Brief introduction of seven courses

Seven kinds of dishes, also called seven kinds of soup, are a distinctive dietary custom among Han people in Chaoshan area.

On the seventh day of the first month, there is a local custom of eating seven dishes. Legend has it that the seventh day of the first month is a person's birthday. It is said that Nu Wa started the world, the first day was a chicken, the second day was a dog, the third day was a pig, the fourth day was a sheep, the fifth day was a cow, the sixth day was a horse, and the seventh day was a human being. Therefore, it is called a human day. People must eat a cake made of seven kinds of vegetables every day, and then eat seven kinds of vegetables without making those cakes. Seven kinds of dishes in Chaoshan area are cooked in one pot and eaten at noon, which is called "seven kinds of soup". These seven dishes are generally radish, Chinese cabbage, onion, garlic, leek, celery and spring vegetables. Because radish is "innocent"; Leek, commonly known as long dish, adopts "rejuvenation" like spring dish; Onions are "smart"; Celery needs diligence; The combination of garlic and thick is "a good deal for everything". Before eating, the elders will always say: the home is clean, clean in vain, rejuvenated in the New Year, smart and hardworking, everything is cost-effective, and everything is unscrupulous.

The traditional "People's Day" dish is called "Seven Dishes". "Seven kinds of vegetables", as the name implies, refers to seven kinds of vegetables, five of which are generally fixed: celery, garlic, onion, coriander (coriander) and leek. The homonym "Qin" of celery is "diligence"; Garlic homophonic "calculation"; Onion homonym "from"; Coriander's "coriander" homophonic "edge"; The homonym of leek is "Jiujiu". These five kinds of dishes are combined together, and the taste is the second, mainly for the good luck of the new year. The other two are flexibly matched according to local customs and tastes. In some places, fish and meat are used instead. Fish means "more than a year", eating meat means a rich life, and even fruit can replace it. It is said that after eating "seven dishes", you can collect the gold and silver hair of that year.