饺子（Dumplings）

Dumplings are one of the Chinese people’s favorite traditional dishes. According to an ancient Chinese legend, dumplings were first made by the medical saint---Zhang Zhongjing. There are three steps involved in making dumplings: 1) make dumpling wrappers out of dumpling flour; 2) prepare the dumpling stuffing; 3) make dumplings and boil them. With thin and elastic dough skin, fresh and tender stuffing, delicious taste, and unique shapes, dumplings are worth eating hundreds of times. There’s an old saying that claims, “Nothing could be more delicious than dumplings”. During the Spring Festival and other holidays, or when treating relatives and friends, Chinese people like to follow the auspicious custom of eating dumplings. To Chinese people who show high reverence for family love, having dumplings at the moment the old year is replaced by the new is an essential part of bidding farewell to the old and ushering in the new year.

饺子是深受中国人民喜爱的传统食品。 相传为古代医圣张仲景发明。饺子的制作是包括： 1） 擀皮、2） 备馅、3） 包馅水煮三个步骤。其特点是皮薄馅嫩，味道鲜美，形状独特，百食不厌。民间有“好吃不过饺子”的俗语。中国人接亲待客、逢年过节都有包饺子吃的习俗，寓意吉利。对崇尚亲情的中国人来说，“更岁交子”吃饺子，更是欢度除夕、辞旧迎新必不可少的内容。 

Chinese people like eating dumplings, jiao zi, for their delicious taste and auspicious（吉利的） meanings. Jiao zi are made of meat and vegetable filling, and enclosed in a pastry shaped like a half moon. They are boiled in water and eaten with sauces like vinegar. There are hundreds of fillings with different flavours. The shape of jiao zi looks like the ancient currency of China called yuan bao. People eat dumplings on the Chinese New Year wishing they will earn more money in the coming year. There are many steps to make jiao zi. People even like to put a coin into one jiao zi and anyone who gets this coin will be lucky in the coming year. Making jiao zi together with the whole family creates a unique, harmonious atmosphere. Chinese believe that a hot bowl of jiao zi is full of the family’s love and affection.