The Chinese hot pot has a history of more than1,000 years. Hot pot seems to have originated inMongolia where the main ingredient was meat,usually beef,mutton or horseflesh.It then spread tosouthern China and was further established.Chinese hot pot consists of a simmering metal pot of stock at the center of the diningtable.While the hot pot is kept simmering, ingredients are placed into the pot.Typical hot potdishes include thinly sliced meat, leaf vegetables, mushrooms, wontons, eggs, dumplings, andseafood. The cooked food is usually eaten with a dipping sauce. In many areas, hot pot mealsare often eaten in winter.

　　湯圓(sweet soup ball)是中國的一種傳統食物。它最初在隋朝被稱為元宵 (Yuanxiao)，曾被用來指代元宵節(the Lantern Festival)，元宵節是一個以吃湯圓或元宵的形式來慶祝的節日。湯圓至今已經有700多年的歷史了。這種深受人們喜愛的食物最早出現在寧波。隨著不斷的發展和完善，逐漸形成了這種有著特殊味道，由糯米(glutinous rice)做皮、豬油(lard)做餡兒的寧波湯圓。

　　Sweet soup ball is a kind of traditional food inChina. Originally named Yuanxiao in the SuiDynasty，it was ever used to refer to the LanternFestival，a day celebrated by eating sweet soupballs and rice glue balls. Sweet soup ball now has ahistory of over 700 years.This food，much favored by people，first appeared in Ningbo.Through its continuous development and improvement, the unique flavor of Ningbo sweetsoup balls made of glutinous rice with lard stuffing has gradually come into being.

　　房屋裝飾之一就是在門上貼對聯。在春聯上，抒發良好的祝愿。春聯通常是成對張貼，因為雙數在中國文化中是好運氣和吉祥的象征。在中國北方，人們習慣于在窗戶上貼剪紙。人們既在窗戶上貼剪紙，又在大門上貼上大大的紅色漢字“福”字，一個紅色“福”字意味著好運和財富，因此習慣上在婚禮，節日之類的吉祥場合中，人們都會在門或墻上貼“福”字。

　　One of the house decorations is to post couplets ondoors. On the Spring Festival couplets, good wishesare expressed. New Year couplets are usuallyposted in pairs as even numbers are associated withgood luck and auspiciousness in Chinese culture.People in north China are used to posting paper-cut on their windows. When sticking thewindow decoration paper-cuts, people paste on the door large red Chinese character “fu”A red"fu"means good luck and fortune, so it is customary to post "fu"on doors or walls onauspicious occasions such as wedding, festivals.