Happy Chinese New Year!

2021 is the year of the Ox!

The Runaway Wok (A CHINESE NEW YEAR TALE)
By YING CHANG COMPESTINE Illustrated by SEBASTIA SERRA

Author’s Note: Compestine shares

The Chinese lunar calendar is based on the phases of the moon. The Chinese New Year, also known as the Spring Festival, begins on the first new moon of the year and ends on the first full moon, marking a fifteen-day celebration that usually starts between mid-January and early February. It is the most significant Chinese holiday and emphasizes sharing. Many rituals and traditions are carried out. Dragon dance troupes, led by cymbal and drum players, wind through the city streets. Excited spectators light firecrackers, creating a series of deafening bangs. The racket is believed to scare off evil spirits and ensure a new year full of health, prosperity, and happiness.

Food is an important aspect of the celebration. Families and friends gather from far and near to share a New Year’s Eve feast and to wish each other a prosperous and happy new year.

Among the dishes traditionally served are; crab and shrimp, which symbolize prosperity; rice cakes and sweet rice pudding, symbolizing happiness; and noodles, which represent a long and happy life. The most significant dish for children is the festive stir-fried rice, cooked in a wok. The various ingredients in this dish represent harmony and happiness. Parents urge their children to eat it so they will get along in the coming year.

The cast-iron wok was invented in China during the Han Dynasty (206 B.C. – A.D. 220). Even today, it is still the main cooking utensil used in Chinese cuisine. The northern-style wok, with one handle, is slightly lighter than the southern-style wok, which comes with two handles. The traditional wok is a symbol of sharing, because it is big enough to cook a meal for many families.

Food: Make fried rice using the recipe shared in the book Festive Stir-Fried Rice – The Runaway Wok

Activity: Cupcake Liner Dragon

Recommendations: Visit the catalog for additional books available at the library