In today’s modern world many individuals have adapted to the American culture, leaving their traditions and cultural beliefs aside. However, there are many traditions that in spite of the distance they are being celebrated here in the United States. For instance, Chinese New Year—a popular tradition celebrated in San Francisco, California, being the biggest celebration outside of China. From Shanghai to San Francisco this tradition is mainly about the food. Specific food eaten during this time has a meaning and significance for the years ahead. Chinese New Year foods are very symbolic and full of culture.
The Chinese New Year is an important celebration in China. One sixth of the world’s population including one billion of Chinese citizens celebrate Chinese New Year. The holiday is celebrated for fifteen days. Chinese New Year is also known as, Lunar New Year or the Spring Festival, begins in the second new moon after the winter solstice or according to the Gregorian calendar sometime between January 21st and February 19th. This has been occurring since the 16th century. The Chinese calendar is known since the 14th century B.C. created by the yellow emperor.
Description of Holiday
Each year is symbolized with one of the 12 Chinese zodiacs: rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog, or pig. Even though China
There are a variety of foods to enjoy during New Years, similar to those consumed throughout the year, however with a special emphasis on obtaining luck for the upcoming year. Some of the foods served with a meaning are—pot stickers, dumplings, peanuts, spring rolls, noodles, greens, citrus fruits, pomelo, wholeness, and sweets. The food implies positive meanings to a fresh start for a new
... foods are new concepts that they have not heard of before; the older residents have grown up without them just fine. They are content with what they already have and do not see the need to expend the efforts to understand the new things. Most importantly, however, they must think about the financial costs. For New Chinatown residents, bringing in alternative, generally more expensive sources of food is not totally relevant to their needs. We may speculate that the produce sold at these farmers’ markets are not aligned with those used in the cultural diet.
The author chose to conduct this research to explore the comparison between Szechuan and Cantonese food and the extent of its popularity within UK. To enable the research to be conducted in a smaller margin, the students of University of West London are selected as the focused target of research. As observed in the European culture, Chinese food is considered a treat for special occasions as selected restaurant stands equal with high-end restaurants that are serving western cuisine as shown in TopTable (2014). According to Mail Online (2010), it is found that 39 per cent of the population preferred Oriental flavours, such as sweet and sour and chow mein to Indian sauces such as tikka masala.
For over 30 years, Panda Express seems to be America’s favorite Chinese restaurant. It may seem that Panda Express is authentic Chinese food, but it is not reflective at all of what traditional Chinese cuisine is actually like. In comparison to restaurants and cuisine in China, entrees served at Panda Express are completely American and actually digress from Chinese culture. The recipes and ingredients used at Panda Express are distinguishably noticeable and highly dissimilar from authentic Chinese meals. Not only does Panda Express serve foods that adapt to American tastes, specific dishes are created to cater to the average American palate.
The United States gives Columbus a national holiday, Zheng He should deserve a national holiday as well. He was kidnapped at the age of ten by the Ming Dynasty, and had to watch as his father died. He was taken prisoner and became an eunuch who eventually rose to power. The Emperor Yongle rewarded his loyalty by electing him as the fleet commander and eventually went on 7 voyages all around Asia, India, and eastern Africa in the next 28 years. Using the measuring sticks of scale/size, significance, and skill, should we commemorate the voyages of Zheng He? We should recognize the voyages of Zheng He for the 3 major reasons, the incredible distances/destinations traveled, the amazing size/scale of the ships, and the honorary purpose of many of the expeditions.
On one side, menu items of Chinese restaurants change a lot when the Chinese immigrants came to the United States. For instance, authentic Chinese restaurants does not have General Tso’s Chicken and fortune cookies. The dish of General Tso’s Chicken is originally from America. Since the General Tso’s chicken has a same name with a famous Chinese statesman in the last century. Most people think it is authentic Chinese food. But actually, it is inauthentic Chinese food. There is a joke of this disk. That is even Zongtang Zuo does not eat General Tso’s chicken because of the dish of name is from Zongtang Zuo (“The Strange Tale”). The other is fortune cookies. People do not eat fortune cookies after they finish all dishes in China because there are cultural differences. In China, the Chinese restaurants has not a traditional culture which eats fortune cookies after finish eating all dishes. Also, the cold water does not exist at the dinner table in China. Hot water is almost always served (Xiaoyu Yan). But, the cold water absolutely appeared in the Chinese restaurants in the United States. Even the authentic menu items do not include either fortune cookies or General Tso’s Chicken. On the other side, Chow Mein is a traditional Chinese food. But, the chef changes the cooking process of Chow Mein in the United States. The reason is the owner of restaurant wants to adapt
There are only ten more days until we celebrate our biggest holiday of the year, Chinese New Year. It is the year of the monkey, the monkey in our culture is supposed to be very lively and mischievous and full of energy. It has been three months since I had chicken, I have been eating fish and vegetables, but I really miss eating chicken meat.
Food’s role is pivotal in The Joy Luck Club, every mother has a broad repertoire of traditional dishes, and every family gathering has plenty of delicious cookery. In Joelen Tan’s case, the mouth-watering recipes have inspired her “Read, Watch & Eat event”, at which she and her “friends shared Chinese-inspired dishes”(J. Tan). Among those noted and recreated are “Bok Choy & Water Chestnuts”, “Shrimp Stir Fry & noodles”, and “Chinese Dim Sum”(J. Tan). Within the novel, as June Woo examines the delightful spread brought together by the mothers of the Joy Luck Club, she points out the “chaswei”, which is a “sweet barbecued pork cut into coin-sized slices”, and also “a whole assortment of what [she] always call[s] finger goodies”, such as “skinned pastries filled with chopped pork, beef, shrimp, and unknown stuffings that [her] mother used to describe as ‘nutritious things”(A. Tan 31-32). The excitement over these dished shows the importance they hold in June’s, remembrances. Moreover, besides simply recreating the recipes, Bryton Taylor participates in the cultural aspects of the novel. She is fascinated at how humans “can adapt cultures in the form of small traditions or holidays, into [their] own, even if [they] haven’t lived in the countries”(Taylor). She and her family have “been celebrating Chinese New Year” for a long while, even though they
Chinese New Year family traditions. (2012, February 3). YouTube. Retrieved April 29, 2014, from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=noiouIzjJZE
The Chinese use the lunar calendar. “Although China has adopted the Gregorian calendar in common with most other countries in the world for official and business purposes, the traditional Chinese calendar continues to define the dates of festivals and used for horoscopes” (“Chinese calendar”). The lunar calendar is based on of the moon. It uses the moon phases to figure out each month.
Cuisine is a big factor in the identity of a culture and many people will list food as a factor that makes a country what it is, even using Damper for an example, many people see it is an Australian classic and part of Australia's history. Analysing these two iconic recipes, we can begin to view what kinds of communication is used and by looking at this, the history and the shaping of culture we gain a deeper understanding of the impact and importance of food in both Australia, Japan and around the world. Through this analysis it is hoped that a better understanding of these topics is acquired and an in depth reflection is produced.
A defining trait of every country, whether it be Italy or India, is the type of cuisine that they serve. One of the best ways to gain an understanding of a country’s culture is through their food. While some people would deem other aspects of a culture as more important, it is a feature easiest to explain and relate to. A distinguishing fact is that food is both physical and mental in that its creation takes dedication and effort; food is able to create emotions given the proper setting. As cooking traditions evolved throughout the years, to fit people’s ever changing tastes, so does the culture. They are parallel to each other in that as one aspect of culture changes, so does the food and vice versa. Two of the most popular types of foods in society today are American food, and Chinese food. The typical features of how food is prepared and made, the tastes preferred, the utensils, and the beliefs about the food's properties are all reflections of the American and Chinese cultures.
China is an extremely large country, and the customs and traditions of its people vary by geography and ethnicity. Since ancient times, China has been known as the “Celestial Empire.” This refers not only to China’s strength and position as East Asia’s Middle Kingdom, it also captures a more profound meaning. Chinese people, through various dynasties, created a rich and abundant culture to all over the world. And Chinese culture is the only culture in the world to have a continuous recorded history of 5,000 years. It has left behind countless literary classics, historical documents, cultural relics, and national records reflecting its immense scope. Culture includes religion, food, style, language, marriage, music, morals and many other things
I was born in one of the countries in Asia, and our staple food is rice. Rice is always at the center of the table, and the rest of the viand surrounds it. Here in the United States, my household still eat rice every day, accompanied by cooked vegetables and meat. My food choices are influenced by culture and family. Vegetables and fruits of my choice are abundant at the International Market and other Asian grocery stores. Vegetables are also available for a cheaper price at the farmers market. I myself buy these foods to ensure its freshness, prepare and cook them for my entire family. Inspired by Asian and American cuisine, our food is prepared with variety of cooking styles; such as dry like barbecues, baked and fried, with sauce
One of the most common dishes in China that people eat during Chinese New Year is the fish. There are three types of lucky fish. The three lucky fishes are the Crucial Carp, Chinese Mud Carp and the Catfish. All three of the fish represent luck in fortune for the family. The fish, unlike other foods, should be eaten last because the Chinese believe that the fish holds the most luck and should be saved until everything is eaten. Foods that are important and should be eaten on Chinese New Year is Chinese Dumplings, Spring Rolls, Rice Cakes, Sweet Rice Balls, Longevity noodles, tangerines, oranges, pomelos and shaddocks. Many believe these foods will bring them luck because the character, meaning and pronunciation represent something good and
Chinese New Year is the most widely celebrated tradition in Asia. The tradition is usually celebrated on the first day of the first month on the Chinese Lunar calendar. This tradition is rooted in centuries-old customs and is one of the most popular public holidays in China. Apart from China, this tradition is also celebrated in many Asian countries like Korea, Taiwan, Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia, and Japan. There are many values and rituals tied with this tradition. For example, people would wear red clothing, decorate the house with red paper, and give children "lucky money" in red envelopes. According to legend, it is said that red can drive away bad luck, which is why the color red is highly emphasized. In myths, our ancestors would light bamboo stalks, believing that the crackling flames would scare off evil spirits. This is why fireworks and firecrackers are set off during this special tradition. Other values and traditions during Chinese New Year dinner such as eating specific dishes during the New Years Eve Dinner, exchanging red envelopes, and cleaning the house. These traditions all emphasize one value: the importance of family reunion during Chinese New Year. Family reunion is essential because it is a time to interact with family and friends who often times do not live nearby. Family and relatives will plan their schedules around Chinese New Year dinner, instead of taking family for granted. Adults also teach children important tradition and lessons during Chinese New Year so that when they grow older, they would continue this tradition with their families.