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If most people in the United States know anything about the Chinese New Year, the knowledge begins with fireworks, ends with food and is red all over.
But the Chinese New Year, which this year begins Feb. 14, is so much more.
"It is a holiday filled with symbolism, tradition, family, friends and food," said Anthony Chan, a vice president of Asian Food Markets. "In Asia, the traditions of the Chinese zodiac, the good and bad luck meanings of foods and the annual rituals are ingrained into the culture. But as immigrants have become Americanized, some traditions have not been as regularly observed and the meanings have been lost to many."
In addition, those raised in Western cultures know little about the New Year's festivities.
That's why the Asian Food Markets' Piscataway store has created a Chinese New Year's education campaign. And in a further effort to present some of the best of Asian tastes, the Piscataway store will present a free Asian Food Fair, Feb. 27-28, with more than a dozen vendors offering free samples. The Asian Food Markets of Piscataway is located at 1339 Centennial Ave."Although there is so much to learn about the Chinese New Year, the connecting factor always seems to be food – lots and lots of delicious dishes," Chan said. "Some are served only once a year."
The education campaign is made up of nine posters – seven of them about food – that explain ritual items and the traditions behind them. For example:
Presenting food whole is symbolic of completeness. Cutting food is considered unlucky and could cut short a family's good fortune. That's why foods – including fish, chicken and noodles – are prepared whole.
New Year's guests are treated to the Tray of Togetherness containing eight compartments – each with a sugared fruit or vegetable or nut with a symbolic meaning. Lotus seeds symbolize fertility and having many children. Winter melon is a symbol of good health, growth and a sweet and easy life.
In Northern China and other areas, it is a tradition to spend New Year's Eve making dumplings (jiaozi) and then eating them at midnight. The dumplings symbolize money. This ritual means the family will have money at the changing of the year.
Two posters deal with the Year of Tiger (this coming year on the Chinese calendar) and the red envelope.
Each animal in the zodiac has special characteristics. Tradition says people take on the personality of the animal that highlights the year they were born. Tigers are said to be natural leaders, live dangerously, and are outgoing and straightforward. Famous tigers include Marco Polo, Karl Marx, Dwight D. Eisenhower and Jay Leno.
During New Year's, red paper envelopes are filled with lucky money and presented to the younger generation – children and the unmarried. They can also be used for traditional gifts for birthdays, weddings and bonuses at work.
"America is the world's melting pot of cultures," Chan said. "But at the same time, we also want to celebrate the unique characteristics of Asian cultures. And we want to try to teach a little of that to our customers."
The Asian Food Markets, founded in 1992, has full service supermarkets in Piscataway, North Plainfield, Middletown, Plainsboro, Cherry Hill and Staten Island.
– ANDY LAGOMARSINO, NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM
