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Sunday, January 22, 2012

Chinese New Year 春節 (pinyin: chūn jié)

Source Website:
http://shihhenglin.wordpress.com/2009/11/10/chinese-new-year-%E6%98%A5%E7%AF%80/ (Texts)
http://community.humanityhealing.net/profiles/blogs/the-chinese-monster-nian-nian (Photos)
http://bbs.xwh.cn/thread-888556-1-1.html (Photos)
By shihhenglin | Chinese Culture, November 10, 2009

PHOTO: Chinese New Year or Spring Festival is the most important of the traditional Chinese holidays. It is often called the Lunar New Year, especially by people in mainland China and Taiwan.

http://att.xwh.cn/forum/201201/18/123521j6mz4kkujgn6f2uk.jpg
http://bbs.xwh.cn/thread-888556-1-1.html

Chinese New Year or Spring Festival is the most important of the traditional Chinese holidays. It is often called the Lunar New Year, especially by people in mainland China and Taiwan.

The festival traditionally begins on the first day of the first month (Chinese: 正月; pinyin: zhēng yuè) in the Chinese calendar and ends on the 15th; this day is called Lantern Festival.

Chinese New Year’s Eve is known as Chúxī (除夕). It literally means “Year-pass Eve”.

PHOTO: Chinese New Year is the longest and most important festivity in the Chinese Calendar. The origin of Chinese New Year is itself centuries old and gains significance because of several myths and traditions.

http://api.ning.com/files/dylGVKLZfNvKHFCYp1do9CpsxXA*DxUEwl9iq6Hc8hQ3*TozzkPy5CvNhhOaPIlJkLiItFZYuBvX4hQP3h*S1jQ5vdlhbFrF/Shen_Yun_Performing_Arts2.jpeg
http://visittheplace.ning.com/profiles/blogs/win-free-tickets-to-shen-yun

Chinese New Year is the longest and most important festivity in the Chinese Calendar. The origin of Chinese New Year is itself centuries old and gains significance because of several myths and traditions.

Ancient Chinese New Year is a reflection on how the people behaved and what they believed in most. Within China, regional customs and traditions concerning the celebration of the Chinese New Year vary widely.

PHOTO: 新年的团拜 (xīn nián de tuán bài)。Chinese New Year Traditional Gathering on the first day of the new year.

http://att.xwh.cn/forum/201201/18/123410blfgpjq8xemmgxlb.jpg
http://bbs.xwh.cn/thread-888556-1-1.html

People will pour out their money to buy presents, decoration, material, food, and clothing. It is also the tradition that every family thoroughly cleans the house to sweep away any ill-fortune in hopes to make way for good incoming luck.

PHOTO: Celebrate Chinese Lunar New Year. Chinese New Year traditions are very fashionista friendly. It's best to wear a new outfit for example, as well as to get a haircut, to symbolize a "fresh start" to the new year.

Red is the preferred colour to wear for the Lunar New Year in China as it's believed to repel evil spirits.

http://nwn.blogs.com/.a/6a00d8341bf74053ef016760df1d6a970b-800wi
http://nwn.blogs.com/nwn/2012/01/style-for-chinese-new-year.html?cid=6a00d8341bf74053ef0162ffec38e3970d

Windows and doors will be decorated with red color paper-cuts and couplets with popular themes of “happiness”, “wealth”, and “longevity”.

On the Eve of Chinese New Year, supper is a feast with families. Food will range from pigs, to ducks, to chicken and sweet delicacies. The family will end the night with firecrackers.

PHOTO: Children will greet their parents by wishing them a healthy and happy new year, and receive money in red paper envelopes (Ang Pao).

http://imgs.ntdtv.com/pic/2011/2-1/p1509134a515068498.jpg
http://ntdtv.com/xtr/b5/2011/07/31/a487974.html.-%E3%80%90%E6%B0%91%E9%A2%A8%E6%B0%91%E4%BF%97%E3%80%91%E4%B8%AD%E5%9C%8B%E6%96%B0%E5%B9%B4%E9%A2%A8%E4%BF%97%E8%88%87%E5%85%B8%E6%95%85.html
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb0-7ARZYMhwZ5tBBFvdJzOTiO4gOZPy4QkyUtf6K7i7F_N2pLrrfocCP79BuREFXwXeeaShRTrvr__fNaScI36e0nmxfn6rSR0i4ildS-qgf__0x6UYhrtTsI1YajxenmlUkIpFDBW8sf/s200/01300000098168123269715657212_s.jpg
http://esl100spring2011.blogspot.com/2011/03/lost-nian-monster-in-america.html

Early the next morning, children will greet their parents by wishing them a healthy and happy new year, and receive money in red paper envelopes (Ang Pao).

The Chinese New Year tradition is a great way to reconcile forgetting all grudges, and sincerely wish peace and happiness for everyone.

PHOTO: Children will greet their parents by wishing them a healthy and happy new year, and receive money in red paper envelopes (Ang Pao).

http://us.123rf.com/400wm/400/400/123cn/123cn0901/123cn090100595/4194723-woman-wearing-cheongsam-giving-red-packet.jpg
http://www.123rf.com/photo_4194723_woman-wearing-cheongsam-giving-red-packet.html

Tale of mythical beast called the Nian or “Year” in Chinese

PHOTO: Mythical beast called the Nian or “Year” in Chinese. “Its body is bigger than elephant, its head is like lion, with strong power , its roar can shake the earth.”

From 山海經 (pinyin: shān hǎi jīng), an ancient mythological and geographic work, written in the warring states period (simplified Chinese: 战国时代; traditional Chinese: 戰國時代; pinyin: Zhànguó Shídài) with the author's name unknown; many old myth have been preserved in the book.

http://features.cgsociety.org/newgallerycrits/g86/20286/20286_1184560958_large.jpg
http://shihhenglin.wordpress.com/2009/11/10/chinese-new-year-%E6%98%A5%E7%AF%80/

According to tales and legends, the beginning of Chinese New Year started with the fight against a mythical beast called the Nian or “Year” in Chinese.

Nian would come on the first day of New Year to devour livestock, crops, and even villagers, especially children. To protect themselves, the villagers would put food in front of their doors at the beginning of every year. It was believed that after the Nian ate the food they prepared, it wouldn’t attack any more people.

PHOTO: Monster Nian
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTgAHmqqwT3bG7v_J0MUIVSXdx2T4oVZ6h82rGbixG0CCc-pB0vtKun2KeGvCFyWL9YGL2WR0C6ArXSu_6VEZDs49WyVVWqRhjsfdtRQr4vQTSGoO4bVPcEPdRuFPqxiiVkIdWCMk7sJEg/s1600/monsterNian.jpg
http://beling.net/articles/about/Hongjun_Laozu

One time, people saw that the Nian was scared away by a little child wearing red. The villagers then understood that the Nian was afraid of the color red. Hence, every time when the New Year was about to come, the villagers would hang red lanterns and red spring scrolls on windows and doors.

People also used firecrackers to frighten away the Nian. From then on, the Nian never came to the village again.

The Nian was eventually captured by Hongjun Laozu (鴻鈞老祖 hóng jūn lǎo zǔ), an ancient Taoist monk. The Nian became Hongjun Laozu’s mount.

Hongjun Laozu (simplified Chinese: 鸿钧老祖; traditional Chinese: 鴻鈞老祖; pinyin: Hóngjūn Lǎozǔ; Wade–Giles: Hung-chün Lao-tsu) lit. 'Great Balance Ancestor' is a Daoist deity and legendary teacher of the Three Pure Ones in Chinese mythology.

PHOTO: Hongjun Laozu (simplified Chinese: 鸿钧老祖; traditional Chinese: 鴻鈞老祖; pinyin: Hóngjūn Lǎozǔ; Wade–Giles: Hung-chün Lao-tsu) lit. "Great Balance Ancestor" is a Daoist deity and legendary teacher of the Three Pure Ones in Chinese mythology.

Hongjun 鴻鈞 is a graphic variant of hungjun (simplified Chinese: 洪钧; traditional Chinese: 洪鈞; pinyin: hóngjūn; Wade–Giles: hung-chün) "primordial nature", as used in the Chinese idiom Xian you hongjun hou you tian 先有鸿钧后有天 "First there was Nature and then there was Heaven".
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6hSTgoxrLuqg2PuZLWk_NL1I8km4OHhogfkOmU2p2-SPfltFGca_3lYpKKUgFVGqc9RvoWXOb3mTAYDhU8c9s2oRrrrGsqYYGtxvcHOtubBVFfLC3ZfbCYdLL24TQVzzSTXRZzMoBQKQ/s1600/1448188755177526832.jpg

http://img169.ph.126.net/N5V-xFe2UdWLBBkHcxPr_A==/1448188755177526832.jpg
http://beling.net/articles/about/Hongjun_Laozu

PHOTO: Cecilia (C) performs Chinese classical dance - her own way of promoting peaceful change in China.

Come of the finest traditions of China’s 5,000 year-old culture,” she says. “The show is about the spirit of ancient China."

http://media.faluninfo.net/media/photo/2008/06/Cecilia.jpg
http://www.faluninfo.net/article/574/?cid=60

PHOTO: The Chinese New Year tradition is a great way to reconcile forgetting all grudges, and sincerely wish peace and happiness for everyone.

http://www.art-wallpaper.net/dance/Ballet-Wallpaper/images/Ballet%20Wallpapers%20097.jpg
http://www.art-wallpaper.net/dance/Ballet-Wallpaper/imagepages/image97.htm

PHOTO: The origin of Chinese New Year is itself centuries old and gains significance because of several myths and traditions.

From: Shen Yun ‘Absolutely Superb’ – Something We Rarely See, Shen Yun in San Francisco Bay Area, May 25, 2009

http://www.sfshow.net/images/shen-yun-spring-tour.jpg
http://chineseshow.wordpress.com/

PHOTO: Wish you a very Happy and Prosperous Dragon New Year.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmbdzDihVzlyZZHqT5AUi0yJE2WK7VyDmGF8HuIiVvYV44F0-rAthTV8AHCqyfFSs-qK2BTK_144JU1_agx_s9sr5bOjHz9Fb7WX71hXBLDMHejM9u29qfgqtRKQ_MyEdI_VBjbK-bqgY/s1600/ss-480-0-0.jpg

https://androidmarket.googleusercontent.com/android/market/com.galeapp.udevuser.booklongsheyanyi/ss-480-0-0
http://www.appappapps.com/android/343148/com.galeapp.udevuser.booklongsheyanyi/%E9%BE%99%E8%9B%87%E6%BC%94%E4%B9%89

PHOTO: Wish you a very Happy and Prosperous Dragon New Year.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU1RIia4-OgPzFln6c59dUmBxKqpkUrbDHecK-QaL-jt4MOxUulKlivh8eOKcxpMyxfKDrBivS95-0MrrfHcA17O-o8QAp22uTk1KJ2pzex2Kau2VMMqXN8zSIZZJh0UfjEtZ7yhqKgKY/s1600/CHINESE-NEW-YEAR-Greetings-2012.jpg
http://www.picwall.info/2011/12/new-year-2012-wallpapers.html?m=1

Reference

Home is where the stomach is

Today on Sunday, Sunday, January 22, 2012, Page 8-9, Speakeasy, Columns
From http://imcmsimages.mediacorp.sg/CMSFileserver/documents/006/PDF/20120122/2201FFW008.pdf
Source Website: http://www.todayonline.com/Columns/Speakeasy/EDC120122-0000004/Home-is-where-the-stomach-is
By Tabitha Wang, todayonsunday@mediacorp.com.sg, 04:45 AM Jan 22, 2012

PHOTO: No matter what, we Chinese will move heaven and earth to get home in time for the sacred reunion dinner.

Today on Sunday, Sunday, January 22, 2012, Page 9, Speakeasy, Columns

Around this time of the year, the office gradually empties as people leave for their hometowns for Chinese New Year celebrations.

You'd think this means my company employs a lot of expats but no, even for the locals, "home" means somewhere in the mainland, which can take days to get to.

The siren call of home usually gets louder as the spring festival nears.

Airlines know this and charge a premium for their tickets. Even the budget airlines raise their prices, so that they're almost on par with full-service ones.

PHOTO: Chinese will move heaven and earth to get home in time for the sacred reunion dinner.

http://cfs15.tistory.com/image/27/tistory/2008/10/15/09/25/48f53875c6b28
http://5osa.tistory.com/389

They know that, no matter what, we Chinese will move heaven and earth to get home in time for the sacred reunion dinner.

The first year I came to Hong Kong, I told my family we wouldn't be back for the dinner. It would be the first time I would miss out.

No problem, my usually traditional dad said. He understood that we couldn't get leave from work.

No problem too, I thought.

Then, Lunar New Year Eve came - and with it a huge flood of homesickness.

PHOTO: Assam prawns.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT43MPEhGogwlKeii60_NvSA9I10jVVMHnXzPJ0s4xm0_ySR2xtuih6CqdPTYu7Q3E_BP6hTMpaUKN2ApigtyDt5tFTocfJaj15OVUnt2ojmo6obBfOiLGO8Z3qd-qNKBw2gekLzO3wEM/s400/IMG_0090.JPG
http://blog.gothere.sg/2008_06_01_archive.html

My mum, in an attempt to include me, started texting me a list of the food the entire family had brought for the potluck. "I made curry chicken and assam prawns. Tua Kim brought her potato salad, Sah Kim brought your favourite arrowroot and lup cheong, Ji Khoo made his famous yee meen ... They didn't know you weren't coming."

PHOTO: Steamed Chinese Sausages with Arrowroot
Posted by "No Frills Recipes" on Monday, January 25, 2010

This round, edible tuber, 'arrowroot', 'ngah gu or ci gu' which literally means 'benevolent mushroom' and also known as 'arrowhead', is eaten particularly during Chinese New Year. It's got a very slight bitter taste, a starchy texture, almost like a potato but it's somewhat crunchier even when it's cooked. You can make stews with it or even make into chips and in my opinion, they taste better than potato chips.
We only get to see this once a year just before the CNY season and they are imported from China. Some people will 'grow' them weeks earlier. Place them in a glass bowl or a container with some water and pebbles and they'll flourish ......... makes a beautiful ornamental plant, very auspicious for Chinese New Year!

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2-x4NdmRQBIlxZ0lSIuLlZ4JsE2cdkVZqjAdd4JuKxK5NwwhXlhhDYHubdCgdwuLlZUyJlVRCP258kl9Dd4ACBqVGStn0cn1uraeGstjR-JyvZVhUEcCnc8hBCwlESe0cZV3iPKI-64k/s400/CNY+Delicacies.JPG
http://cheah2009.blogspot.com/2010/01/steamed-chinese-sausages-with-arrowroot.html

My husband was working late that night, so he didn't notice I'd spent the entire dinnertime in tears. When he came home at 10pm, I was a wreck.

Thankfully, my cousin who lives in South Africa was online, and she tried to comfort me from across the oceans.

"I haven't gone to the reunion dinner for 10 years," she wrote.

Then she went on to reminisce about the reunion dinners past.

"Around now, Tua Khoo will be telling his usual ghost stories. Remember how we used to be too terrified to sleep afterwards?"

It didn't help. I just needed to be there.

The next year, no matter that the air tickets were double the price, I was on the plane home - and I haven't missed a reunion dinner since.

However, with finances tight as we are still effectively a single-income family, I asked my husband this year: "Do you think we should give it a miss?"

He looked at me. "Remember what happened the last time you said that?"

So we compromised. I will be flying home, while he stays in Hong Kong to look after the cat. He loves his Chinese New Year, too, but I think he's more stoic about it than I am.

PHOTO: Chinese New Year outfit.
http://cdn2.outspark.com/store/fiesta/screenshots/item11447.jpg
http://www.gamespace.com/blogs/OSK_Fiesta/012012/Lunar-New-Year-in-Fiesta

There is an added reason for going home this year: It's my baby nephew Dominic's first Chinese New Year, and his Mak Koh needs to be there.

When I was contemplating not going home, my sister-in-law e-mailed to entice me: "Dominic is crawling now, and we have bought him a New Year outfit, complete with little Chinese hat."

How could I resist?

It's very strange. I can go a whole year without missing my family. E-mails, Facebook, MSN Messenger chats and Skype calls are enough to satisfy my need to keep in touch.

But when the New Year comes around, something stirs my blood and I just yearn to be home.

PHOTO: The vegetable stock and arrowroot provide a thick sauce that holds the flavors.

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7v6wUjRj6ts1E0WM_bTJRxWR4ODdfzLr8wLs_H2iDdNJpoYQy04Twy0Z7R0BkH2tAT7rDKvD1wfm0G2WZmJc3ejNkw8Vs98MrvaSF_x5SY9NcMkgTX5BV6cEVcqU52gQfnmrcWPFy2ms/s1600/DSC_0354+BUTTERNUT+CASSEROLE2.JPG
http://www.nourishingmeals.com/2009_11_01_archive.html

It's the same every year. Everyone looks that little bit older, grandchildren start appearing, but I will still be listening to Tua Khoo's ghost stories while polishing off the rest of the steamed arrowroot and potato salad.

Then one aunt will rib my only unwed cousin when giving out the hongbaos.

Maybe the longer I live away from home, the more I crave that familiarity.

PHOTO: Sambal udang petai (stinky bean).
http://www.submerryn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/142.jpg
http://www.submerryn.com/2011/10/the-tranquerah-red-carpet-avenue.html

PHOTO: Sambal udang petai (stinky bean).
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2733/4447416945_d34ddcfe43_o.jpg
http://fiqah99.blogspot.com/2010_03_01_archive.html

I want to know that, as I battle living among unfamiliar faces in unfamiliar places, some things never change.

That's why I am going home this year.

Okay, that and a second email my sister-in-law sent: "Your petai and buah keluak are waiting for you."

PHOTO: Buah keluak is one of the signature delicacies of the Peranakan community.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4042/4702265207_c5ceff35d1_b.jpg
http://www.iamthewitch.com/2010/06/17/nyonya-food-at-taragon-riverside-restaurant-melaka/

PHOTO: Stuffed Buah Keluak

This hard-shelled fruit, signature to Nyonya dishes. The black, clam-shaped nuts are truly a taste sensation. The interior of the nut is painstakingly remove from the shell and ground into a paste, then fried with belacan and other spices. It is then put back into the nut and cooked with the chicken. The taste is amazingly awesome. As you scrape out the paste you savour the bitter, strong and frgrant flavour of the nut that tasted much better than it looked.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4048/4702898650_90221688e4_b.jpg
http://www.iamthewitch.com/2010/06/17/nyonya-food-at-taragon-riverside-restaurant-melaka/

By Tabitha Wang, todayonsunday@mediacorp.com.sg, 04:45 AM Jan 22, 2012
Tabitha Wang wishes all her readers a wonderful Year of the Dragon.

Reference