Chinese New Year
Sunday, March 4th, 2007Noted on way back home that tonight’s moon is extremely round and bright. Just realized that today is the fifteenth day in the lunar calendar. No wonder! Fifteen! Then today is also the latest day of Chinese New Year celebration. It’s been two weeks since we welcomed the start of Pig Fire year on 18th February, which I managed to celebrate with my family in hometown.
Speaking about Chinese New Year, it is one of the most awaited days for me. The merriest one! What makes it so special ? Well, not only that it’s celebrated by all Chinese over the world, there’re also uniqueness of this festive as follow.
1. Reunion Dinner
Perhaps this one is the most important thing during Chinese New Year. Families are gathering together, sit down in a big round table to have a joyful dinner. Laughter, chit-char are colouring the dinner. Young families usually go back to their parents’ house to have the reunion dinner. A great occasion.
2. Red Packet
New Year without Ang Pao (Red Packet)? You’ve gotta be kidding me. I don’t really understand the origin of this tradition. Just know to receive it happily =). It seems like it’s a sign for good luck. It’s a tradition that those who are already married must give one to their younger relatives. I’ve received quite a lot of Ang Pao (although not a child anymore). But when gave them my uncles and aunties were jokingly saying “Next year, you can’t receive from me again”.
3. Delicacies
As the biggest celebration in the year, there are a lot of delicacies accompany us throughout the days. “White stomach” fish which only lays eggs once a year during the Chinese New Year time, onion leave vegetables “Sheng” with a proverb “Ciak Sheng U Chi Kheng” – eating this vegetable, you’ll surely have money to save (that’s why everyone’s eating although dislike it), up till the rarely shark fin’s soup. Not to forget, New year’s cake of Nian Gao, Mua Ci, and also mandarin oranges.
4. Good Words
The mandarin one : Xin Nian Guai Le, Wan Shi Ru Yi, Shen Ti Jian Khang, Chang Ming Pai Xuei, Xue Ye Jin Pu, Shin Xiang Shi Cheng, or the Teochew one : Xing Jia Ju Yi, Shing Ti Kian Khang, Xing Ni Tua Thang. All of those are good words wishing for better health, wealth, luck, studies and fortune in the upcoming years.
5. New Things
New hair cuts, new clothes, new shoes are non written consensus in the new year that has been passed over the generation. You must wear all new, including your under wear. I was scolded by my mother after she learned that I didn’t have my hair cut. Woof, what’s the big deal ? That’s what I thought. But then I was told that it’s a tradition to start the a brand new year with brand new things, a sign for a better year ahead, leaving aside the previous year.
Apart from the above 5, did you know that :
- You must not sweep your house in the first day of new year. It’d sweep away your fortune
- Pay your debt before new year. By doing so, it’s hoped that you won’t have any debt again in the coming year.
It’s kinda weird, but it’s really nice to have such tradition preserved up till today and passed from generation to generation. I count myself very fortunate, to know all such traditions even though some times think that they’re a bit …. Oops..
Based on astrology, this year will not good for those who were born in the year of pig like me. Well, hope that this year will be just fine or even better than last year. Looking forward to another new year of Rat!!
