Yusheng, yee sang or yuu sahng (), or Prosperity Toss, also known as lo sahng (Cantonese for ) is a Cantonese-style raw fish salad. It usually consists of strips of raw fish (sometimes salmon), mixed with shredded vegetables and a variety of sauces and condiments, among other ingredients. There is also a vegetarian version of this dish, where the fish is replaced with soy "fish", which resembles salmon. Yusheng literally means "raw fish" but since "fish ()" is commonly conflated with its homophone "abundance ()", Yúshēng () is interpreted as a homophone for Yúshēng () meaning an increase in abundance. Therefore, yusheng is considered a symbol of abundance, prosperity and vigor.
The dish originated from China but modern takes of the dish existed in both Malaysia and Singapore with both countries having competitive claims over who first modified the dish to its modern version.
Today, the common form of yusheng is the qicai yusheng (; "seven-coloured raw fish salad") served in local restaurants during the Chinese New Year period. Also referred to as facai yusheng (; "prosperity raw fish salad") or xinnian yusheng (; "Chinese New Year raw fish salad"). The recipe generally includes ingredients such as shredded white and green radish and carrots, ginger slices, onion slices, crushed peanuts, pomelo, pepper, essence of chicken, oil, salt, vinegar, sugar and more.
Yusheng during Chinese New Year is a cultural activity for the Chinese population in Malaysia and Singapore and recently become popular although not historically practiced in Indonesia, Thailand, Hong Kong over the last few decades.
Origins
The Chinese China Cuisine Association mentions the tradition coming from Guangdong, China before the dishes were brought to Southeast Asia by Chinese immigration. However, the statement only mentions the tradition of having raw fish during Chinese New Year, which was served very differently from today's Yusheng.
Dispute
The dish originated in China but modern takes of the dish existed in both Malaysia and Singapore with both countries having competitive claims over who invented or modified the dish first.
Singapore
In Singapore, the claim was that the dish was modified by 4 chefs, 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) in a restaurant kitchen in Singapore. In the 1970s, the Lai Wah Restaurant located at Bendemeer 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 inconsistently-concocted sauce.
In 2012, Chris Hooi, son of Hooi Kok Wai, one of the four chefs, clarified that the four chefs never claimed they invented the dish and their modified dish only took off in Singapore in the 1960s.
Malaysia
In Malaysia, Malaysian newspapers claimed that Yusheng was modified from a fish noodles dish originating from Guangdong, China served in Loke Ching Kee (), a Chinese restaurant in the city of Seremban, Malaysia run by Loke Ching Fatt (). One of Loke's grandchildren, statesman Anthony Loke launched a history book on the food's origins on their family side on January 31st 2020.
In 2009, the Malaysian Department of National Heritage declared Yusheng, alongside other Malaysian food dishes, as an Intangible Heritage Object of Malaysia.
In 2020, a descendant of Lu Zhen Ji stated that the origin of the claim was hard to prove and meaningless to insist on an origin, ending the dispute.
Ingredients and their symbolism
When putting the yusheng on the table, New Year greetings are offered. Some of the phrases commonly used are: 恭喜發財 / 恭喜发财 () meaning "Congratulations and be wealthy" 萬事如意 / 万事如意 () meaning "May all your wishes be fulfilled"
The fish is added – its Mandarin word, "魚" (pronounced "yu") corresponds to a homophone of it "餘 / 余" meaning "abundance", thus 年年有餘 / 年年有余 (), "abundance through the year". Pomelo or lime (大利, da li / daai lei) is added to the fish, adding luck and auspicious value (大吉大利 , meaning "good luck and smooth sailing"). Pepper is then dashed over in the hope of attracting more money and valuables. 招財進寶 / 招财进宝 meaning "Attract wealth and treasures". Then oil is poured out, circling the ingredients and encouraging money to flow in from all directions – referring to 一本萬利 / 一本万利 , meaning "make 10,000 times of profit with your capital", and 財源廣進 / 财源广进 meaning "numerous sources of wealth".