonetheless.
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Chinese New Year Festival & Party Guide
Enjoy a Feast During the Chinese New Year
Many dishes are prepared, each with symbolic meanings: Vegetables for cleanliness and purity, noodles for prosperity and longevity, glutinous rice balls for a better year, fish for affluence, and cake for a sweet and happy life.
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Chinese New Year Festival & Party Guide
Traditional Chinese New Year Food Recipes
Sweet Niangao or Sweet Chinese New Year Cake
Ingredients
300g glutinous rice flour 300g brown sugar (feel free to adjust the amount to your own taste) 300g warm water 1 tbsp vegetable oil Baking paper Steaming container Cling wrap or plastic wrap
Directions
1. Use warm water to dissolve the brown sugar. 2. Mix the sugar water from step 1 with glutinous rice flour and vegetable oil thoroughly. 3. Line the steaming container with baking paper and pour the paste from step 2 in it. 4. Put the container into the steamer. Cook it with medium heat for about 40 to 50 minutes. (If you need more water in the steamer while cooking, use only warm water, not cold water.) 5. Before taking the niangao out, poke a hole in the center of it with a stick, making sure it is solid. 6. Remove the parchment paper after the niangao cools down. Putting it in the fridge will help it become harder more quickly. 7. Cut it into pieces with a knife, and wrap with plastic wrap for safe keeping until the New Year.
Guangdong Niangao
(Wikipedia/Avlxyz)
Fish-Shaped Niangao (Flickr/Kawaiikiri) www.chinagaze.com
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Chinese New Year Festival & Party Guide
Traditional Chinese New Year Food Recipes
Deep Fried Niangao
Ingredients
Sweet niangao (you can either make your own niangao using the previous recipe or buy it at a Chinese supermarket) Wonton wrappers (the quantity depends on how many deep fried niangao you want to make) Water Oil for deep frying
Directions
1. Cut sweet niangao into several cuboids with dimensions of 2 inches by 0.5 inch by 0.5 inch. (The length may need to be adjusted depending on the size of your wonton wrappers. Just make sure that when you put niangao horizontally on the lower middle of the wrapper, there is at least 0.5 inch left for each side.) 2. Put a niangao bar horizontally on the lower middle of the wrapper. 3. Brush water onto the other three sides of the wrapper to make them sticky. 4. Roll the bar up and press the two sides firmly. 5. Deep fry niangao bars in oil at medium heat. 6. When the wrappers become slightly yellow, turn the heat up to high until they are golden.
Shanghai Niangao (Wikipedia/Avlxyz)
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Fried Niangao (Flickr/Joyosity) www.chinagaze.com
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Chinese New Year Festival & Party Guide
Traditional Chinese New Year Food Recipes
Dumplings
Ingredients
600g ground pork 1/2 Chinese cabbage shredded 1/2 cup chopped scallion 2 tbsp fresh grated ginger 2 tbsp fresh grated garlic 1 egg white 5 tbsp soy sauce 1.5 dumpling wrapper packs 1 tbsp sesame oil Salt 1/2 cut water Flour
Directions
1. Mix 1 tbsp salt with cabbage. Wait until water comes out of the cabbage, then drain thoroughly. 2. Mix all the ingredients (except for water, flour, and dumpling wrappers) together with the cabbage. Stir until the mixture becomes a bit sticky. 3. Put a dumpling wrapper on your palm. Place some filling on the middle of the wrapper, and brush water onto the edge of the upper half of the wrap. 4. Fold the wrapper in half, and close the top opening with your thumb and index finger. 5. Place dumplings on a plate covered with a light layer of flour. 6. Store dumplings in the fridge until you want to cook them.
How to cook dumplings
1. Put dumplings in boiling water, and stir to prevent them from sticking to the bottom of the pot. 2. Add two cups of cold water to the pot, and heat until the water boils again. 3. Repeat the previous step two more times. 4. Serve hot.
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Chinese New Year Festival & Party Guide
Flickr/Macinate
Chinese New Year Craft Activities
How to Make a Paper Lantern
What You Need:
Colored rectangular paper (gift wrapping or construction paper) Scissors Glue, tape, or a stapler
Instructions:
1. Fold a rectangular piece of paper in half, lengthwise. 2. Starting about a quarter from the top of the paper, make cuts of the same length across from the folded edge. Stop each cut about 1 inch from the other side of the paper. 3. Open the paper. Connect the short sides of the paper together with glue, tape, or a stapler. 4. Make a handle from a strip of paper, about 6 inches long and 1/2 inch wide.
Flickr/Macinate
5. Connect the handle to the top of the lantern, and hang as a decoration. 6. Decorate the top and bottom edges with strips of colored paper. You can also hang strips of paper off the bottom edge.
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Chinese New Year Festival & Party Guide
Red Packet Template
Instructions:
1. Print this template onto red paper. 2. Cut out the shape. 3. Fold the edges of the packet toward the center. 4. Put glue on the bottom and right folds, then fold the large flap over to close the packet. 5. Cut, copy, or trace one of the Chinese characters for good luck onto the front of the packet and decorate.
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Chinese New Year Festival & Party Guide
Chinese Characters for Good Luck
Good Luck Dreams Come True
Happiness Wishing You a Prosperous New Year
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Other Publications by CHINA GAZE
SECRETS OF THE CHINESE ZODIAC
Accurate and detailed information about the 12 Chinese zodiac signsall the information you need to get started on your journey to understanding the Chinese zodiac. This FREE eBook contains: Chinese zodiac calculator Chinese lunar calendars Chinese horoscope love compatibility grid/chart Chinese zodiac relationships Chinese astrologyall five elements: metal, water, wood, fire, and earth for all zodiac signs Beautiful Chinese illustrations of all Chinese zodiac signs Plus more!
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CHINA GAZE EDITORS
CHINA GAZE is your window into the world of Chinese culture. Our bilingual staff of both Chinese and Caucasian backgrounds bridge the gap for the West to better understand the depths of China. With special thanks to Christine Tsai.
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