On traditional Chinese New Year’s Day, Chinese people have a culture of making and enjoying crescent-shaped dumplings together with the wish of a lucky and prosperous year.
Crescent-shaped dumplings, or “Jiaozi” in Chinese, appeared almost 2000 years ago in Chinese history. This has become a part of the Chinese cultural experience due to the great taste and the love of the Chinese for this dish.
Since crescent-shaped dumplings are not only used as a daily dish but also appear in every Chinese meal as always, no matter how luxurious the meal is. Crescent-shaped dumplings are made of two parts, the wrapper and the filling inside. The filling is a mixture of minced ingredients like meat, vegetables, tofu, or egg. Then it is wrapped in a wrapper made of flour. This food is cooked in many forms such as boiled, steamed, or fried.
Crescent-shaped dumplings are known as an important and indispensable dish in Chinese culture. Tourists will be considered as having never been to China if they have not tasted this dish. According to CNN, dumplings also contribute to the uniqueness and diversity of Chinese cuisine.
Besides being a Chinese symbol dish, crescent-shaped dumplings also hold a Chinese cultural significance in terms of wealth, luck, and reunion. Indeed, crescent-shaped dumplings look like an ancient gold bar shape. Chinese people believe that eating crescent-shaped dumplings during the New Year means 'attracting fortune' for themselves. Especially, the best wishes and luck will come in the coming months if they start the new year with dumplings. Additionally, according to Chinese customs, family members will gather together to make crescent-shaped dumplings on special occasions. This will be a precious time for families to reconnect, bond, and share. Henceforth, this activity is seen as a symbol of reunion and harmony in a family.
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