Chinese by Ann Lin
Translated by Holly Zhou
Pictures courtesy of SAINT LOUIS ART MUSEUM
Chinese New Year is the most important festival for all ethnic Chinese. A reunion dinner is held on Chinese New Year’s eve, and fish is an indispensable dish at this dinner. People follow a shared tradition of leaving some parts of the fish uneaten. What are the cultural meanings behind this tradition?
The pronunciation of fish in Chinese is “yu,” which signifies abundance and prosperity. Eating fish on New Year’s eve shows appreciation for the blessings of the past year and aspirations for the next year’s fortunes. For thousands of years, fish have held unique connotations for Chinese people. They are commonly depicted in paintings and crafts as a symbol of abundance. In Chinese paintings, a combination of fish and lotus flowers represents prosperity year after year, while two fish playing together signifies affluence.
Fish as a Totem
In ancient times, people who lived near rivers feasted on fish. Catching a great number of fish represented an abundant harvest. Fish were thus associated with totem worship and harvest rituals. Seven thousand years ago, the ancient Banpo people painted fish patterns on colored pottery basins, thus highlighting fish as a totem of their ancestors.
