JAKARTA - Chinese New Year celebrations are not only synonymous with family gatherings and typical dishes, but are also filled with traditions that contain the meaning of prayer and hope.
One of the popular traditions among the Chinese community is Yu Sheng, a communal meal procession that symbolizes the hope for abundant sustenance, health, and family harmony in the new year.
The Indonesian Hakka Community said the Yu Sheng procession has a deep philosophy that has been passed down from generation to generation and is still preserved to this day in various countries.
"There is a very good meaning for luck, for health, for family harmony, everything, so this is very closely related to the Chinese community, so every year it is held which is very popular is from Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore, these three countries, of course, in China as well, yes," said the representative of the Hakka Community and Chinese expert from the Hakka Museum, Jimmy S. Herlambang as quoted by ANTARA.
Jimmy explained that the Yu Sheng dish consists of about 10 types of ingredients or more. The ingredients include various vegetables such as carrots, radishes with various colors, purple cabbage, fish, to nuts that are fried in a golden brown color.
This dish that resembles a vegetable salad is then poured with a special sauce or dressing, such as plum sauce and flavored oil, which gives a sweet, sour, and savory taste.
In the Yu Sheng procession, fish is one of the important elements that are full of symbolic meaning, especially related to abundance of sustenance.
"Fish actually means that there is still a remnant of the fortune we get in a year, there is still a remnant at the end of the year so it doesn't run out, it means we make a big profit at the end of the year, the money is still a treasure," he explained.
Furthermore, Jimmy explained that the Yu Sheng procession was carried out by all family members stirring the food together using chopsticks, then lifting it as high as possible.
"The higher he is appointed as the chief justice and the higher the harmony, that's the story," he added.
The Yu Sheng tradition, which is widely known in Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, and China, has been going on for thousands of years. Usually, the procession is held during the Chinese New Year celebrations and can be carried out until Cap Go Meh or the 15th day after Chinese New Year.
Jimmy also added that in Chinese tradition, Chinese New Year marks the beginning of spring which is synonymous with the beginning of planting activities.
Therefore, the celebration of Yu Sheng is not only a symbol of family togetherness, but also an expression of gratitude to God and hope that the planting season and life in the new year can run smoothly and full of blessings.
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