It's a rare opportunity to gather with the wider family and have a traditional meal together. This is one of the most enjoyable occasions in a Chinese family and should be treasured. As part of the meal, some special plum wine was also prepared, these are stored in the black 'secret' pots.
As you can see from the selection of food. The Northeastern Chinese food tends to be less colourful than their southern counterparts.
A look outside and you'll realise why. The reason is that this is the coldest part of China with temperatures soaring to below 30 degrees C during winter. It is a very harsh environment with very little vegetation. Most of the foods therefore, are ones which can be stored for a long time, even after being cooked.
Still, despite the cold weather, the restaurants are still open and running, people are out looking to visit their favourite restaurants. For me and my family, we care very little about the weather, it's like this every year, and it's become a very important time to gather together and keep each other warm, both physically and emotionally.