Halo green going viewers! Across many parts of Asia and Asian communities worldwide, there is excitement in the air with the Lunar New Year festival that has just begun.

There are many cultural traditions, stories, and customs that are associated with the Lunar New Year.

In Chinese culture, dumplings in the shape of golden ingots are made and enjoyed. Let’s find out how this fascinating and tasty tradition came about.

Mom, it’s so troublesome to make dumplings. Why do we always have to eat dumpling for New Year’s Eve?

How can it be troublesome to make dumplings for New Year? It’s our Chinese tradition with a very moving story behind it.

I want to listen to the story!

Okay. A very long time ago, there was a young man who was very poor. But he worked diligently and treated his parents wholeheartedly. When the New Year was around the corner, the weather became colder and colder. His mom became very ill and did not feel like eating anything.

Mom, are you feeling better now? Please come and eat something.

My son, I don’t feel like eating.

Mom, please try to eat some at least, so that you will recover soon.

I really don’t feel like eating. But I only feel like eating yuanbao.

Ah, we are so poor. How is it possible at all to have yuanbao? Besides, how can yuanbao be eaten anyhow?

Mom, I am going to work in the field.

Okay.

The New Year is coming! Why is it that mom’s health is not getting any better? What’s worse, she has not eaten anything for a while. Even if I sell all these vegetables, the money will never be enough for yuanbao. Even if there is yuanbao, how can it be eaten?

What happened next?

He then went out to borrow money in the neighborhood. Since they were very poor, how could he possibly buy yuanbao for his mom? Exhausted, he returned home with empty hands. Once he got home, he lay on his bed right away. Not long afterward, he fell asleep, and dreamed of an angel coming to him.

I am moved by your devotion to your mother. So I come especially for your mother.

Thank you, thank you. I should bow to you!

You can cut vegetables and wild mushroom into fine pieces and make the peel from flour to form the shape of yuanbao. At last, you boil them with water. Your mother’s illness will be cured soon after.

Mom, I have prepared yuanbao for you. Please come and eat some.

Oh, my son, it tasted so good. I am so pleased, and it made me warm immediately. See, I am feeling much better now.

Oh, that’s wonderful. Wonderful!

Wow, that’s fantastic! I would like to treat my parents wholeheartedly, too. Grandma, please give me an extra large peel.

Here you are, an extra large peel for you to make a dumpling.

I want to make an extra large dumpling for you.

Oh, thank you. You are a dutiful son, too!

Now you are indeed a dutiful son, a very good one!

The whole family then happily sits together to eat dumplings to wish that the coming year will be a peaceful, happy, and prosperous year.

Long ago, when Âu Lạc was under the reign of the Hùng dynasty, there was a very wise king. He wished to find an heir to the throne among his sons, yet he didn’t believe that his successor must be the eldest son.

On the New Year occasion, he summoned all his sons and declared:

Now, you all go find what you deem the best to make an offering to our ancestors on New Year’s day. Whoever brings back the most precious item will be my successor.” The princes went out to all corners in the country to search for the rare and precious. Meanwhile, there was Lang Liêu, the eighteenth Prince, a gentle, kind and virtuous young man, who, since a very young age, had determined to live outside the palace close to the farmers.

He had only minded his farming work, so now he was worried as he had nothing precious to present to his Royal Father. One night, a deity appeared in his dream and said to him: “In Heaven and Earth, there is nothing more precious than rice. Only rice can sustain humans and can never grow tiresome. Other dishes are delicious, yet rare and cannot be easily produced by humans.

However, rice can be grown and the more we grow it, the more we have. You should use rice to make cakes for the offering to the late kings.” After waking up, Lang Liêu pondered upon it and realized that what the deity said was right. Rice is indeed a worthy offering to thank Heaven and Earth and the late kings. He then chose the best glutinous rice.

He used mung beans to make the stuffing, and leaves to wrap the cakes in squares to symbolize the Earth. With that same snow-white sticky rice, he pressed it until it was fine, and wrapped the cakes in leaves in round shapes to symbolize Heaven. On the day of the ceremony, the princes presented many delicacies and exotic things, while Prince Lang Liêu only had a pile of simple cakes.

The king was very surprised, and asked about it. Lang Liêu related his dream and explained the meaning of these cakes. The king was very pleased and ordered Lang Liêu’s two kinds of cakes to be used as offerings. After the ceremony, the king had the cakes cut and enjoyed them with the court officials. Everyone praised that it was delicious.

At that time, the king summoned everyone and announced: “The round cake symbolizes Heaven, so I name it “Round Glutinous Rice Cake.” The square cake symbolizes the Earth, the mung bean and phrynium symbolize the animals, vegetation and minerals, and I name it “Square Glutinous Rice Cake.” The leaves outside and the delicacy inside imply that people are to help and protect one another. Lang Liêu’s cakes are very meaningful; they please me very much. Lang Liêu will be the successor to my throne.”

And so, Âu Lạc had a wise king who valued morality and the laws of Heaven and Earth and he was supported by his people. And from then on, every New Year festival, people would make Square and Round Glutinous Rice Cakes to make offering and express their gratitude to their ancestors, and Heaven and Earth.

Halo guys! You’re all here.

What’s up?

Hey, cow! Are you the one who called us?

Yes, it’s me. Do you know what happens at midnight today?

I know. It’s time for Cinderella to go back home.

No, no. At midnight, the Lunar New Year Day begins. Then, the Year of the Tiger starts.

Oh, I see.

So, I wanted to greet the New Year with you guys.

All right.

By the way, Tiger didn’t come yet.

Halo, I’m late.

How come you are so late?

I’m late because I brought Yut.

Yut?

Yutnori game is for New Year’s Day!

I’m the king of Yutnori game! We’ll play today a special Yutnori version called the “Save the Planet” game. While playing, let’s try to find out how to save the Earth.

You know… I don’t know how to play Yutnori.

What?

Only one stick flipped over, and you get one point.

Two sticks flipped over, then 2 points.

Three sticks flipped over means 3 points.

Four sticks flipped over means 4 points.

What about this?

That’s 5 points.

I think I understand now.

Shall we begin? ( Yes!)

Now I know the fastest pathway is the path through “ORGANIC” and “VEGAN” stations.

Indeed, Organic Vegan is the fastest way to save Earth.

Tiger! This is your year!

Where is Tiger?

What? Tiger has disappeared!

Where has Tiger gone in the Year of the Tiger?

Roar! (You scared us.) Ha ha, are you surprised? I prepared Tteok-guk (rice cake soup) as a surprise gift.

Tteokguk?

Tteokguk – the food that everyone eats on Lunar New Year’s day?

Tteokguk – the one that makes us live long without illness?

Tteokguk – the one you have to eat in order to grow a year older?

Tteokguk – the one that tastes so delicious?

That’s right, that’s the tteokguk I’m talking about. It’s all made of organic ingredients. And of course it’s 100% vegan!

Wow, it’s organic vegan tteokguk!

It’s really delicious, yum yum!

We love you!

Happy Organic Vegan New Year!

Thank you beautiful viewers for accompanying us on today’s A Journey through Aesthetic Realms. Now, please stay tuned to Supreme Master Television for Vegetarianism: The Noble Way of Living, after Noteworthy News. Wishing you and yours Heavenly peace and love.