Can't we finish the fish in the New Year's Eve dinner? Can we eat the fish in the New Year's Eve dinner?

Chinese people pay attention to good intentions when celebrating the Spring Festival, hoping for "abundance every year". Of course, "fish" is indispensable on the Spring Festival dinner table. Even the names of the fish are specially chosen with auspicious words. But, can’t we finish the fish for the New Year’s Eve dinner?

Can't we finish the fish for the New Year's Eve dinner?

uncertain. The key is to look at your local customs. This is a requirement in some places. When eating fish for the New Year’s Eve dinner, only the middle part is eaten. Do not eat it all. The head and tail should be left for the next year (i.e. the beginning of the year), to express the wish for a “complete beginning and end” in the New Year. In addition, in some places, fish is the last dish at the banquet. Once it is served on the table, it is basically not eaten, but left behind as a mascot, meaning "abundance every year." Of course, there are also some places where people don’t care at all and are very casual about eating the food. They think it’s all fish anyway, and it still has the meaning of having surplus every year.

Can I eat fish for the New Year's Eve dinner?

Generally, it is edible, because the fish on the New Year’s Eve dinner table is not only used to symbolize abundance every year, but also to be eaten. It also represents bidding farewell to the old and welcoming the new, symbolizing better wishes for the new year. However, in some areas, fish cannot be eaten at the New Year’s Eve dinner. There are indeed some customs and taboos.

Why do we eat fish for New Year's Eve dinner?

Eating fish at the New Year’s Eve dinner is for good luck. People believe that the New Year's Eve dinner is very particular. There must be fish at the dinner and it must not be eaten up. This implies "abundance every year" and is a hope for good luck. The homonym of “fish”, “yu”, not only represents surplus, but also symbolizes exorcising demons and ghosts.

The Etiquette of Eating Fish During Chinese New Year

1. There seems to be an unspoken rule about eating fish during the Spring Festival in many areas south of the Yangtze River. Fish is the last dish at the banquet. When it is served on the table, people usually do not eat it but leave it aside as a lucky charm, which means "abundance every year". In some places, people pay attention to eating fish during the New Year’s Eve dinner, and they must keep the head and tail of the fish until the next year (i.e. the beginning of the next year), to express the wish of having a "beginning and end" in the New Year.

2. There are also some rules for arranging fish. The fish head should be facing the distinguished guest or elder to show respect; if the guest is a scholar, the fish belly should be facing him to praise him for his knowledge and articles; if the guest is a military general, the fish spine should be facing him to praise him for his bravery and boldness, and he can be regarded as the backbone. Also, when the fish is served on the table, the fish's head should be facing whom and its tail should be facing whom, and once it is placed, it cannot be moved. The person facing the fish head "cuts the ribbon", and the person facing the fish tail "sponsors"; first the two people drink a glass of wine together, and then the person facing the fish head picks up the chopsticks to eat the fish (the so-called "cutting the ribbon"), and then everyone can pick up the chopsticks, and the atmosphere is lively and full of joy.