There is no uniform custom in the south, and everyone eats differently. Different provinces have different customs, and different counties in the same province may eat different things in the New Year. This is the same as the southern dialect. In many places in the south, different counties don't understand each other, or it sounds hard, so it's not surprising to eat different things in the New Year.
No matter which province in the north, jiaozi is basically eaten during the Chinese New Year, so eating jiaozi in China can easily be regarded as a symbol of the Chinese New Year. Because there are 654.38+03 billion people, people who eat jiaozi are far more than those who eat braised pork, live in Pakistan, kill chickens and eat jiaozi.
There are countless articles about the origin of eating jiaozi, such as "jiaozi", which is homophonic, so I won't go into details here. Only modern people, there is nothing to discuss about the significance of eating jiaozi. Culture is culture, and culture doesn't ask why. Everyone is confused and naturally does it, and it is necessary to do it.
Now it is not only the people in the north who eat jiaozi, but also the army. No matter where the troops are, all officers and men will take care of jiaozi during the Chinese New Year.
This is the meaning of eating jiaozi: Bags are very important. Let's wrap them together. This is an atmosphere. Eating jiaozi is mainly a symbol, not a delicacy.
When it comes to cooking, there are three major cuisines in China, namely Luyuechuan, and some of them add Huaiyang cuisine, making them the four major cuisines. The seven major cuisines are more formal, with more than a dozen. No matter how it is divided, Shandong cuisine is the largest cuisine, and the cooking level of northerners is very high. Shandong cuisine is now a royal meal, a national dish, and the state banquet is dominated by Shandong cuisine. It is wrong to think that northerners can't cook and hire jiaozi.
Take Shandong as an example. You must eat jiaozi on Lunar New Year's Eve, which is a symbol of China's New Year. In addition, you should pack enough jiaozi and eat it for one day on New Year's Day. Jiaozi played the role of fast food, because on the first day, he had to pay New Year greetings everywhere, and basically he couldn't rest for one day.
From the second day, it is the day when the daughter and son-in-law return to their parents' home. Every Shandong person will visit his grandmother and uncle on this day, and his son-in-law is a distinguished guest. Therefore, every family is a day to visit VIPs. Since the second day of junior high school, they will cook big dishes to entertain relatives, so they won't eat jiaozi.
To sum up, northerners are not bad cooks, but the best cooks. It's just a matter of when to do it. Jiaozi plays the role of symbol and fast food.
This is different from the south. Southerners don't pay New Year's visits. People don't go door to door on New Year's Day, so they have time to cook at home. Northerners have no time, and the first day is too busy.
In the northern countryside, jiaozi is a woman's bag. At that time, the sisters-in-law sit together and get together. It's a time to get together all the year round. If there is no job like Jiaozi, women can't sit together. Therefore, this custom is very important and can unite families. In the city, men also want to pack, and the whole family, old and young, sit together to pack jiaozi. This kind of family happiness is rare every year, so it is especially valued.
This is also the reason why the army stipulates that jiaozi must be included in the Spring Festival. Unity is the key for officers and men to be included in jiaozi, and unity is the only way to fight.
Therefore, eating jiaozi is not delicious in itself. What is more symbolic is that jiaozi is sitting with the whole family.
In addition to the Chinese New Year, it is also a great honor to entertain guests, including jiaozi. If you are a guest in a northerner's home and the host is invited by jiaozi, you should understand that this is the greatest respect and welcome to the guests. No matter what stuffing it is or how much it costs, you must understand it. It took the owner a lot of time to make it, and the time itself speaks for itself.
For example, in some places in the south, the host kills a chicken to entertain guests. Killing a chicken is the greatest respect. It doesn't matter whether you like chicken or not, you should understand the host's hospitality.
In addition, when relatives are going out of town, Shandongese will also see jiaozi off. It is said that jiaozi has the same voice as his feet, and his feet are very strong when he walks to eat jiaozi, which is also a wish of his relatives.