Dumplings, a staple on the dinner table for many in festival seasons, led the race as the favorite dish for Spring Festival.

In a China Daily survey launched on Jan 22, we asked readers to vote for their favorite dish for Spring Festival. The almighty dumpling topped the list, winning nearly 20 percent of the vote. Most people in North China choose to eat dumplings on festive occasions, especially during family gatherings on Lunar New Year's Eve.

Second place went to hot pot, a common choice for those in living in Southwest China's Sichuan province or Chongqing municipality. But this result came as no surprise, as hot pot is loved by most foodies in China. There is even a saying: "There are no problems that cannot be solved by a session of hot pot. If there are, eat it once more."

Third place went to fish. Fish in Chinese is synonymous to the character for "abundance". It is customary to have a dish of fish, steamed or braised, on New Year's Eve dinner to wish for an abundant and prosperous year.

Here are the full results.

1. Dumplings: 449 votes

2. Hot pot: 291 votes

3. Fish: 242 votes

4. Rice dumplings: 204 votes

5. Braised pork: 186 votes

6. Lettuce in oyster sauce: 170 votes

7. A dish of tofu: 168 votes

8. Eight treasure rice cake: 121 votes

9. Poon choi: 114 votes

10. Lion-head meatballs: 111 votes

11. Rice cakes: 101 votes

12. Buddha jumping over the wall: 89 votes

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