• This dish is believed to have its origins in Guangzhou, where fishermen in the coastal areas would traditionally mark the seventh day of Chinese New Year (known as People’s Day) by eating the fish they had caught together with various vegetables and seasonings.
• The dish was likely introduced to Singapore by Cantonese and Teochew migrants in the 19th century.
• Initially, before the 1960s, there may have been two different versions. Cantonese yu sheng was made with fish, vegetables and seasonings, while Teochew yu sheng was made using air-dried fish, cabbage and sesame, and dipped in sauce.
• Today, yu sheng is best known as the star of “lao yu sheng” (“tossing yu sheng”). While tossing the yu sheng, Cantonese people in Singapore say the auspicious phrase lou hei. Hence, this Chinese New Year dish is also known as lou hei or lo hei.

In 1964, four famous chefs in Singapore jointly invented “七彩鱼生” (“rainbow yu sheng”). This colourful rendition of the dish was imbued with various auspicious meanings, making it very popular at Chinese New Year. Its ingredients include raw fish slices (symbolising abundance); white radish (growth); carrot (good luck); green radish (youthfulness); crispy crackers (wealth); sesame and peanuts (silver and gold); five-spice powder and pepper (blessings and prosperity); lime and pomelo (luck and profit); plum sauce (sweetness); and oil (fortune).