Chinese New Year's Eve Family Dinner - Nian Ye Fan
A significant reunion dinner in different regions of China
Celebrating the Spring Festival dinner, or reunion dinner (年夜饭 Nian Ye Fan), is very important to Chinese people, and the whole family must get gather to enjoy a sumptuous meal . Chicken, duck, fish and pork are necessary. Since different areas have different dietary habits, recipes for reunion dinner vary in the different areas. Let’s explore the recipes of the reunion dinner in the north and the south of China.
The whole family gets together for a big dinner
If you visit China during the Spring Festival, you'll taste the most homely and local flavors of Chinese food, surrounded by festive decorations, and experience this unique 4,000-year-old festival in a joyful atmosphere.
Differences in Reunion Dinners Across Regions
People in the north have flour-based food and meat dishes with large portions. They must eat dumplings. Shape of a dumpling is like a gold or silver ingot, and it means making a lot of money in new year.
In northeastern China, the most typical dish is "mess stew", such as "Braised Chicken with Mushrooms" and "Braised Pork with Vermicelli".
People in Beijing like the implication of everything going smoothly, and the reunion dinner is composed of 4 cold dishes, 4 fried dishes, 4 meat dishes and 4 soups. Main courses are Sixi Balls (Braised Pork Balls in Gravy), ‘Twice-cooked Pork’, and ‘Red Braised Pork Knuckle’.
However, people in the south of China stress the implications of food. They take Tangyuan and ‘Glutinous Rice Cakes’ as the must-eat for the reunion dinner. Glutinous rice balls, also known as ‘Tangyuan’ in Chinese, are usually served in sweet ginger soup. Their round shape signifies the whole family reunion. And eating Nian Gao, also known as glutinous rice cake, is like making a wish every year to be more successful and better than last year.
People along the southeast coast of China prepare seafood with light, fresh tastes, such as lobster, scallop, and oyster, as the main course.
In the southwest, people prefer spicy and salty tastes. Locals will cook lots of sausages, which are often made with lean and fat pork with chili and spice, tasting smoky and piquant. Pork steamed with rice flour, known as Fenzhengrou in Chinese, implies that your life and career will thrive and prosper.
Although the different areas have different recipes for the reunion dinner, all dishes are made for blessing the coming year. Preparing such a grand meal is difficult, but it brings love and best hope to the family.
Traveling during the Spring Festival allows you to experience the joy of making these dishes with local families, which is a unique cultural experience that you can't get from just eating them in a restaurant. To explore more professional food tour routes across China, you can check our food tours for more culinary inspiration!
Changes in Reunion Dinner Dining Styles
The reunion dinner, a core ritual of the Chinese Spring Festival, embodies the cultural significance of family reunion and good fortune. Its evolving dining traditions are a microcosm of social progress and changing family values.
In the past, the reunion dinner at home was the natural choice for most people, who believed that family bonds would be strengthened and the festive atmosphere enhanced through joint meal preparation. As the economy and catering industry developed, an increasing number of young people now choose to eat at restaurants or hire private chefs to prepare the dinner at home, as it is more convenient and time-saving. They argue that family gathering is the core of the reunion dinner, and that home-cooked meals are not as important as the gathering itself. Moreover, preparing the dinner can be tiring, and after a year of hard work, people deserve a break.
Preparing the New Year's Eve family dinner with family
Eating the New Year's Eve family dinner at a restaurant
No matter how the way of having the reunion dinner changes, the theme of family reunion remains the most important thing. This small table carries the simplest emotions and the profoundest culture of the Chinese people. No matter where it is held, the longing for reunion and the wishes for a bright future remain unchanged.
OR
Are you eager to begin your Chinese cultural journey?
Drop us a line and we will promptly connect you with our leading China expert!
What the Chinese Eat for Breakfast 
What the Chinese Eat for Lunch 
What Chinese Eat for Dinner 
Top 10 Most Popular Dishes in China