Gong Xi Fa Cai ! Pei Yue, university faculty, native of
Huludao, Liaoning Province
Like in the rest of China, the younger generations in my hometown have to
visit the elderly.
Gifts for old people are something practical such as wine, meat or cartons of
drinks. And grandchildren always pick filberts or almonds as gifts for their
grandparents so that they can enjoy them together.
I remember at the age of six, I came up with the idea of having my mom buy me
a set of Encyclopedia For Students instead of food or clothes.
I also remember one winter in 1993, one countryside friend of my father came
to give us festival presents, and I happened to be alone at home. Told to be
wary of strangers, I asked him to pass the present through the bars of the door.
But to my big shock and surprise, what he tried to stick in was a fat,
round-eyed frozen wild rabbit. Later, this friend also occasionally sent us
chicken from the mountain and some fresh seafood.
Liu Wei, native of Yancheng, Jiangsu Province
Shrimps and crabs would be the ideal new year gifts in Yancheng, a small city
in East China's Jiangsu Province.
One may wonder why people living in a city near the South Sea should crave
these as shrimps and crabs form the staple of their daily diet. The fact is that
there is nothing like too much tasty food!
And these foods don't require the spicy flavorings of Sichuan cuisine to be
enjoyed. All that one needs is water, salt, vinegar, and ginger. The water and
salt help the cooking, while vinegar and ginger provide the flavorings.
Wu Chong, native of Jianyang, Fujian Province
Fujian Province not only boasts the most dialects but also a wide range of
different customs for the Spring Festival. In the coastal areas, including
Xiamen and Quanzhou, seafood or cakes top the list of gifts.
In my hometown, which lies in the mountainous north, rock candy and preserved
honey dates are almost a must gift while visiting relatives.
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