The tradition of Yu Sheng, also known as Lo Hei, originates from the Cantonese phrase meaning ‘tossing up good fortune’ using a raw fish salad symbolizing ‘abundance of wealth and long life’. This dish, typically served as an appetizer, consists of white and green radish, carrots, capsicum, turnips, red pickled ginger, slices of raw fish (commonly salmon), crackers, and a fragrant dressing of plum sauce, five-spice powder, and sesame oil. To help you with the best Chinese New Year auspicious phrases during Lo Hei check out this festive infographic.
Why Do We Lo Hei During Chinese New Year?
Lo Hei is a communal activity where families and friends gather to toss the salad ingredients while chanting auspicious well-wishes to bring in good luck. The dish plays on homonyms in Chinese: “yu” 魚 (fish) sounds like 馀 (abundance) and “sheng” 生 (raw) sounds like 生 (life), implying “abundance of wealth and long life.” The act of tossing, “Lo Hei” 捞起, symbolizes rising fortunes, making it especially popular among businesspeople.
Before you get started on the Yusheng, you should offer sincere well-wishes such as 恭喜发财 “Gong Xi Fa Cai” meaning “Congratulations for your wealth” or 万事如意 “Wan shi ru yi” meaning “May all your wishes be fulfilled” to everyone at the table. Next, let’s embark on the 12 steps Lo Hei before we toss the good luck!
Here’s the simple step by step guide to make you look like a Lo Hei expert:
1. In goes the raw fish (生鱼, Sheng Yu)
年年有馀 “Nian Nian You Yu” symbolising abundance ‘excess’ through the new year
2. Put in the pomelo (柚子, You Zi)
大吉大利 “Da Ji Da Li” which means good fortunes and luck.
3. Sprinkle pepper & cinnamon powder (胡椒粉, Hu Jiao Fen)
招财进宝 “Zhao Cai Jin Bao” to attract more wealth and treasures. This step is a must for business lo hei.
4. Drizzle the oil (油, You)
You can either use “财原广进 “Cai Yuan Guang Jin” or 一本万利 “Yi Ben Wan Li” while circling the ingredients with the oil to increase all profits 10,000 times and encouraging money to flow in from all directions. Thrill your bosses with this step!
5. Throw in the carrots (红萝卜, Hong Luo Bo)
鸿运当头 “Hong Yun Dang Tou” which means good luck is right at our doorsteps.
6. Put in the shredded green radish (青萝卜, Qing Luo Bo)
青春常驻 “Qing Chun Chang Zhu” for eternal youth. Good to let the ladies have a go at this one.
7. Now goes the shredded white radish (白萝卜, Bai Luo Bo)
风生水起 “Feng Sheng Shui Qi” and 步步高升 “Bu Bu Gao Sheng” which means prosperity in business and promotion at work. This is for all the minions at work.
8. Dust finely chopped peanuts (花生粉, Hua Sheng Fen)
金银满屋 “Jin yin man wu” symbolises a household filled with gold and silver. As an icon of longevity, peanuts also symbolise eternal youth.
9. Sprinkle sesame seeds over quickly (芝麻, Zhi Ma)
生意兴隆 “Sheng Yi Xing Long” for a flourishing business.
10. Throw in Golden Crackers (薄脆饼干, Bo Cui Bing Gan)
遍地黄金 “Bian Di Huang Jin” for hope of riches that literally fill the whole floor with gold.
11. In flows the plum sauce (酸梅酱, Suan Mei Jiang)
甜甜蜜蜜 “Tian Tian Mi Mi” for sweet and loving relationships for everyone
12. Toss The Yusheng
Shout 发啊 “Huat Ah” and toss the salad for an auspicious 7 times for great luck and wealth in the new year.
There is also a trend of ordering Yu Sheng online and them delivered to your home or party venue. Other than Yu Sheng, many Singaporeans are also turning to popular food delivery services such as FoodPanda for a hassle-free gathering.
If the above is too complicated, you may like to use this slightly more simplified infographic version below!
Chinese New Year Auspicious Phrases During Yu Sheng [Lo Hei]
We hope you find this guide useful for your Lo Hei sessions. Share it with friends, family, and colleagues to spread the joy and good fortune of the New Year! For more interesting social media topics, check out our other posts here.
