My brother got married last weekend and I wanted to share
the wedding banquet menu with you since it was a traditional Chinese wedding
banquet. Chinese food has special
symbolism, mostly wishes of happiness, longevity, or fertility. There are also symbolisms of a
dragon and phoenix in the wedding feast.
Lobster symbolizes the male aspect of marriage and chicken is the
phoenix, or the female aspect. The
dragon and phoenix coexist as harmonious opposites. And yes, we had a 12-course meal.
Location: China
Garden in Rosslyn, VA (http://www.chinagardenva.com/)
Appetizers
1. Roast Pork Cold
Appetizer Platter
Roasted pork is a symbol of virginity.
2. Crispy Stuffed Crab
Claws
Soup
3. Shark Fin Soup with
Crab and Chicken Meat
The type of soup has some significance; shark’s fin soup
indicates wealth and prosperity because this delicacy is very expensive.
Entrees:
4. Abalone with
Braised Mushrooms
Abalone is a sign of wealth and good fortune.
5. Chinese Crispy
Fried Chicken
Serving fried chicken would wish the couple to have a good
life because in Chinese “red chicken” sounds like “good life.” Also, serving the dish whole, i.e. with
the head and legs, would symbolize completeness.
6. Baked Double
Lobsters with Ginger and Scallion
Lobster in Chinese is literally “dragon shrimp”. In a marriage, the dragon
symbolizes male while the phoenix symbolizes female. Red is the color for happiness; so serving lobster would
signify joy and celebration. Serving
the dish whole also symbolized completeness.
7. Diced Beef with
Emerald Greens
8. Crispy Flounder
with Sautéed Vegetables
Serving fish wishes the couple a life together with
abundance because “fish”" sounds like “plentiful” in Chinese.
9. Yin Yang Fried Rice
Yin and Yang is used to describe how seemingly opposing
forces are interconnected and interdependent in the natural world, giving rise
to each other in turn. Many natural dualities (dark and light, female and male,
low and high, cold and hot) are viewed in Chinese thought as manifestations of
yin and yang. Yin Yang Fried Rice is always served at the end of the wedding
banquets, most probably symbolizes femininity and masculinity.
Desserts
10. Sweet Chinese Pastry
11. Sweet Lily and Red Bean Soup
12. Wedding Cake
Serving dessert wishes the newlyweds a sweet life. The hot
sweet red bean soup should contain lotus seeds and a bark-like vegetable to
wish the newlyweds a hundred years of togetherness.
Guests are welcome to take leftovers home. Taking home the
remaining food indicates appreciation of the groom and bride’s choice of food.
