Read and Response 6: Food and Religious

Tutorial class
Dr Warner
Tu nguyen
Tanguyen17@wabash.edu

Food and Lunar new years
In Asian culture, the harmony of Yin and Yan in food is essential. Thus, in
most of our daily basic meal contain cuisine that resembles it. Being taking apart
from its origin, rice, vegetable, and meat resemble Yin. However, we believe by
cooking it we are giving life to it. In another words, the smoke and hotness of food
come out from our meal resemble Yan. Particularly, in Lunar New Year, the most
important time of the year, we use the harmony of food to honour our ancestors.
In such an essential occasion in Vietnameses tradition such as Lunar New
Year (Tt), we gather together to cook and to enjoy the peacefulness of our world.
Spiritually, it is also the time that our ancestors travel from heaven to earth and
enjoy the food we offer. Thus, it is essential for us to prepare the best food for them.
For example, at December 30
th
, the females of the house spend their whole day
preparing for cuisine such as Mam ngu qua (five fruit disk), Canh (soup) chicken
Mam ngu qua resembles the prosper of our life. Ngu means five, which is a number
of fulfillment and liveliness. Also, each of the five fruits is considered as basic
elements of the universe. Particularly, watermelon is water and the red color of
apple resembles fire. Despite of the fact that five element are not compatible with
each other, when simultaneously exist in disk, the aggressiveness of each elements
are cancel creating a harmony in our life.
Other than that, it is the only time in the years that we have to eat cold food.
After giving life to meat and vegetable by cooking it we usually dont enjoy the
liveliness of our cuisine. The steaming meals help our ancestor feel the confortable
of life. It is believed that, the steam of food act as a bridge for the death to enjoy our
delicious food. After, the food cooled down, we in turn enjoy the meal that the death
have eaten to received their blessing. In short, we through food, Yin and Yang are
connected. Our harmony food brings a spiritual connection between our ancestor
and us.
In conclusion, the harmony in food has not only connected us as a family, but
also resemble our caring to the death, and in turn our ancestor gives us a prosper
life. Also, harmony in food resembles our craving for fulfillment in everyday life.