25/02/2026
[A Strange Adventure in the Year of the Horse V: Auspicious Beasts in the Kitchen]
This Spring Festival, I experienced Chinese New Year in the kitchen for the first time—learning how to make horse-shaped steamed buns. Kneading the dough, shaping it, adding the little eyes… and suddenly, a cute little horse came to life in my hands.
As the steam rose, the buns became plump and shiny, like auspicious creatures running out of the kitchen. From shaping to steaming, I understood the emotional meaning hidden in the dough by the Chinese: all hopes for a better future take root in this process of kneading and shaping, and are passed down endlessly from one generation to another.
[Online Chinese Festivals: Spring Festival]
