In our legends, the Jade Emperor, the ruler of the heaven, descend to earth to inspect the world on this day, to see if every household lives an honest, frugal, and diligent life. As traditional value leads, people who work hard but live poorly should be sympathized and rewarded. To show the frugality and pray for the emperor's reward, traditionally people make bean curd, or Tofu, cheap food in China.

In northeast China, people make a decent amount of Nian Dou Bao, a kind of bun made of glutinous millet stuffed with red bean paste. Nian Dou Bao is also a staple food during the Spring Festival.