Mia Patel
Thanksgiving is an American holiday that has gained traction in China in recent years. While it is not an official holiday, some Chinese people have chosen to celebrate it in their birth country, putting their own twist on the foods they serve and even the name of the holiday itself. For example, in some Chinese provinces, people refer to the holiday as Friendsgiving as they gather to celebrate love and friendship. Chinese people may also prepare duck instead of turkey and crab rangoons instead of rolls. Church's Chicken is an American fast-food chain that began its international expansion in the 1970s, with locations in Canada, Mexico, Japan, and Puerto Rico. However, there is no indication that Church's Chicken has a presence in China.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Popularity of Thanksgiving in China | Growing |
| Chinese name for Thanksgiving | Gan'en Jie |
| Chinese interpretation of Thanksgiving | A time to connect with friends and family, give thanks, and enjoy good food |
| Chinese decorations for Thanksgiving | Pumpkins, corn, candy, bowls of fruits and nuts |
| Typical Chinese Thanksgiving dishes | Turkey, pumpkin, and cranberry dishes |
| Chinese twists on Thanksgiving dishes | Duck instead of turkey, crab rangoons instead of rolls, Chinese-style stuffing, Chinese-style mashed potatoes |
| Chinese restaurants serving Thanksgiving dinner | Chili House in San Francisco |
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What You'll Learn
- Chinese people in America may incorporate Chinese flavours into their Thanksgiving meals, such as by glazing turkey with teriyaki sauce and stuffing it with rice
- Some Chinese Americans may choose to forgo the traditional turkey for a historically significant Peking duck
- Thanksgiving is becoming more popular in China, with some Chinese schools teaching children about the American holiday
- In China, Thanksgiving is known as Gan'en Jie (感恩节), which translates to thanks for grace
- Thanksgiving is not an official holiday in China, but some people host feasts and decorate their homes with pumpkins, corn, and candy
Chinese people in America may incorporate Chinese flavours into their Thanksgiving meals, such as by glazing turkey with teriyaki sauce and stuffing it with rice
Thanksgiving is one of the most popular festivals in North America, and it is also celebrated by Chinese Americans, who may incorporate Chinese flavours and dishes into their Thanksgiving meals. In China, many North American expats like to celebrate Thanksgiving and invite their local friends and workmates. However, finding turkey in China can be difficult, so people often roast geese or chicken instead.
Some Chinese Americans may choose to glaze their turkey with teriyaki sauce and stuff it with rice to make it more palatable to Asian families. Others may opt for a historically significant Peking Duck instead of turkey. Chinese-style goose, char siu, and sticky rice are also popular dishes for Chinese Americans to include in their Thanksgiving celebrations.
Chinese Americans may also add a lot of garlic and butter to mashed potatoes to make them taste more familiar. Chinese-inspired sides and desserts can also be served, such as mooncakes, mung-bean cakes, and Chinese hawthorn, which tastes similar to cranberry sauce.
Some Chinese Americans may choose to order Chinese food or go to a Chinese restaurant on Thanksgiving, either as a tradition or to avoid the emotional labour and prep work of cooking a Thanksgiving meal.
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Some Chinese Americans may choose to forgo the traditional turkey for a historically significant Peking duck
Thanksgiving is a popular festival in North America, but it is also celebrated in other parts of the world, including China. While the traditional Thanksgiving meal in the US involves a turkey dinner, Chinese Americans often put their own twist on the occasion, incorporating traditions and dishes from both cultures.
In China, turkeys are not native and can be hard to come by in most cities, so some Chinese Americans may choose to forgo the traditional turkey for a historically significant Peking duck. This is a more familiar option for those who want to stay close to their Asian roots. Chinese cuisine includes other roast poultry, such as Beijing duck, and stewed chicken, which can be a good substitute for turkey.
Some Chinese Americans embrace their dual cultures by combining American and Chinese dishes for Thanksgiving. For instance, they may serve the turkey with Chinese-style sides, such as sticky rice stuffing made with mushroom and Chinese sausage, or sweet potatoes with a five-spice twist. Chinese Americans may also add their own twist to the traditional turkey, such as glazing it with teriyaki sauce and stuffing it with rice, or marinating it in hoisin sauce, sweet bean sauce, garlic, shallot, ginger, and tangerine peels.
In addition to the food, Chinese Americans may also incorporate Chinese culture into their Thanksgiving celebrations in other ways. For example, in China, Thanksgiving is a special day for giving thanks, so people may have a special meal and pray. While desserts are an important part of American Thanksgiving, they are not common in traditional Chinese culture, so Chinese Americans may substitute American desserts with Chinese pastries such as mooncakes and mung-bean cakes.
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Thanksgiving is becoming more popular in China, with some Chinese schools teaching children about the American holiday
Thanksgiving is traditionally a North American holiday, but it has been gaining popularity in China, where some people put a Chinese twist on the celebrations. In China, Thanksgiving is known as "Gan'en Jie" (感恩节), which translates to "thanks for grace".
Although Thanksgiving is not an official holiday in China, with manufacturing and businesses remaining open, some people host Thanksgiving feasts in their homes. The holiday was once primarily celebrated by American expats in China, but it has since become more widely embraced as Chinese people have drawn their own meanings and connections with it. Some Chinese schools even teach children about the American Thanksgiving.
In China, Thanksgiving is seen as a time to connect with friends and family, give thanks, and enjoy good food. Homes may be decorated with pumpkins, corn, candy, and bowls of fruits and nuts, symbolising the abundance received throughout the year. People may eat turkey, pumpkin, and cranberry dishes, though these ingredients are only available at international markets.
Some Chinese Americans blend traditions from both countries, incorporating Chinese dishes into their Thanksgiving celebrations. For example, they may glaze the turkey with teriyaki sauce and stuff it with Chinese preserved sausage, shitake mushrooms, dried shrimp, and sticky rice with chestnuts. Others may swap out the turkey entirely for the historically significant Peking Duck. In some Chinese provinces, people refer to the holiday as "Friendsgiving", gathering to celebrate love and friendship.
In addition to Thanksgiving, China has its own version of a harvest festival called the Mid-Autumn Festival, which has been compared to the Western holiday of Thanksgiving. This festival is a time for family reunions and to worship and celebrate the moon.
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In China, Thanksgiving is known as Gan'en Jie (感恩节), which translates to thanks for grace
In China, Thanksgiving is known as Ganen Jie (感恩节), which translates to "thanks for grace". While Thanksgiving is not a traditional Chinese holiday, some Chinese locals have chosen to celebrate it, often putting their own twist on the foods they serve. For example, Chinese Americans may incorporate traditions from both China and the US into their Thanksgiving celebrations, such as serving Peking duck instead of turkey.
Chinese Christians are aware that Thanksgiving is a holiday for early settlers in America to thank God for blessings. Some churches in China have adopted Thanksgiving as a special day for giving thanks, where people may have a special meal and pray.
North American expats in China often like to have a Thanksgiving meal and invite their local friends and workmates. However, finding turkey in China can be difficult outside of foreign-oriented stores, hotels, or supermarkets in big cities like Shanghai and Beijing. As a result, people often roast geese or chicken instead.
Some Chinese Americans combine dishes from both cultures for Thanksgiving. For example, they may serve traditional American foods like turkey and mashed potatoes with Chinese dishes like sticky rice or bok choy. Others may put a Chinese twist on traditional Thanksgiving dishes, such as glazing the turkey with teriyaki sauce and stuffing it with rice.
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Thanksgiving is not an official holiday in China, but some people host feasts and decorate their homes with pumpkins, corn, and candy
Thanksgiving is not an official holiday in China, but the festival is becoming increasingly popular in the country. It is primarily celebrated by American expats and the younger, Christian population in China. Some Chinese locals have also chosen to celebrate the festival by putting their own twist on the foods they serve and even the name of the holiday itself. In some Chinese provinces, people refer to the holiday as "Friendsgiving" as they gather to celebrate love and friendship.
Although it's not as big as Christmas or Chinese New Year, Thanksgiving is seen as an opportunity to celebrate and give thanks. People in China largely see it as a time to connect with friends and family, give thanks to each other, and enjoy good food. Many of the celebrations and activities of Thanksgiving in China are recognizable to Americans but with their own distinct Chinese interpretation. For example, while Thanksgiving isn't an official holiday, it's common to find homes decorated with pumpkins, corn, candy, and bowls of fruits and nuts. These decorations symbolize the abundance that the home has received throughout the year.
People in China also enjoy Thanksgiving turkey, pumpkin, and cranberry dishes, which are available at international markets. Some Chinese Americans embrace their dual cultures by incorporating traditions of both countries into their Thanksgiving celebrations. For example, some Chinese families serve turkey with Chinese preserved sausage, shitake mushrooms, dried shrimp, and sticky rice with chestnuts. Others glaze the turkey with teriyaki sauce and stuff it with rice, or swap it out entirely for the historically significant Peking Duck.
The Mid-Autumn Festival, also known as the Moon Festival, is a Chinese harvest holiday that has been compared to the Western holiday of Thanksgiving. It is considered a time for families to hold reunions, and many Chinese people travel back to their hometowns. The festival includes the eating of mooncakes, a traditional Chinese food with a salted egg yolk in the middle to symbolize the full moon.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Thanksgiving is becoming an increasingly popular holiday in China. It is known as "Gan’en Jie" (感恩节), which translates to "thanks for grace".
In China, Thanksgiving is called "Gan’en Jie" (感恩节), which directly translates to "thanks for grace".
While some Chinese people eat traditional Thanksgiving foods like turkey, pumpkin, and cranberry dishes, others put their own twist on the meal. Some Chinese Thanksgiving dishes include Peking duck, crab rangoons, Chinese preserved sausage, shitake mushrooms, dried shrimp, and sticky rice with chestnuts.
Thanksgiving is not an official holiday in China, but it is an opportunity for Chinese and American cultures to blend and create connections. Chinese people largely see it as a time to connect with friends and family, give thanks, and enjoy good food.
Church's Chicken is an American fast-food chain specialising in fried chicken. As of November 2024, there were 785 Church's Chicken restaurants in the United States, with the majority located in Texas.
