Fun with puns

In China, the Year of the Rooster is highly anticipated by all, because the word for rooster in Chinese is homonymous with “auspicious.” Therefore, when congratulating each other on the New Year, Chinese are fond of using puns to convey their hope that the coming year will bring them good fortune, joy and happiness.

More than that, every part of the rooster has its associated expression and its implied meaning in the Chinese language. Cockscomb, for example, means “staving off a disaster,” while cockcrow has the meaning of “evil spirits,” but is also homophonic with “high official” and “getting a promotion.”

Chickens are also part of the fun. A charred chicken feather is associated with an emergency, and a letter with a chicken feather attached is usually taken as a sign of urgency. deep-frying, steaming, roasting, stewing, and boiling. Chinese people believe that nearly all parts of the chicken can be eaten. As a matter of fact, chicken necks and feet are high on the list of Chinese people’s favorite snacks.

Due to regional differences in dietary culture and cooking techniques, each part of China has developed its unique chicken dishes. Among the most famous are Chongqing chicken feet with pickled peppers, Sichuan

chicken, Xinjiang spicy hot chicken, Jiangsustyle Beggar’s chicken and Guangdong white sliced chicken.

But while the rest of us are feasting on these delicious dishes, people who were born under the sign of the rooster should be especially careful. According to the Chinese traditional belief, the year of one’s birth sign, which comes around every 12 years according to the zodiac cycle, is one of bad luck.

It is recommended for roosters to take a few precautions to ensure that their year is not a bad one. To ward off any dangers that might befall them, Chinese people traditionally believe that wearing the color red can help. Red is one of the luckiest colors in Chinese traditions, standing for loyalty, success and happiness.

Red belts, red socks, red shoes, and even red underwear are all indispensable items of clothing for roosters in 2017. However, be aware that for this rule to work, you need not to buy the item yourself - it has to be bought by a spouse, family member, or a fellow rooster friend.

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