Learning Objective: Students can describe the different eating habits of people in northern and southern China . For most Chinese families, especially those in the north, making dumplings and eating dumplings at 1 AM when they’re finished, is an activity associated with the beginning of the first day of the first month of the Chinese Lunar Calendar. This day is called 子时 Zi Shi, ‘the time of beginning the first month’. This can also be expressed by the word, ‘交子jiaozi‘ which means ‘crossing over into the first month, that is named ‘子zi’. The word for " "Dumpling", ‘饺子’sounds similar, so has been used to represent special meaning for this day. The word "子zi" in the first context refers to ‘时time’, and the word "交jiao" for cross, and "饺jiao” for dumpling sound the same, so represent joy and reunion. Dumplings not only have a good name, but are also delicious and a food that all Chinese like to eat!