EATING YEE SANG ON HER BIRTHDAY

Saturday was Renri or Human Day.  It is on this day that the Goddes Nuwa created humans and so this day is celebrated by the Chinese as the birth of mankind.
The seventh day of the first lunar month also happens to be the day my Aunty Linda was born. To celebrate her birthday, I treated her to dinner at the Assam House Restaurant in Ipoh.  Of course, we had Yee Sang.
Yee sang is a Chinese-style raw fish salad which is popular in Malaysia and Singapore. It usually consists of strips of raw fish, mixed with shredded vegetables and a variety of sauces and condiments, among other ingredients. The Chinese consider this dish as a symbol of abundance, prosperity and vigour.
When it was first introduced, Yee sang was eaten on the 7th day of Chinese New Year.  Over the years, people start eating yee sang even before and throughout the Chinese Lunar New Year.

MORE ABOUT YEE SANG

The rule of yee sang is that the dish itself must be very colourful. It usually consists of coloured flour strips (such as the "chow mein" that some westerners add to salads) in red and green. Also shredded carrot, pickled papaya, shredded radish and ginger which have been dyed red and green. Crispy strips of fried stuff is added and some nuts (usually chestnut). Bits of pomelo (the small bits you find if you peel a section) is also added. This is arranged on a large plate (very large) with each ingredient separate from the other.

Strips of thinly sliced raw fish are placed on a separate plate. Pour lime juice and five spice powder onto the fish (chemically cooked now). Then arrange the fish strips on top of the stuff on the plate so as to be aesthetically pleasing. Add pepper, sesame seed, and ground up peanuts, oil and sweet sauce to the top. It should look pretty nice now.
Any kind of fish can be used. To do it on the cheap or if you are squeamish about raw fish you can use jelly fish also. Using vegetarian substitutes is done in some places but it defeats the purpose methinks. Abalone strips can also be used for those who don't know how else to include this in their new year menu.
Tradition has it that the higher the salad is tossed the better, which is also why you need a large plate for this. The dish must be totally consumed by the diners around the table and nothing left over. Most people speak of prosperity or wealth or something like “lou hei” which means liveliness, prosperity and longevity, during the tossing.
Source: http://www.mymesra.com.my/index.php?ch=lpg&pg=lpg_articles&ac=124