Toss the Yee Sang for abundant wealth!

On the first day of the moon that signals the coming year, Christopher Chia, Edsa Shangri-la Manila general manager, alongside some hotel executives, gather for what Filipinos would consider a lesser known Chinese tradition—the Yee Sang tossing.

Yee Sang is a raw fish salad that dates back to the Song dynasty when fishermen along the coast of Guangzhou, China would feast on their catch. Composed of 27 different types of fruits and vegetables, the salad is thrown in the air with chopsticks to bring heaven luck. It was a tradition primarily practiced by Chinese nationals in Malaysia and Singapore.

Preparations begin when a mountain of stripped turnips and carrots are placed on the table, surrounded by different fruits and vegetables of various colors.

According to Summer Palace manager Nancy Farm, the cucumbers represent emeralds, pineapples are yellow diamonds, watermelons are rubies, turnips are diamonds, and the others are different precious stones. Gold, the most prized treasure, is represented in various forms: corn kernels, pineapples, chopped peanuts, shredded carrots, and fish crackers.

The salad, in short, is a representation of "abundant wealth."

The mixture also includes salmon strips that are added to the mound. After pouring plum sauce, rice vinegar, kumquat paste, and sesame seeds to the mixture, everyone gets ready for the highlight of the ceremony: tossing.

Chopsticks in hand, the ingredients are thrown into the air while saying out wishes like prosperity, longevity, and harmony.

"You toss it very high to bring lots of money into your home and into your business," Farm said. Afterwards, the salad is usually shared with children, grandchildren, and business associates.

Farm also adds that "if the salad spilled over the table, it's a good sign because it means overflowing blessings."

After the tossing comes the lion dance and the fireworks, a staple in most Chinese New Year celebrations. As they head towards the main parts of the hotel, the lions "eat" hanging lettuces in the doorways, a sign, according to Farm, of growing wealth. The oranges, which represent gold, are also eaten by the lions.

"The Yee Sang is a way of sharing your blessings," Chia says. "Share your blessings so it will come back to you."

--The article was written for abs-cbnnews.com for the Chinese New Year celebration.