''Yusheng'', yee sang or yuu sahng ( zh, t=魚生, p=yúshēng, j=jyu4saang1), or Prosperity Toss, also known as lo sahng (Cantonese for ) is a Chinese raw

fish A fish (: fish or fishes) is an aquatic animal, aquatic, Anamniotes, anamniotic, gill-bearing vertebrate animal with swimming fish fin, fins and craniate, a hard skull, but lacking limb (anatomy), limbs with digit (anatomy), digits. Fish can ...

salad A salad is a dish consisting of mixed ingredients, frequently vegetables. They are typically served chilled or at room temperature, though some can be served warm. Condiments called '' salad dressings'', which exist in a variety of flavors, a ...

that is popular among the Chinese communities of

Malaysia Malaysia is a country in Southeast Asia. Featuring the Tanjung Piai, southernmost point of continental Eurasia, it is a federation, federal constitutional monarchy consisting of States and federal territories of Malaysia, 13 states and thre ...

and Singaporea. It has become a trend in the neighbouring countries, especially the Chinese diaspora in

Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania, between the Indian Ocean, Indian and Pacific Ocean, Pacific oceans. Comprising over List of islands of Indonesia, 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, ...

Brunei Brunei, officially Brunei Darussalam, is a country in Southeast Asia, situated on the northern coast of the island of Borneo. Apart from its coastline on the South China Sea, it is completely surrounded by the Malaysian state of Sarawak, with ...

Thailand Thailand, officially the Kingdom of Thailand and historically known as Siam (the official name until 1939), is a country in Southeast Asia on the Mainland Southeast Asia, Indochinese Peninsula. With a population of almost 66 million, it spa ...

and even

Hong Kong Hong Kong)., Legally Hong Kong, China in international treaties and organizations. is a special administrative region of China. With 7.5 million residents in a territory, Hong Kong is the fourth most densely populated region in the wor ...

. It usually consists of strips of raw fish (sometimes

salmon Salmon (; : salmon) are any of several list of commercially important fish species, commercially important species of euryhaline ray-finned fish from the genera ''Salmo'' and ''Oncorhynchus'' of the family (biology), family Salmonidae, native ...

), mixed with shredded vegetables and a variety of sauces and condiments, among other ingredients. There is also a vegetarian version of this dish, where the fish is replaced with soy "fish", which resembles salmon. Yusheng literally means "raw fish" but since "fish" () is commonly conflated with its

homophone A homophone () is a word that is pronounced the same as another word but differs in meaning or in spelling. The two words may be spelled the same, for example ''rose'' (flower) and ''rose'' (past tense of "rise"), or spelled differently, a ...

"abundance" (), Yúshēng () is interpreted as a

for Yúshēng (), meaning an increase in abundance. Therefore, yusheng is considered a symbol of abundance, prosperity and vigor. The dish is believed to have been derived in

Southeast Asia Southeast Asia is the geographical United Nations geoscheme for Asia#South-eastern Asia, southeastern region of Asia, consisting of the regions that are situated south of China, east of the Indian subcontinent, and northwest of the Mainland Au ...

( Nanyang) by the Chinese communities (particularly the

Cantonese Cantonese is the traditional prestige variety of Yue Chinese, a Sinitic language belonging to the Sino-Tibetan language family. It originated in the city of Guangzhou (formerly known as Canton) and its surrounding Pearl River Delta. While th ...

) who moved from China to the modern-day states of

and

Singapore Singapore, officially the Republic of Singapore, is an island country and city-state in Southeast Asia. The country's territory comprises one main island, 63 satellite islands and islets, and one outlying islet. It is about one degree ...

. Modern takes of the dish existed in both Malaysia and Singapore with both countries having competitive claims over who first modified the dish to its modern version. Today, the common form of yusheng is the ''qicai yusheng'' (; "seven-coloured raw fish salad") served in local restaurants during the

Chinese New Year Chinese New Year, or the Spring Festival (see also #Names, § Names), is a festival that celebrates the beginning of a New Year, new year on the traditional lunisolar calendar, lunisolar Chinese calendar. It is one of the most important holi ...

period. Also referred to as ''facai yusheng'' (; "prosperity raw fish salad") or ''xinnian yusheng'' (; "Chinese New Year raw fish salad"). The recipe generally includes ingredients such as shredded

radish The radish (''Raphanus sativus'') is a flowering plant in the mustard family, Brassicaceae. Its large taproot is commonly used as a root vegetable, although the entire plant is edible and its leaves are sometimes used as a leaf vegetable. Origina ...

(or

daikon Daikon 大根 (だいこん) or mooli, (مولی) ''Raphanus sativus'' var. ''longipinnatus,'' is a mild-flavored winter radish usually characterized by fast-growing leaves and a long, white, root. Originally native to continental East Asia ...

) and

carrots The carrot (''Daucus carota'' subsp. ''sativus'') is a root vegetable, typically orange in colour, though heirloom variants including purple, black, red, white, and yellow cultivars exist, all of which are domesticated forms of the Daucus ...

ginger Ginger (''Zingiber officinale'') is a flowering plant whose rhizome, ginger root or ginger, is widely used as a spice and a folk medicine. It is an herbaceous perennial that grows annual pseudostems (false stems made of the rolled bases of l ...

slices,

onion An onion (''Allium cepa'' , from Latin ), also known as the bulb onion or common onion, is a vegetable that is the most widely cultivated species of the genus '' Allium''. The shallot is a botanical variety of the onion which was classifie ...

slices, crushed

peanut The peanut (''Arachis hypogaea''), also known as the groundnut, goober (US), goober pea, pindar (US) or monkey nut (UK), is a legume crop grown mainly for its edible seeds. It is widely grown in the tropics and subtropics by small and large ...

pomelo The pomelo ( ; or pummelo, ''Citrus maxima''), also known as a shaddock, is the largest citrus fruit. It is an ancestor of several cultivated citrus species, including the bitter orange and the grapefruit. It is a natural, non-hybrid citrus fr ...

, pepper, essence of chicken, oil, salt, vinegar, sugar and more. Yusheng during Chinese New Year is a cultural activity for the Chinese population in

and

and recently become popular although not historically practiced in

and

over the last few decades.

Origins

The Chinese Cuisine Association mentions the tradition coming from Malaysia and Singapore before the dishes were brought to Southeast Asia by Chinese immigration. However, the statement only mentions the tradition of having raw fish during Chinese New Year, which was served very differently from today's Yusheng.

Dispute

The dish originated in Malaysia and Singapore but modern takes of the dish existed in both Malaysia and Singapore with both countries having competitive claims over who invented or modified the dish first. In 2020, a descendant of Lu Zhen Ji stated that the origin of the claim was hard to prove and meaningless to insist on an origin, ending the dispute.

Singapore

In Singapore, the claim was that the dish was modified by four chefs, Than Mui Kai (Tham Yu Kai, co-head chef of Lai Wah Restaurant), Lau Yoke Pui (co-head chef of Lai Wah Restaurant), Hooi Kok Wai (founder of Dragon-Phoenix Restaurant) and Sin Leong (founder of Sin Leong Restaurant), in a restaurant kitchen in Singapore. In the 1970s, the Lai Wah Restaurant located at Bendemeer started the modern-day method of serving yusheng with a pre-mixed special sauce comprising plum sauce, rice vinegar, kumquat paste and

sesame oil Sesame oil is an edible vegetable oil derived from sesame seeds. The oil is one of the earliest-known crop-based oils. Worldwide mass modern production is limited due to the inefficient manual harvesting process required to extract the oil. ...

– instead of customers mixing inconsistently-concocted sauce. In 2012, Chris Hooi, son of Hooi Kok Wai, one of the four chefs, clarified that the four chefs never claimed they invented the dish and their modified dish only took off in Singapore in the 1960s.

Malaysia

Malaysian historians and news media propose that the present yusheng originated from modifying an earlier fish noodle dish, served during Renri by Loke Ching Fatt ( zh, 陸禎記, p=Lù Zhēnfā, j=Luk6 Zing1 Faat3), who at the time owned Loke Ching Kee ( zh, c=陆祯记, p=Lù Zhēn Jì, j=Luk6 Zing1 Kei3), a Chinese restaurant in the city of

Seremban Seremban (Negeri Sembilan Malay: ''Somban'') is a city in the Seremban District and the capital of the state of Negeri Sembilan in Peninsular Malaysia. The city's administration is run by the Seremban Municipal Council, Seremban City Council. ...

. One of Loke's grandchildren, statesman

Anthony Loke Loke Siew Fook (; born 28 April 1977) also known as Anthony Loke is a Malaysian politician who has served as the Minister of Transport for the first term in the Unity Government administration under Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim since Decembe ...

launched a history book on the food's origins on their family side on 31 January 2020. In 2009, the Malaysian Department of National Heritage claimed Yusheng, alongside other Malaysian food dishes, as an "Intangible Heritage Object of Malaysia".

Ingredients and their symbolism

Yu sheng sold at supermarkets in Singapore

When putting the yusheng on the table, New Year greetings are offered. Some of the phrases commonly used are: * 恭喜發財 / 恭喜发财 ( zh, j=gung1 hei2 faat3 coi4, p=gōng xǐ fā cái, t=) meaning "Congratulations and be wealthy" * 萬事如意 / 万事如意 ( zh, j=maan6 si6 jyu4 ji3, p=wàn shì rú yì, c=, s=, t=) meaning "May all your wishes be fulfilled" The fish is added – its Mandarin word, "魚" (pronounced "yu") corresponds to a homophone of it "餘 / 余" meaning "abundance", thus 年年有餘 / 年年有余 ( zh, j=nin4 nin4 jau5 jyu4, p=nian nian you yu, c=, s=, t='')'', "abundance through the year".

Pomelo The pomelo ( ; or pummelo, ''Citrus maxima''), also known as a shaddock, is the largest citrus fruit. It is an ancestor of several cultivated citrus species, including the bitter orange and the grapefruit. It is a natural, non-hybrid citrus fr ...

or lime (大利, ''da li / daai lei'') is added to the fish, adding luck and auspicious value (大吉大利 zh, j=daai6 gat1 daai6 lei6, p=dà jí dà lì, c=, s=, t=, meaning "good luck and smooth sailing"). Pepper is then dashed over in the hope of attracting more money and valuables. 招財進寶 / 招财进宝 zh, j=ziu1 coi4 zeon3 bou2, p=zhao cai jin bao, c=, s=, t= meaning "Attract wealth and treasures". Then oil is poured out, circling the ingredients and encouraging money to flow in from all directions – referring to 一本萬利 / 一本万利 zh, j=jat1 bun2 maan6 lei6, p=yī běn wàn lì, c=, s=, t=, meaning "make 10,000 times of profit with your capital", and 財源廣進 / 财源广进 zh, j=coi4 jyun4 gwong2 zeon3, p=cai yuan guang jin, c=, s=, t= meaning "numerous sources of wealth".

Carrot The carrot ('' Daucus carota'' subsp. ''sativus'') is a root vegetable, typically orange in colour, though heirloom variants including purple, black, red, white, and yellow cultivars exist, all of which are domesticated forms of the wild ...

s are added indicating blessings of good luck: the first word in the compound word representing the ingredient, "紅蘿蔔 / 红萝卜" ( zh, j=hung4 lo4 baak6 pong6, p=hóng luó bo, c=, s=, t=), 紅 / 红 (''hong / hung'') has a homophone in 鴻 / 鸿 referring to 鴻運當頭 / 鸿运当头 zh, j=hung4 wan6 dong1 tau4, p=hong yun dang tou, c=, s=, t= meaning "good luck is approaching". Shredded green radish is later added symbolising eternal youth – 青春常駐 / 青春常驻 zh, j=cing1 ceon1 soeng4 zyu3, p=qing chun chang zhu, c=, s=, t=, "forever young". After which the shredded white radish is added – prosperity in business and promotion at work (風生水起 / 风生水起 zh, j=fung1 saang1 seoi2 hei2, p=feng sheng shui qi, c=, s=, t= – "progress at a fast pace", 步步高升 zh, j=bou6 bou6 gou1 sing1, p=bu bu gao sheng, c=, s=, t= – "reaching higher level with each step"). The condiments are finally added. First, peanut crumbs are dusted on the dish, symbolising a household filled with gold and silver (金銀滿屋 / 金银满屋 zh, j=gam1 ngan4 mun5 uk1, p=jin yin man wu, c=, s=, t=, meaning "household filled with gold and silver").

Sesame seeds Sesame (; ''Sesamum indicum'') is a plant in the genus ''Sesamum'', also called benne. Numerous wild relatives occur in Africa and a smaller number in India. It is widely naturalized in tropical regions around the world and is cultivated for it ...

quickly follow symbolizing a flourishing business (生意興隆 / 生意兴隆 zh, j=saang1 ji3 hing1 lung4, p=sheng yi xing long, c=, s=, t=, meaning "prosperity for the business") Yu Sheng sauce, usually made from

plum sauce Plum sauce is a viscous, light-brown sweet and sour condiment. It is used in Cantonese cuisine as a dip for deep-fried dishes, such as spring rolls, noodles, deep-fried chicken balls and roast duck. It is made from sweet plums or other fruit s ...

, is generously drizzled over everything – a reference to 甜甜蜜蜜 '' zh, j=tim4 tim4 mat6 mat6, p=tian tian mi mi, c=, s=, t='', meaning "may life always be sweet" Deep-fried flour crisps in the shape of golden pillows is then added with wishes that literally the whole floor would be filled with gold (遍地黃金 / 遍地黄金 zh, j=pin3 dei6 wong4 gam1, p=bian di huang jin, c=, s=, t=, "floor full of gold").

Modern version of the dish

The yusheng had fish served with daikon (white radish),

carrot The carrot ('' Daucus carota'' subsp. ''sativus'') is a root vegetable, typically orange in colour, though heirloom variants including purple, black, red, white, and yellow cultivars exist, all of which are domesticated forms of the wild ...

s, red pepper (capsicum), turnips, red pickled ginger, sun-dried oranges,

key lime The Key lime or acid lime (''Citrus'' × ''aurantiifolia'' or ''C. aurantifolia'') is a citrus hybrid (''kaffir lime, C. hystrix'' × ''citron, C. medica'') native to tropical Southeast Asia. It has a spherical fruit, in diameter. The Key lime ...

leaves,

coriander Coriander (), whose leaves are known as cilantro () in the U.S. and parts of Canada, and dhania in parts of South Asia and Africa, is an annual plant, annual herb (''Coriandrum sativum'') in the family Apiaceae. Most people perceive the ...

, chilli, jellyfish, chopped

s, toasted sesame seeds, Chinese shrimp crackers (or fried dried shrimp), five spice powder and other ingredients, laced with a sauce using

, rice vinegar, kumquat paste and

, for a total of 27 ingredients. Originally, the dish used raw wolf herring, although

was later offered as an alternative due to said species' growing popularity with customers.

Serving

Yusheng is often served as part of a multi-dish dinner, usually as the appetizer due to its symbolism of "good luck" for the new year. Some would consume it on Renri, the seventh day of the

, although in practice it may be eaten on any convenient day during the Chinese New Year period (the first to the 15th day of the first lunar month). The base ingredients are first served. The leader amongst the diners or the restaurant server proceeds to add ingredients such as the fish, the crackers and the sauces while saying " auspicious wishes" ( zh, j=gat1 coeng4 waa6*2, p=jíxiáng huà, c=, s=, t=) as each ingredient is added, typically related to the specific ingredient being added. For example, phrases such as ( zh, j=nin4 nin4 jau5 jyu4, p=niánnián yǒuyú, c=, s=, t=; "may there be abundance year after year") are uttered as the fish is added, as the Chinese word for "surplus" or "abundance" ( zh, j=jyu4, p=yú, c=, s=, t=) sounds the same as the Chinese word for "fish" ( zh, j=jyu4, p=yú, c=, s=, t=). All diners at the table then stand up and proceed to toss the shredded ingredients into the air with chopsticks while saying various "auspicious wishes" out loud, or simply "lo hei, lo hei" ( pinyin: ''lāoqǐ, lāoqǐ'' meaning "scoop it up, scoop it up"). It is believed that the height of the toss reflects the height of the diners' growth in fortunes, thus diners are expected to toss enthusiastically.

References

External links

Interactive Virtual Reality – Process of Lo Hei
*Jack Tsen-Ta Lee

*Jack Tsen-Ta Lee

* ttps://web.archive.org/web/20080514134405/http://www.globalgourmet.com/food/special/1999/asia/fish.html A recipe for yushengbr>DIY Spring Toss Yusheng recipeYusheng Ingredients Meaning
{{Chinese New Year Chinese New Year foods Chinese seafood dishes Raw fish salads Salmon dishes Singaporean cuisine Cantonese cuisine Articles containing video clips