Eating Porridge And Meat Is Prohibited During Chinese New Year, Why?

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JAKARTA - Chinese New Year's celebration cannot be separated from the myth of lucky food to food that should be avoided because it is considered bad. One of the foods that must be avoided during the Chinese New Year celebration is porridge.

Quoting SCMP, Sunday, January 26, 2025, the trust to avoid breakfast on the first day of Chinese New Year by eating porridge has been around for a long time. This prohibition is related to the past that porridge is considered a food for the poor.

Historically porridge is made by mixing a little rice with water. This food is associated with simplicity and savings.

In the past, porridge was often eaten by people who had limitations or in problems of economic difficulty. This makes the belief that eating porridge on the first day of the Chinese New Year symbolizes a reduced prosperity.

There is also the belief that eating porridge during Chinese New Year will bring bad fate and financial difficulties in the future. This trust is still held firmly by the Chinese people, although it is not scientifically proven.

In addition to porridge, there are other foods that are prohibited from eating during breakfast during the Chinese New Year. The food is meat.

This prohibition is carried out as a form of respect for Buddhists and the gods who are believed not to kill animals. Not only that, but Dewa is also believed to come and gather to say Chinese New Year to each other, so that if you eat meat it is considered to be able to bring bad.

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