Why do we eat dumplings on New Year's Eve? The meaning of eating dumplings on New Year's Eve is an ancient legend

According to Chinese traditional customs, dumplings are a delicacy on every household’s table on New Year’s Eve. So, why do we eat dumplings on New Year’s Eve? What is the meaning of eating dumplings on New Year’s Eve? Next, let’s do some scientific research together.

Why do we eat dumplings on New Year's Eve?

1. According to ancient legends, eating dumplings on New Year's Eve is to commemorate Pangu's creation of the world and ending the state of chaos. Dumplings evolved from "wontons", which was a homonym of "hun tun" and "hun tun", meaning "a full store of grain".
2. Another theory about eating dumplings on New Year's Eve is that it is related to Nuwa creating human beings. It is said that Nuwa pierced a small hole in the human ear, tied the ear with a thin thread, and put the other end of the thread in the mouth of the loess man for him to bite. Only in this way could the ear be considered completed. In order to commemorate Nuwa's achievements, people made dumplings, kneaded the dough into the shape of human ears, filled them with stuffing (thread), and ate them with their mouths.

The meaning of eating dumplings on New Year's Eve

1. Dumplings are usually wrapped before 12 o'clock on New Year's Eve, and we can eat dumplings at the beginning of the first day of the first lunar month. Because "zi" means "midnight" and "jiao" is homophonic with "jiao", eating dumplings means "changing the year and handing over the child", which has the connotation of "joyful reunion" and "good luck".
2. Dumplings with different fillings have different meanings. For example: golden ruyi, sugar, peanuts, dates and chestnuts are wrapped into the filling. Those who eat Ruyi and sugar will have a sweeter life in the coming year. Those who eat peanuts will be healthy and live longer. Those who eat dates and chestnuts will have children soon.

3. Customs vary from place to place. In some places, dumplings are eaten with side dishes to indicate good luck. For example: eating dried persimmons symbolizes everything going well; eating three fresh vegetables symbolizes the start of good fortune; eating fish balls, meat balls and hair algae symbolizes reunion and prosperity.

4. The same dumplings, but different ways of eating them also represent different meanings. For example, in some areas in the north, dumplings and noodles are cooked together, while in some other places dumplings are cooked in vermicelli broth, and then eaten with the soup, which means gold thread passing through ingots.