Yú shēng (鱼生) is served as an appetizer to bring good luck for the new year and is usually eaten on the seventh day of the Chinese New Year. In a tradition known as "lo hei" (Cantonese 捞起), families and friends gather around the table and toss the shredded ingredients into the air with chopsticks while saying auspicious wishes out loud to mark the start of a prosperous new year. It is believed that the higher you toss, the greater will be your fortunes.

Ingredients of Yú shēng include: thinly sliced fresh raw salmon, shredded white radish, shredded carrots, red pepper (capsicum), ginger, lime tree leaves, Chinese parsley, ground peanuts, toasted sesame seeds, Chinese shrimp crackers and five-spices powder. The dressing is made primarily from plum sauce.