How sticky rice cakes became a Lunar New Year lucky dish and different ways they are eaten

The history of nian gao according to Chinese legend, and how the rice cakes are eaten to mark new year in Hong Kong, mainland China, Korea and Japan

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Cantonese-style sticky rice cake, or “nin gou”, is usually made with glutinous rice flour, Chinese brown sugar and coconut milk. Photo: The Peninsula Hong Kong

Published: 7:45am, 30 Jan 2025Updated: 8:07am, 30 Jan 2025

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Nian gao, known as nin gou in Cantonese, has long been a Lunar New Year staple. The sticky rice cake is considered an auspicious food in Chinese culture because its name sounds like “higher by the year”, indicating a hope for more growth and prosperity in the coming year.

Today, the sticky rice cake is most commonly associated with Chinese culture, but many Asian countries also celebrate the new lunisolar year with their own versions.

Read on to learn more about the history of nian gao, how it is made and the different types from around the world.

Nian gao – Chinese sticky rice cakes – are made to appease the Kitchen God, or zao jun, who reports the activities of every household over the past year to Yu Huang, the Jade Emperor. Photo: Pictures From History/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

Myths and legends behind Chinese glutinous rice cake

The history of Chinese sticky rice cake dates back 2,500 years, at least according to one legend. As the story goes, there was once a military general and politician named Wu Zixu, who ruled the Wu kingdom during the Spring and Autumn period (770 BC – 476 BC) in China.

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