A hobby presentation at Rod Library in Spring 2011

1. Cooking Elaine Chen, April 6, 2011

2. Taiwanese Holiday Foods Spring Festival: New Year cake/ Niangao Lantern Festival: Yuanxiao Ching Ming Festival: Spring Rolls Dragon Boat Festival: ZongZi Moon Festival: Moon cake Chinese New Year's Eve: Dumplings/jiǎozi

3. Spring Festival When: 1st day of 1st lunar month History: the beginning of Chinese New Year started with the fight against a mythical beast called the Nian. Nian would come on the first day of New Year to destroy livestock, crops, and even people, especially children. To protect themselves, people would prepared lots of food at the beginning of every year to feed the Nian. After the Nian ate the food they prepared, it wouldn’t attack any more people. Nian was afraid of the color red because one time, people saw the Nian was scared away by a little child wearing red. People also used firecrackers to frighten away the Nian. Lucky color: Red Lucky Food: Nian Gao

6. Yuanxiao is sticky, sweet and round in shape is symbolizing family unity, completeness and happiness

7. Ching Ming Festival When: April 5th (Western calendar) History: Ching Ming Festival is when Chinese people visit the graves of their ancestors. In Taiwan, the holiday has become a day with families gathering to honor their ancestors and share traditional meals. Food: Spring Roll

10. History: The best-known story is to commemorate the death of poet Qu Yuan (c. 340 BCE – 278 BCE) who served the King of Chu. However, when the king decided to ally with the increasingly powerful state of Qin, Qu was banished for opposing the alliance. Qu was accused of treason. Qu Yuan wrote a great deal of poetry for which he is now remembered. 28 years later, Qin conquered the capital of Chu. In despair, Qu Yuan committed suicide by drowning himself in the Miluo River on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month. It is said that the local people threw lumps of rice into the river to feed the fish so that they would not eat Qu body.This is said to be the origin of zongzi. The local people also paddled out on boats to scare the fish away.

13. History: Legend says that Chang Er flew to the moon, where she has lived ever since. You might see her dancing on the moon during the Moon Festival. It is a time for family reunion again. The Moon Festival is also a romantic one. A great number of poetry has been devoted to this romantic festival.

16. History: The biggest event that every family will have. This meal is comparable to Christmas dinner in the West. In northern China, it is customary to make dumplings (jiaozi)after dinner and have it around midnight. Dumplings symbolize wealth because their shape is like an ancient currency.

18. includes meat, fish, or sweets

20. Thank you!