On the eighth day of the last month in the Chinese lunar calendar, people will enjoy a nourishing porridge called ''La Ba Zhou''. In ancient times, monks would kindly share all sorts of food grains with people and made them flavorful porridge on this particular day. People still keep this convention.
In Central China, when a baby is born, the happy father will send red boiled eggs to announce the news. Eggs with a black pointed end and dots in an even number such as six or eight, indicates a boy''s birth; those without a black point and in an odd number like a five or seven will say the baby is a girl.
In addition to these, fish has always been used to suggest the accumulation of prosperity and wealth with meals on New Year''s Eve.