For the Hui people, a Chinese Muslim minority group, the biggest festivals are the Kaizhai Festival (Eid-ul-Fitr, or the Festival of Fast Breaking) and Gu'erbang Festival (Idul Adha, or the Festival of Sacrifice).

However, in big cities such as Beijing and Tianjin, the joyous atmosphere of the Spring Festival has long lured the Hui people to join in.

"In my childhood, when Spring Festival arrived, 20 or 30 members of our family would gather at home for a feast," recalled 62-year-old Mu Enyong, a Hui who lives in Tianjin.

After Mu's parents passed away, the children no longer held the big family celebrations at Spring Festival, but they continued to celebrate it in their own homes.

Every Spring Festival Eve, Mu and his wife Yin Xiuhua prepare their New Year Eve meal, which is similar to the Han people's but consists of Muslim dishes only.

"The dishes should include beef, mutton, fish, shrimp and vegetables," said Yin. "Jiaozi (dumplings) and babaofan ("eight-treasure rice," a dessert made of rice and various preserved fruits) are also on the menu."

However, at the suggestion of Mu's eldest son, this New Year's Eve the Mu family, all five of them, will follow the new trend and go to a restaurant to have their meal. They have reserved a table at Hong Qi Shun, a traditional Muslim restaurant located on Nanshi Food Street in Tianjin.

Tianjin, with a Hui population of 160,000, is well-known for its Muslim food. Yong Yuan De, Yan Chun Lou and Hui Fang Lou are just three of the other well-known Muslim restaurants in Tianjin.

The Spring Festival has become one of the busiest times for the restaurants, and people start making reservations as early as a month before the big evening. The Mus chose Hong Qi Shun because of its reputation for good dishes at low prices, and unlike many other places, such as the Yi Lan, a popular Muslim restaurant which they planned to go to at first, there is no minimum charge at Hong Qi Shun.

"Eating at a restaurant eliminates a lot of hard work," said Yin. "Now we will have more time to chat, instead of busying ourselves preparing the food."

At the same time, the Mus can also taste some of the famous dishes of Hong Qi Shun, such as red-cooked ox tail, quick-boiled sheep stomach and sauted sliced fish.

The family of Liu Xin, a 29-year-old Hui man who works as a clerk at the Tianjin Wal-Mart, takes the Spring Festival as a chance to strengthen links with relatives.

On Spring Festival Eve the families of his uncle and aunt will come to his home, as they always do, for their New Year's Eve meal. And on the next two days, the members of his own family go to visit the uncle and aunt's families.

"While it is convenient to go to a restaurant to celebrate the Spring Festival, the atmosphere at home is warmer and more intimate," said Liu. "But maybe we will try a restaurant next year."

(China Daily January 17, 2004)