The Weed: February 2009 Issue
Good greetings our dear readers! The 15 days of Chinese New Year officially drew its curtains closed on the 9th of February. I’m sure all or if not most of you enjoy every bit of the celebration. And now, let us proceed the rest of the ox year with prosperity!
Once again, we have an exciting issue published for the month of February. This month, we have an interesting article on Yu Sheng, one of the important dishes that bring about prosperity and success during Chinese New Year celebration. And as your taste buds demands for more, read up on the Hainanese Chicken Rice that is regarded by the locals in Malaysia as a “must-try” dish when one visits the multiracial country. Do try to prepare the dish during your spare time as the taste definitely worth the try.Ever fancy the Chinese Astrology? The feng shui? Wu Xing? We have included an article focused exclusively on the Chinese Astrology that contributed one way or another to the astrology studies in all edges of the world.
To sum up, I hope each and everyone of you enjoy this month’s issue. As the term for the editorial board draws towards the end, we, the editorial committee of The Weed would like to take this opportunity to thank our readers for your support by every means. We hope that you will continue to support us by dropping by The Weed Online more often for further updates on Chinese Society of University of Bristol.
Stuart Chan
Yu Sheng
by Jia Yin Lim
Renri (人日) is translated as the Human Day, and it is believed to be the day when human beings were created. It is traditionally celebrated by the fishermen from Guangzhou by feasting on their catches. This culture is believed to have started in Chouzhou and Shantou during the Southern Song Dynasty. This tradition has widely spread in many parts of Asia. There is a variety of different ingredients that are used depending on customer’s preferences and the choices of local people. For example, salmon is introduced as an alternative to raw mackerel. However, the original standardized raw fish dish with 27 ingredients which includes plum sauce, raw mackerel, jelly fish, sesame oil, and sun-dried oranges, serves the exquisite salad. Due to the irresistible taste of the dish, yusheng has become a popular dish among the Chinese community in Malaysia and Singapore which is typically available only during festive seasons.
Today, yusheng is served as an appetizer to raise good luck in the New Year. This practice is known as “lou hei” (Cantonese: 捞起) which refers to thriving business and thus its popularity among businessmen during Chinese New Year celebration. It is also known as “lou sheng” (Cantonese: 捞生) which simply means tossing up good fortunes. Family members and friends gather around the table and start to toss the shredded ingredients into the air using chopsticks while saying their auspicious wishes out loud as a prosperous start of the New Year. According to the Chinese believes and customs, the higher you toss, the greater your fortunes.
Source: http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2078/2275257950_cb0fed720d_o.jpg
The colourful array of ingredients like carrots, shredded green and white radish arranged on the large serving plate has its own ritual and meanings. Firstly, all at the table offers New Year greetings like Gong xi fa cai which means congratulation for you wealth. Secondly, raw fish is added to symbolize abundance throughout the year. Next, bits of pomelo are added over the raw fish denoting both luck and auspicious value. This is followed by pepper and oil, indicating increase of profits and money inflow. The condiments including peanuts crumbs and deep-fried flour crisps are dusted over the yusheng, signifying eternal youth and flourishing business. Finally, “lou hei”!
Yusheng is not only a culture, custom or practice but it unites the family as everyone sits together saying out loud their wishes hope for the best for the other family members and of course enjoy their dinner together.
Reference source: http://infopedia.nl.sg/articles/SIP_177__2009-01-08.html
Wikipedia, Yu Sheng, Renri
Chicken Rice
by Wong Shou Lee
If you travel from Bangkok to Kuala Lumpur and further down south to Singapore, it is worth noticing and remembering about their yummy food along the way. Of course, there are thousands of choices to be experienced there, but one of the “must-try “cuisines is the famous Hainanese chicken rice.
Obviously, the Hainanese Chicken Rice is the exclusive trademark of the Hainanese overseas Chinese who have been residing in the Nanyang (Southeast Asia) area since the 19th century. Hainanese traces their root to the Hainan Island (South of China, West of Vietnam). Technically, Hainanese chicken rice is a Chinese dish that consists of a poached chicken along with rice that is cooked in chicken broth. It is commonly served with chili sauce and other condiments.
In short, the Hainanese Chicken Rice is consists of 3 main components and 2 optional items:
a.) The Rice itself
b.) The Chicken
c.) Chicken Soup
d.) Chili sauce (optional)
e.) Garlic (optional)
Presentation of the famous Hainanese Chicken Rice
Some of the basic steps are as follows:
First, poach the chicken (gently simmer it in hot boiling water) and the chicken rice is made using the liquid that the chicken was cooked in. The chicken is dipped into a big pot of water and it is soaked to cool down. Then, the bones are removed and they are used to boil chicken soup.
Detailed receipe can be obtained from the following source:
a.) http://www.roseskitchenette.com/?p=316
b.) http://wokkingmum.blogspot.com/2007/05/hainanese-chicken-rice.html
There are 2 interesting facts about the Hainanese Chicken Rice
i.) Chicken Rice Balls
Chicken Rice Balls
Picture source: Famose Chicken Rice Ball Sdn. Bhd.
In Malacca (a state in Malaysia), the chicken is served with rice balls rather than a bowl of rice, commonly known as “Chicken Rice balls” or just “Rice Balls”. Instead of spreading the rice evenly on a plate, the chicken rice is shaped into golf ball-sized spheres. The primary reason for shaping the rice into balls, according to some experienced chefs is because it needed to be kept warm from the time it was cooked until mealtime. The rice balls stayed warm for a longer time in wooden containers.
ii.) “National Dish”
Alongside curry laksa and chilli crab, Hainanese Chicken Rice is often regarded as the “national dish” of Singapore. It is not only served in almost every coffee shop in Singapore, but at international exhibitions as well as Singapore Airlines flights.
In short, the Hainanese Chicken Rice is the most unique way of combining the best of chicken, rice, ginger, garlic and chilli.
Chinese Astrology
by Sue Yin Chuah
One fine day in the sixth century B.C., the Jade Emperor invited all the animals in creation to a race, only twelve showed up which are rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, lamb, monkey, rooster, dog and pig. These 12 animals had been given a number by the Jade Emperor according to the result of the race with the rat as the winner of the race. However, before the race was held, there were legends describing the characteristics of each animal and it pretty much reflects the Chinese’s characteristics generally according to the year they were born shown in the Chinese calendar.
The Five Elements
Yin and Yang Symbol, Taijitu
Pictures sources: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Wuxing.svg
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7c/Yin_and_Yang.svg/600px-Yin_and_Yang.svg.png
Wu Xing, the Five movements or Five Phases or traditionally known as the Five Elements are to classify matter and its developmental movement stage in Chinese Theory Field. For example, the Five movements are used to describe the interactions and relationships between phenomena. It was also employed in many fields of early Chinese thought for example Feng Shui, traditional Chinese medicine, traditional Chinese music and martial arts.
The Five movements are:
• Tree, traditionally Wood (Chinese: 木, pinyin: mù)
• Fire (Chinese: 火, pinyin: huǒ)
• Earth (Chinese: 土, pinyin: tǔ)
• Metal (Chinese: 金, pinyin: jīn)
• Water (Chinese: 水, pinyin: shuǐ)
The Five Elements are used to generate two cycles:
Generating/Creation Cycle
Overcoming/Destructive Cycle
The balance of Yin and Yang and the Five Elements in a person’s make up has a major bearing on what is beneficial and affective for them in terms of Feng Shui, the Chinese form of Geomancy. This is because each element is linked to a particular direction and season, and their different kind of “qi” or life force.
The concept of Yin and Yang is used to describe how seemingly the opposing forces are interconnected and interdependent in the natural world, giving rise to each other in turn. Many natural dualities – dark and light, male and female, low and high- are cast in Chinese thought as Yin and Yang. Yin is usually characterized as slow, soft, insubstantial, diffuse, cold, wet, and tranquil. It is generally associated with the feminine, birth and generation, and with the night. Yang, by contrast, is characterized as hard, fast, solid, dry, focused, hot, and aggressive. It is associated with masculinity and daytime.
Reference source: Wikipedia, yin and yang;
Wikipedia, Wu Xing
http://www.chinaonline.cn.com/chinese_culture/topical/chinese-zodiac.html
Event Pictures
