It’s that time of the year again - reunion dinners, red packets, and relatives (some you only meet once a year!). All telltale signs of the Lunar New Year. While red might be the colour most associated with Chinese New Year, when it comes to fruits, the star has always been orange in colour. More specifically, Citrus reticulata, better known as the Mandarin Orange 🍊 (柑) has always been the staple fruit associated with the celebration.
Mandarin Oranges 🍊 have always been considered as a traditional symbol of good fortune. This is mainly because the word orange (柑), when spoken in mandarin, sounds similar to the word “gold”. The orange hue of the fruit is also said to symbolise “wealth”, which makes it a very auspicious fruit.
Giving Mandarin Oranges to loved ones during the celebration is a symbolic way of wishing someone happiness and prosperity, as you are literally giving them “wealth”. Exchanging mandarin oranges 🍊 when visiting one’s house has always been a form of respect and tradition. Its auspiciousness makes it a crucial decorative item everywhere, such as homes, offices, shops, etc. Its presence acts as an invitation for good fortune to bless the inhabitants.
You are not limited to just enjoying (eating) them or giving the oranges away. Businesses, especially shopping malls love these Potted Mandarin Orange Plants, often buying a pair of them to place it on the left and right sides of the main entrance. And they don’t come cheap either, with each plant costing anything from between a couple of hundreds to over a thousand dollar depending on the sizes.
Info and selected images from here, here and Lazada Singapore.
