Chinese New Year also known as Lunar New Year was on February 15th this year. The celebration takes 23 days and each day the family is supposed to do different things.
Originally, I had no plans for the New Year but my co-worker Hebe invited me to her family's house in Ningbo. I was grateful! Letting a stranger into your family`s home, letting them eat, drink, and sleep in your house is super duper kind. I was there for six days.
Originally, I had no plans for the New Year but my co-worker Hebe invited me to her family's house in Ningbo. I was grateful! Letting a stranger into your family`s home, letting them eat, drink, and sleep in your house is super duper kind. I was there for six days.
I ate two meals at Hebe's paternal grandfather's home, who lived just up the road, and the rest at Hebe's house. The important meals were served at the grandfather's house.
The Food
If you recall the wedding blog post from 2017, the food is similiar and served in a similar fashion (ie. on a lazy Susan on the table). Most of what was served was meat and a small side of vegetables. The meat was fish that ranged from crab, lobster, shrimp, and a huge ocean fish (like three feet long). There was also a turtle. A TURTLE. It was served in a bowl of broth with the shell taken off but the head was still on along with the skin. I tried not to show my shock so I could be respectful. I had one bite of it, it is salty and fishy and it is a dark colored meat. We didn't eat it, but in the bathroom they had a dead snake in a kiddie pool which I assume was to be dinner for a different day.
The Food
If you recall the wedding blog post from 2017, the food is similiar and served in a similar fashion (ie. on a lazy Susan on the table). Most of what was served was meat and a small side of vegetables. The meat was fish that ranged from crab, lobster, shrimp, and a huge ocean fish (like three feet long). There was also a turtle. A TURTLE. It was served in a bowl of broth with the shell taken off but the head was still on along with the skin. I tried not to show my shock so I could be respectful. I had one bite of it, it is salty and fishy and it is a dark colored meat. We didn't eat it, but in the bathroom they had a dead snake in a kiddie pool which I assume was to be dinner for a different day.
Common snacks that were served included nuts and fruit. We drank white and green tea (not matcha) with the leaves floating in the water. I don't know if people eat the leaves but I was spitting them back into my cup.
While you are at the table the adults will serve wine. They have nice tasting red wine and a white liqour and that liqour is 70% alcohol and tastes like sour death. The hosts will fill up your glass to the very rim and toast over and over. When they toast you, their glass will be lower than your glass. This is to show that a host is beneath the guest, they are serving you. You should take a sip to not embarress the host, even a tiny sip is fine. This will go on through the night.
FYI: Being drunk isn't shameful here and people do get black out drunk at some celebrations (Not at this party but there was a company dinner where half the guests couldn't walk out by themselves by the end).
FYI: Being drunk isn't shameful here and people do get black out drunk at some celebrations (Not at this party but there was a company dinner where half the guests couldn't walk out by themselves by the end).
The Red Envelopes (Hong Boa)
In my research on Lunar New Year it said that guests should bring red envelopes and some sort of gift. The gift usually consists of food so I brought a large box of Danish Cookies to give to Hebe's grandfather. For the red envelopes I was stumped on how much to put in. I wanted to cover my expenses while I stayed there but I didn't want to give more money than the relatives so not to be disrespectful. After hours of searching on the internet I found a source that listed each amount of what a person should give! Sadly, there was not an amount given for "co-worker's friend who is staying in China." Go figure. I put 200 rmb in my two envelopes.
To my surprised Hebe's mother gave me a red envelope and so did the grandfather! I got like 1000 rmb. The whole point of me giving the envelopes, in my mind, was to cover my expenses and now I was way behind. I gave another red envelope to Hebe to even out the cost and she gave me the same amount back.
My advice is to not out give the givers. You will never win the kindness battle.
In my research on Lunar New Year it said that guests should bring red envelopes and some sort of gift. The gift usually consists of food so I brought a large box of Danish Cookies to give to Hebe's grandfather. For the red envelopes I was stumped on how much to put in. I wanted to cover my expenses while I stayed there but I didn't want to give more money than the relatives so not to be disrespectful. After hours of searching on the internet I found a source that listed each amount of what a person should give! Sadly, there was not an amount given for "co-worker's friend who is staying in China." Go figure. I put 200 rmb in my two envelopes.
To my surprised Hebe's mother gave me a red envelope and so did the grandfather! I got like 1000 rmb. The whole point of me giving the envelopes, in my mind, was to cover my expenses and now I was way behind. I gave another red envelope to Hebe to even out the cost and she gave me the same amount back.
My advice is to not out give the givers. You will never win the kindness battle.
Who gets red envelopes? Children or unmarried relatives.
Who gives red envelopes? Everybody gives to the kids.
What do you say? Say Happy New Year in Chinese, "Gong Xi Fai Cai!"
How do you present the envelope? With two hands while saying the above phrase.
How do you accept? With two hands and say Happy New Year! A little bow is good too.
Who gives red envelopes? Everybody gives to the kids.
What do you say? Say Happy New Year in Chinese, "Gong Xi Fai Cai!"
How do you present the envelope? With two hands while saying the above phrase.
How do you accept? With two hands and say Happy New Year! A little bow is good too.
Red, Again?
Yes, but this time the red is slightly different in meaning than the wedding ceremonies. Red does invite good fortune but it serves another purpose according to legend. Back in ancient China there was a demon who would go from village to village eating the people and grain but the citizens couldn't ever fight it back. It was discovered that the demon hated fire, loud noises, and the color red and would avoid places with these things. Fireworks would go off throughout the night to scare the demon and people wore red and hung red paper around their houses.
Today people still light fireworks, hang red paper fortunes on their doors, and wear red. That is also why the envelopes are red, to scare away bad luck and invite good luck.
Yes, but this time the red is slightly different in meaning than the wedding ceremonies. Red does invite good fortune but it serves another purpose according to legend. Back in ancient China there was a demon who would go from village to village eating the people and grain but the citizens couldn't ever fight it back. It was discovered that the demon hated fire, loud noises, and the color red and would avoid places with these things. Fireworks would go off throughout the night to scare the demon and people wore red and hung red paper around their houses.
Today people still light fireworks, hang red paper fortunes on their doors, and wear red. That is also why the envelopes are red, to scare away bad luck and invite good luck.
What Else Did I Do and Learn?
Hebe walked me around here town. There is a park which is quite pretty. In the park is something called Robot Island. The reason is that there is a robot expo that happens in that city every year which brings Ningbo a lot of money. Due to the expo a new hotel was built and there is further expansion on the park.
Hebe walked me around here town. There is a park which is quite pretty. In the park is something called Robot Island. The reason is that there is a robot expo that happens in that city every year which brings Ningbo a lot of money. Due to the expo a new hotel was built and there is further expansion on the park.
We ate dumplings at a restaurant in town and we visited Hebe's maternal grandmother. The grandmother lives in the same town but she is not as wealthy as the father's side of the family.
I learned that when women get married in China they will stay with their husband's side of the family during the New Year. It is rare to go to the maternal side of the family for a meal or celebrations for some families. We did eat at a restaurant with the maternal side of the family but not at anyone's home. The family lived far away from each other as well.
People eat fish on Lunar New Year because Chinese for fish sounds like the Chinese word for renewel. The idea is that eating fish will renew your good luck. I bought decorations that looked like fish.
Other decorations include red chili peppers, fortune squares, red lanterns that ranged from mandarin orange sized to bigger than my head, and whatever the zodiac animal is for that year (dog for 2018).
Other decorations include red chili peppers, fortune squares, red lanterns that ranged from mandarin orange sized to bigger than my head, and whatever the zodiac animal is for that year (dog for 2018).
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