留學生在中國 第10期 Dumpling 餃子

David：I understand that in Chinese culture people normally eat rice or, as an alternative, dumplings at the end of a meal.

我感覺中國人吃飯時喜歡最後吃米飯或餃子。

You：We usually eat rice, but we don't usually eat dumplings every day.

我們經常吃米飯，但餃子可不是每天都吃。

David：Sometimes I have had meals with Chinese friends and at the end of the meal, they choose whether to eat rice or dumplings. Why?

我跟中國朋友一起去吃飯時，他們經常會在快吃完時才點米飯或餃子。這是爲什麼？

You：Well, maybe this is true in restaurants when people eat starch to fill up at the end of a meal. But eating at home is different. At home, dumplingsaren't intended for every day consumption. If you eat rice at every meal, although it's convenient, it can get boring. It's a Chinese custom, especially in the north, to eat dumplings the night before Spring Festival.

哦。在餐館裏，人們可能喜歡在正餐後吃點麪食來填肚子；而在家裏人們並不是每天都吃餃子。如果每頓都吃米飯，雖然很方便，但也會覺得煩的。中國人有除夕夜吃餃子的習俗，而且這一習俗在北方更爲盛行。

David：Why? What's the history?

爲什麼？有什麼說法嗎？

You：There is a story but I don't know it. I am from south China and we don't share that custom.

是有一個故事但我不大清楚。我是南方人，我們那兒沒有這個習俗。

David：It's not a part of the custom in southern China. It is only a custom in Beijing?

中國南方沒有這個習俗。那僅僅是北京有嗎？

You：Not only Beijing, but all northern China.

不僅是北京，而且整個北方都有這樣的習俗。

David：Someone told me before that, because the dumpling is round, it symbolizes the beginning of a new cycle. I am not sure, but sometimes I understand they put a coin inside when they make dumplings, whoever eats the dumpling with the coin will have good luck. Maybe this is more northeastern culture.

以前有人告訴我，餃子是圓的，象徵着新的一輪的開始；我不知道這是不是真的。可是，我知道有時候人們包餃子時也會把一個餃子裏面包上一枚硬幣。吃到這個餃子的人就會有好運。也許這更具有東北特色一些。

You：Yeah, Ithink so.

我也這樣認爲。