Holiday Foods of ChinaElena Pendleton

Spanish 1-110/17/13

China• The People’s Republic of

China• The world’s most

populated country – over 1.35 billion people

• Capital: Beijing• Communist

Government

China (continued)• The world’s second

largest country by land area– 9.6 million square

kilometers• One of the world’s earliest

civilizations– As early as 2000 B.C.

• World’s fastest growing economy and second largest economy

• World’s largest exporter and importer of goods

Chinese Cuisine• Chinese food is influenced by China’s vast history• It is common to have many dishes at one time, and

to pick from each dish like one would do in a buffet• The staple food of China is rice• Meat dishes are also common• Many spices are used

Traditional Chinese Holidays• Chinese Lunar New Year (and

Spring Festival)– Celebrates last day of lunar year

and first day of the new lunar year– Fireworks, parade, family feast,

money-giving in red envelopes

(Holidays in bold are public holidays)

Traditional Chinese Holidays (continued)

• Lantern Festival– Chinese Valentine’s Day– Celebrates first full moon of the new year– The last day of new year celebrations– Lantern parade

Traditional Chinese Holidays (continued)

• Blue Dragon Festival

• Shangsi Festival – Women’s Day

• Qingming Festival – Visiting and cleaning of

ancestral tombs, giving offerings to ancestors

Traditional Chinese Holidays (continued)

• Dragon Boat Festival– Commemorates the poet “Qu Yuan”– Dragon boat racing

• Qixi Festival (Double 7th, the Magpie Festival)– Celebrates traditional Chinese love

story

• Ghost Festival– Burn fake paper money– Make offerings to ancestors

Traditional Chinese Holidays (continued)

• National Day (October 1st)

• Moon/Mid-Autumn Festival– Family feast– Praying– During the full moon

• Chongyang (Double 9th)– Based on yin and yang– Mountain climbing with family

Traditional Chinese Holidays (continued)

• Spirit/Water Lantern Festival

• Winter Solstice – Chinese Thanksgiving– Family feast

• Laba Festival– Celebrates the day Buddha

gained enlightenment

Chinese Holiday Foods• The Lunar New Year– Dumplings– Fish

• The Lantern Festival– Yuanxian or Tangyuan: Sweet dumpling balls made

of sticky rice and filled with different fillings• Blue Dragon Festival – Chinese Pancakes – Noodles

Chinese Holiday Foods (continued)• Dragon Boat Festival – Dumplings wrapped in lotus leaves– Zongzi: sticky rice wrapped in bamboo leaves– Yellow Rice Wine

Chinese Holiday Foods (continued)

• Moon/Mid-autumn festival– Mooncakes: The round

cakes symbolize the reunion of family and resemble the full moon

• Chongyang (the Double Ninth Festival)– Chongyang cakes: cakes

made of rice flour and decorated with chestnuts and almonds

Chinese Holiday Foods (continued)• Winter Solstice– Yuanxian or Tangyuan– Jiuniang: sweet rice

porridge– Dumplings– Baozi: steamed bun with

filling(in the south:)– Tsampa: roasted flour

usually mixed with butter tea

– Sticky rice – Rice cakes

Chinese Holiday Foods (continued)• Laba Festival– Laba congee– Congee: rice porridge– Congee can have various toppings, Laba congee

usually comes with grains and fruits

Websites• www.chinesefood.about.com/od/foodfestivals

/chinese_festival_foods.htm• www.cookingsimplechinesefoodathome.com• www.infoplease.com/spot/chinesenewyear• www.travelandleisure.com/articles/worlds-mo

st-traditional-holiday-foods/lz• www.travelchinaguide.com/essential/public-h

oliday.htm• www.travelchinaguide.com/picture/