The Chaoshan area has been known since ancient times as "three mountains, six rivers and one piece of land, and farming is like embroidery." It is this intensive farming method that has given rise to the Chaoshan people's reputation for exquisite cuisine. Whenever the Chinese New Year comes, if you are in the vegetable market of Chaoshan, you will always see various kinds of festive food. Some shops are making and selling various kinds of festive cakes and pastries. It is a dazzling sight, as if the treasure house of heaven has been overturned and fallen into the fireworks of this mortal world; some shops are selling various cooked foods, such as braised goose with bright color and delicious taste. Chaoshan people have always been striving for excellence when it comes to eating. As long as the food is delicious, they are willing to spend time and effort to satisfy their taste buds at that moment. These foods, which take time and effort to make, often leave extremely deep memories for the Chaoshan people, enabling them to be passed down from generation to generation among the Chaoshan people. The memory of Chaoshan food is often related to the New Year, so the foods related to it are the most impressive to the Chaoshan people.
The richness of Chaoshan cuisine has never been able to be summed up in a few words. Born and raised here, the Chaoshan flavor is the memory of hometown imprinted on the tip of the tongue. Behind every kind of food, there are always indescribable emotions. For Chaoshan people, food is more than just a way to fill their stomachs. The Chaoshan people will thoughtfully offer good food to their ancestors and gods, praying for their blessings of peace. The food after the sacrifice will also be shared with each other, so that relatives and friends can enjoy the blessings of the ancestors together through sharing of food. In the minds of Chaoshan people, food often carries many emotions and good wishes. People strengthen their relationships by sharing food or helping each other make various foods, making food more than just a means of filling the stomach. In addition to filling the stomach, food also conveys friendship.
The Chaoshan area has preserved obvious relics of maritime civilization, and the most important feature of maritime civilization is its business culture. Since ancient times, there have been countless wealthy and powerful people. The development of business and trade not only brought economic prosperity to the Chaoshan area, but also made the Chaoshan people the most receptive to new things and the most advanced and open-minded ethnic group. This maritime civilization also gives Chaoshan people the confidence to take risks. In ancient times, people lived by the sea and struggled with the harsh and ever-changing ocean climate; in modern times, people ventured out to sea, started from scratch overseas, and worked hard to make money. This tenacious and indomitable spirit was reflected even under the high pressure of white terror. The Chaoshan people were still able to open up an underground transportation line for the Communist Party of China under the enemy's nose, protecting and transporting a large number of personnel and supplies at the critical moment of the Communist Party's life and death. Therefore, Chaoshan people always have a sense of heroism, the kind of heroism that fears neither heaven nor earth, and disregards life and death. During festivals, Chaoshan people always have endless gods to worship and countless offerings to gods. Different gods have different offerings on different festivals, and various folk activities emerge in an endless stream, which is really dazzling. No wonder people all over the country like to celebrate the New Year in Chaoshan area, because this is the place with the most festive atmosphere.