You’ve seen this dish. You’ve heard people shouting and screaming while tossing it. But did you know there was a ‘correct’ way to do this? Watch this video and see how it’s done. JY
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EAT YOUR WAY TO A WEALTHY NEW YEAR
Learn more about this popular CNY dish in Hong Kong, Malaysia and Singapore.
One of the most anticipated traditions every Chinese New Year is the tossing of Yee Sang, otherwise known as ‘Lo Hay.’ A Chinese New Year dinner is considered incomplete without this fun and delicious tradition.
Yee Sang is a symbol of good luck, wealth, prosperity, health, and is an auspicious dish which is meant to usher in all these into people’s lives for the Lunar Year. This age-old custom steeped in ancient tradition and culture was brought over to Malaysia by the Cantonese and Hokkiens back in the 1800s.
Though Yee Sang is one of the most looked forward to tradition during the Chinese New Year, do people actually know the story behind its origins?
Well, Chinese legend has it that the goddess Nu Wa spent six days creating animals out of mud, and on the seventh day, she created humans. This day, is known as Ren Ri – otherwise known as the day of humankind and is celebrated on the seventh day of the Chinese New Year as an honor and commemoration of the day humankind was created.
As celebration, the Chinese enjoy a special dish comprising of SEVEN symbolic delicacies, one of which is raw fish, a cuisine which was popular among the social elite in China back in those times.
Despite its origins, today, this dish and tradition which is usually served as an appetizer before a meal is only well-known and practiced in Malaysia and Singapore and is no longer enjoyed specifically on the seventh day. Locals have even peppered this custom with a more fun twist – mixing and tossing the food while exclaiming auspicious wishes and hopes for the new year.
What makes up a Yee Sang? It’s no longer just raw fish and colorful vegetables these days. Though to a certain extent the raw fish and raw vegetables used as ingredients might have been dictated by practical considerations in the early days.
But now, one is be able to find different versions or variations on what is used as ingredients to make up a big old platter of Yee Sang, really, there isn’t one specific rule applied to this dish!
The popular custom during a Yee Sang is for all those gathered at the table to toss the ingredients high in the air (using chopsticks!) with joyful exclamations of "Loh Hay" (meaning: toss high). The tossing of the food mixture signifies them wishing for abundant luck and happiness as they usher in the New Year. The louder the shouts, the higher the toss, the better it is!
We know we can’t wait to toss Yee Sang, and shout “Loh Hay”! And in the spirit of the New Year, we have this special FREE CNY downloadable guide for you: www.joeyyap.com/2020. Yee Sang is but one of the many customs and traditions celebrated by 1/6 people on this planet. If you want to learn more about the other customs and practices, don’t miss this download.
Happy Chinese New Year!
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