Holiday Foods of China
Elena Pendleton
Spanish 1-1
10/17/13
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/worldsmost-traditional-holiday-foods/lz
• www.travelchinaguide.com/essential/publicholiday.htm
• www.travelchinaguide.com/picture/