The Chiao-tzu is such an essential part of the Lunar New Year feast because it symbolizes the luckiness and fortune desired by the …show more content…
Whether the filling be made with a chestnut, to bless newlyweds with a male heir, or a candied melon, to wish someone sweetness of life, the wishes can only be fulfilled if the dumpling is eaten, which symbolizes the fact that the recipient still needs to work for their fortune to be granted. This symbolism is realistic because it shows that people may wish good fortune for others, but in order for the fortune to come true, the recipients must have the will to make that fortune a reality. Thus, the meaning behind the dumpling can only be fulfilled if both parties – the cook/wisher and the eater/recipient – work together, so that the Chiao-tzu can be eaten and the wish of fortune be granted upon the completion of hard work and …show more content…
However, one food that differentiates the two celebrations is the Vietnamese banh tet or banh chung. Simply, it is a cake, shaped as either a cylinder or a square, made with sticky rice, mung beans, and fatty meat wrapped in banana leaves. Though its appearance may seem humble, this rice cake was worthy enough to be eaten by both royalty and civilian soldier. Today, it can always be found at the Vietnamese New Year table as a representation of Vietnamese