Rev (Dr) Quek Suan Yew

SHOULD CHRISTIANS "LO HEI"?

This is a second reprint of my article written in March 2013. It is needful to be reminded of our Christian witness during every Lunar New Year season. All of us can be faithful witnesses for Christ once again. “Lo Hei” is upon us once more. Please read this article and be encouraged so that you will know what to do and give a reason for what you believe for Christ’s sake. 

“Lo Hei” is very popular in Singapore. It is a practice observed only during the Chinese New Year season. Is this merely a cultural practice that bears no superstition or does it involve a gamut of superstitions? If believers participate in this traditional "lo hei" and it does have superstitious connotations, then it would be a transgression against God. However, if it does not, it is fine as this is a cultural practice. Of course, the issue would be easily resolved if there is a verse that states, "Thou shall not ‘lo hei’". However, the Bible does not specifically cover every aspect in every believer's life, from all walks of life, and the many traditions; otherwise, the Bible would be thicker than a thousand volume encyclopaedia! But the Bible does provide all believers sufficient guidelines to help them evaluate all traditions of all nationalities. The Bible is an ageless Book!   

“Lo Hei” and “Yusheng” (or yee sang or yuu shang) are synonyms describing the same thing. It means "prosperity toss". It usually consists of strips of raw fish (the most commonly used fish is salmon), mixed with shredded vegetables including a variety of other ingredients and different types of sauces and condiments. "Yusheng" means "raw fish." "Yusheng" is made up of two Chinese words. "yu" means "fish" which has its homophonic meaning "abundance". The words combined together have the homophonic meaning of "an increase in abundance."¹  "Yusheng" is thus considered by the Chinese as a symbol of abundance and prosperity. 

Its origin– "Fishermen along the coast of Guangzhou traditionally celebrated Renri, the seventh day of the Chinese New Year, by feasting on their catches. The practice of eating raw fish in thinly sliced strips can be traced back to ancient China through the raw fish or meat dish known as kuai (膾, kuài). However the present form of yusheng is believed to have started in Chaozhou and Shantou as far back as the Southern Song Dynasty. In Malaya's colonial past, migrants imported this tradition; porridge stalls sold a raw fish dish which is believed to have originated in Jiangmen, Guangdong province that consisted of fish, turnip and carrot strips, which was served with condiments of oil, vinegar and sugar that were mixed in by customers. The modern yusheng dish debuted during the Lunar New Year of 1964 in Singapore's Lai Wah Restaurant (established in Sept 1963). It was created by four master chefs namely: Than Mui Kai (Tham Yu Kai, co-head chef of Lai Wah Restaurant), Lau Yoke Pui (co-head chef of Lai Wah Restaurant), Hooi Kok Wai (Founder of Dragon-Phoenix Restaurant) and Sin Leong (Founder of Sin Leong Restaurant), as a symbol of prosperity and good health amongst the Chinese. All four chefs were named as the "Four Heavenly Culinary Kings" of Singapore some 40 years ago for their culinary prowess and ingenuity. In the 1970s, Lai Wah Restaurant started the modern-day method of serving yusheng with a pre-mixed special sauce comprising plum sauce, rice vinegar, kumquat paste and sesame oil --- instead of customers mixing a inconsistently-concocted sauce. The yusheng had fish served with daikon (white radish), carrots, red pepper (capsicum), turnips, red pickled ginger, sun-dried oranges, daun limau nipis (key lime leaves), Chinese parsley, chilli, jellyfish, chopped peanuts, toasted sesame seeds, Chinese shrimp crackers (or fried dried shrimp), five spice powder and other ingredients, laced with a sauce using plum sauce, rice vinegar, kumquat paste and sesame oil, for a total of 27 ingredients. Originally, the dish used raw wolf herring, although in deference to the popular wishes of customers, salmon was later offered as an alternative due to the growing popularity of salmon." [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yusheng]

The timing, manner and significance of the "yusheng"– “Yusheng is often served as part of a multi-dish dinner, usually as the appetizer due to its symbolism of "good luck" for the new year. Some would consume it on Renri, the seventh day of the Chinese New Year, although in practice it may be eaten on any convenient day during Chinese New Year (1st to 15th Day). The base ingredients are first served. The leader amongst the diners or the restaurant server proceeds to add ingredients such as the fish, the crackers and the sauces while saying "auspicious wishes" (吉祥话 or Jíxiáng Huà) as each ingredient is added, typically related to the specific ingredient being added. For example, phrases such as Nian Nian You Yu (年年有余) are uttered as the fish is added, as the word Yu (余), which means "surplus" or "abundance", sounds the same as the Chinese word for fish (yu, 鱼). All diners at the table then stand up and on cue proceed to toss the shredded ingredients into the air with chopsticks while saying various "auspicious wishes" out loud, or simply "撈起, 撈起". It is believed that the height of the toss reflects the height of the diner's growth in fortunes, thus diners are expected to toss enthusiastically." [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yusheng]

The meaning of the ingredients – taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yusheng

• 恭喜发财 (Gong Xi Fa Cai) meaning “Congratulations for your wealth” 万事如意 (Wan Shi Ru Yi) meaning “May all your wishes be fulfilled”;
• The raw fish is added, symbolising abundance and excess through the year. 年年有余 (Nian Nian You Yu) meaning “Abundance through the year”, as the word "fish" in Mandarin also sounds like "Abundance";
• The pomelo or lime is added to the fish, adding luck and auspicious value. 大吉大利 (Da Ji Da Li) meaning “Good luck and smooth sailing”;
• Pepper is then dashed over in the hope of attracting more money and valuables. 招财进宝 (Zhao Cai Jin Bao) meaning “Attract wealth and treasures”;
• Then oil is poured out, circling the ingredients and encouraging money to flow in from all directions. 一本万利 (Yi Ben Wan Li) meaning “Make 10,000 times of profit with your capital” 财源广进 (Cai Yuan Guang Jin) meaning “Numerous sources of wealth”;
• Carrots are added indicating blessings of good luck. 鸿运当头 (Hong Yun Dang Tou) meaning “Good luck is approaching”. Carrot (红萝卜) is used as the first character 鸿 also sound like the Chinese character for red;
• Then the shredded green radish is placed symbolising eternal youth. 青春常驻 (Qing Chun Chang Zhu) meaning “Forever young”. Green radish is used as the first character 青 also sound like the Chinese character for green;
• After which the shredded white radish is added - prosperity in business and promotion at work. 风生水起 (Feng Sheng Shui Qi) meaning “Progress at a fast pace” 步步高升 (Bu Bu Gao Sheng) meaning “Reaching higher level with each step”;
• The condiments are finally added. First, peanut crumbs are dusted on the dish, symbolizing a household filled with gold and silver. 金银满屋 (Jin Yin Man Wu) meaning “Household filled with gold and silver”;
• Sesame seeds quickly follow symbolising a flourishing business. 生意兴隆 (Sheng Yi Xing Long) meaning “Prosperity for the business”; and
• Deep-fried flour crisps in the shape of golden pillows is then added with wishes that literally the whole floor would be filled with gold. 满地黄金 (Man Di Huang Jin) meaning “Floor full of gold”.

What does the Bible say?– The evaluation cannot be based upon origin. If origin is used to evaluate what a believer can or cannot do today, then all cultures in all societies from the time of the Pentecost in Acts 2 would have to be rejected by all believers the moment they become Christians. This is not what the Bible teaches in Romans 14:1-12. The only culture that originates from God is the Jewish culture. If origin is the basis for every Christian's practice, then all Christians should become Jews! But the Bible does not say that we are to become Jews. In fact, the Bible says that we are not to practise Jewish culture if we are not Jews (cf. Acts 15)!  Christians are to retain their respective cultures as long as the culture that believers keep does not conflict with Scriptures. A case in point regarding the philosophy of origin as the basis for Christian practice is that of the brazen serpent. The brazen serpent was made by Moses according to God's command for the healing of all those who were bitten by serpents in the wilderness (cf. Numbers 21:8-9). Subsequently, in the time of the kings, the people of Israel turned this brazen serpent into a superstitious object of idolatry. The command was to destroy the brazen serpent (cf. 2Kings 18:4). Furthermore, the incident of Moses raising the brazen serpent was used by Christ as a type of His crucifixion (cf. John 3:14-15). God permits and encourages Gentile believers all over the world to hold on to their cultures as long as their witness for Christ is not jeopardised or compromised. They are to keep them as unto the LORD! This means that the Bible will be the supreme guide in evaluating all cultures. In this way, Gentile believers can continue to reach out to their unsaved loved ones for Christ and prevent anyone from saying that “to be a Christian means that he will lose his cultural identity!” 

Therefore all cultural practices have to be evaluated based upon God's Word. This will be the basis to evaluate if Christians should "lo hei." 

• Warning against superstitions – The warning from the Bible against all forms of superstitions is clear. Christians must stay away from all forms of superstitions. The meaning of the word "superstition" is defined for us in Acts 17:22 (KJV), "Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars' hill, and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious."Literally, the word "superstition" means "fearful of supernatural spirits." Does "lo hei" carry with it superstition? If "lo hei" has lost its superstitious significance then it is merely a cultural practice. But based upon its recent birth (1964, i.e. about 55 years old) and the current superstitious beliefs that come with it, it is not advisable for believers to "lo hei." As explained above, every item of the “lo hei” has a superstitious connotation that is still believed today. 

What if believers gather together and utter Christian blessings, would that be acceptable to God? We know that our God only hears the blessings uttered by born again believers because of Christ Jesus. We do not need to “stand before a dish” to be blessed by God. In fact, for believers to stand in front of a "dish" to utter words of blessings is not only wrong, especially when non-believers do the same and they believe that this would really bring them "good luck", it will stumble both believers and unbelievers alike. Believers can bless anyone, at any time and anywhere in the name of Christ; and when it is done biblically, God hears. Believers do not have to bless in front of "yusheng" or while he is tossing. This will stumble unbelievers because they will think that believers have also become superstitious like them, invoking blessings from their God! Also, this will especially stumble young and new believers because they might believe that this is the way God blesses His people! God blesses His people when they live lives of holiness and godliness according to Holy Scriptures. To “Christianize” a heathen practice is an abomination to God. 

• Abstain from all appearance of evil – Some believers might reason and argue thus: if we were to just toss the "yusheng" and not say anything, and inside our hearts we do not believe in any of the superstitions, then why can’t we "lo hei"? Any action that has “an appearance of evil” must be avoided by the child of God. The Bible's injunction of abstaining “from all appearance of evil” is clear in 1Thessalonians 5:22. Christians bear the name of Christ everywhere they go. There is no place (private or public) that they are exempted from bearing a godly witness for Christ. With such a public display of "lo hei" and with the present understanding of the significance of the meaning of this event "lo hei", it is mandatory for believers to not toss. God says in 2Corinthians 6:14-18,“Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? 15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? 16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, 18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.”

• Do all things to God's glory – The final reason forbidding believers from "lo hei" is the fact that we are commanded by God to do all things to His glory. 1Corinthians 10:31-33, "Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. 32 Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God: 33 Even as I please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved." We are to ensure that our lives bring glory to God at all times which means that we do not bring shame to the Name of Christ and to stumble Jews and Gentiles alike. The mention of these groups of people (the Jews, the Gentiles, and the church of God) in the believer's life covers everyone on earth. Personal profit and benefit do not enter into the equation of the believer's evaluation of what he can or cannot do in life. The glory of God is paramount to him. The visibility of the glory of God in the life of every believer has the potential to save souls and God can use this to impact sinners to Christ, especially during every Lunar New Year when believers stand true to Christ and be separate!

SUMMARY – "Lo Hei" must not be practised by believers for the sake of the glory of God. They must abstain from all appearance of evil and not do anything that is superstitious in nature which is sinful. This does not mean that believers cannot eat the food after it has been tossed as it does not belong to the category of food offered to idols. The "things" used to make this "lo hei" are created by God for us to eat. Believers can eat the concoction after it has been tossed but they are to refrain from participating in the act of tossing. But if eating it will cause someone to be stumbled then eating ought to be avoided as well. The Bible says in 1Corinthians 8:8-9 “But meat commendeth us not to God: for neither, if we eat, are we the better; neither, if we eat not, are we the worse. 9 But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak.” Also in Romans 14:13-17 “Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother's way. 14 I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean. 15 But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou not charitably. Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died. 16 Let not then your good be evil spoken of: 17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.”

Even though believers ought not to "lo hei" when family members are doing it, how they do not participate is also very important. Believers ought not to be offensive. Kind words and a gentle explanation are needful so as to maintain a godly witness. Believers need to exercise patience and longsuffering to gently guide those who need time to understand and obey. Angry words and a cantankerous spirit, especially a self righteous spirit, are not the way of Christ in teaching and exhorting. Instead, let us use patient education which is always the way of Christ. Amen.

¹ Yusheng literally means "raw fish" but since "fish (鱼)" is commonly conflated with its homophone"abundance (余)", Yúshēng (鱼生) is interpreted as a homophone for Yúshēng (余升) meaning an increase in abundance. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yusheng]