Getting To Know Yee Sang, A Chinese New Year Salad Full Of Philosophy

Yusheng (istockphoto)

JAKARTA - The Chinese New Year will be celebrated on January 29, 2025. At the Chinese New Year celebration, the Chinese people will eat special foods, one of which is theye or yusheng.

Yee sang merupakan salad yang menjadi makanan khas Imlek, yang dibuat dari fish dan sayuran segar sebagai bahan utanya. Nama ye sang merupakan gabungan dari kata yu dalam bahasa China berarti fish, dan kata sheng yang berasal.

Quoting from Tatler Asia, on Monday, January 20, 2025, raw fish were chosen because they symbolize the abundance of sustenance and a new life. Usually, the fish used are salmon, tuna, similar to chassimi.

Yee the later added various vegetables, fruit, and spices. Some of the ingredients commonly used are carrots slices, green potatoes, white potatoes, seaweed, Balinese/pomelo oranges, to dumplings.

The spices consist of plum sauce, oil, powder pepper, peanuts, and wijen seeds. All of these ingredients have a philosophy of hope in the new year, ranging from lucky life, smooth sustenance, to being blessed with children or meeting a mate.

The yee Salad is usually served in round dishes, with people around it. Previously eating the yee sang, people said 'Gong Xi Fa Cai' which means congratulations on your wealth, and Wan Shi Ru Yi which means all the wishes will be fulfilled.

Then someone is tasked with mixing the yee sang by inserting it one by one the ingredients into the plate. This process is also accompanied by Chinese speech, which symbolizes goodness and hope in the new year.

As when putting the fish will be said 'Nian Nian You Yu' which means the hope of getting doubled profits. When you look at the oil with a twisted motion, it will say 'Yi Ben Wan Li', who hopes the money will flow from all directions.

After all the ingredients are put in, all the oangs that surround it must mix the yee together. There is great help to lift the raw fish salad material high.

Everyone is encouraged to lift the chant as high as possible, by also saying 'Lo Lo Hey Kyunglah Sang Sue Hey'. This ritual hopes that the sustenance and prosperity achieved next year will be even higher too.