Dear Jess,
Growing up, the best thing (and sadly, one of the only things) about Chinese New Year I remember was getting lai see or red envelopes every year. Lai see is filled with money and given to friends and family as a symbol of good luck.
Okay, I lied. I remember the food too. There was so much and it’s always so good– it’s hard to forget! If there’s one thing you can guarantee, it’s that you don’t leave without feeling like you’re in a food coma after a Chinese New Year dinner.
Since I only remember the food and money part of the most important holiday in my culture, I felt a tiny bit guilty about not being able to pass down that knowledge to my kids. I knew there was a ton of folklore and symbolism surrounding this holiday, but I couldn’t recite any of it with any conviction.
So a few years ago, I started collecting books by Chinese authors. A lot of them dealt with Chinese New Years or the legends surrounding them. Stories like how the Chinese zodiac animals were chosen, the Nian monster, and the meaning behind the many symbols and customs. I wanted to share my favorite eight books with you, since 8 is the luckiest number in Chinese culture:
