“Is it not delightful to have friends coming from distant quarters?” -Confucius
The Chinese New Year, or Spring Festival, has more than 4,000 years of history and is the longest holiday of the year. In the 21st century, the national holiday begins on the first of the Lunar Calendar and lasts until the 15th of the first month. In 2019, Chinese New Year begins on and ends
Recent years of the Pig are: 1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007, 2019
This year marks the Year of the Pig, which is the 12th of all zodiac animals.
“According to a myth, the Jade Emperor said the order would be decided by when each animal arrived to his party. The Pig was late because he overslept, putting him at No. 12. Personality traits of the pig include a gentle and accommodating personality. They have a calm appearance, a strong heart and are natural nurturers. However, their weaknesses include being somewhat naïve and too sensitive.” (NY POST)
Paired with the Celestial Stems (天干—Tiān gān), there is a 60-year calendrical cycle. Although hài is associated with earth, the years also cycle through the five elements of nature (五行—wǔ xíng).
A lot of prep work done in advance as usual. I cleaned the shrimp, marinated the meat overnight and prepared the homemade dumplings.
Blend your homemade dishes with some pre-made products like steamed pork buns and soup dumplings.
A happy and prosperous 2019!
JKS 1/31/19
ErinGoScratch 