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Post by Suhana LIM on Jan 25, 2005 4:06:46 GMT -5
Da jia ni men hao The most important event in the entire Chinese festive calendar is the Lunar New Year. Originally called Chun Jie or Spring Festival., it symbolized a time of renewed fertility of the earth - a significant event in the life of the farmer who owed his existence to the soil. Chun Jie also to mark the return of the creative forces of yang after the peak of yin at the winter solstice. The festival begins on the first day of the first lunar month, usually between January 21st and February 19th. This year, it will be on the 9th of February 2005. The yin wood Rooster year. Today the Lunar New Year signifies a fresh start in life. It is a time for happy and prosperous new year. Gong Xi Fa Cai  |
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Post by clfsean on Jan 26, 2005 12:53:40 GMT -5
Gung Hei Faht Choi!
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Post by Eric Ling on Jan 26, 2005 21:11:56 GMT -5
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Post by Suhana LIM on Jan 26, 2005 22:51:15 GMT -5
Da jia ni men hao I prefer : "Sin Nien Khuai Lo, Kung Si Fa Chai. Hung Pao na lai." ;D Cheers. |
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Post by Eric Ling on Jan 26, 2005 22:52:47 GMT -5
Da jia ni men hao I prefer : "Sin Nien Khuai Lo, Kung Si Fa Chai. Hung Pao na lai." ;D Cheers. No No No, Pay respect to the "Tua Pek Kong". Send all Ang Paos to me first!  |
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Post by pitbull on Jan 26, 2005 23:59:31 GMT -5
No No No, Pay respect to the "Tua Pek Kong". Send all Ang Paos to me first! ur too old to have ang pao! u should be the one giving ang pao!  www.redenvelope.com |
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Post by Eric Ling on Jan 27, 2005 0:06:13 GMT -5
No no no no, Age is not the issue.... Even if it is, I am forever 25. You can DHL your Ang Paos just in time for CNY.hehehe |
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Post by Suhana LIM on Jan 27, 2005 4:16:29 GMT -5
Pitbull ni hao Sorry Pit, in this case I am with Eric. Age is not the issue. Now is the era when the younger must PAY respect to their seniors/elders. ;D So would you please make sure to send me and Eric the biggest angpao you can afford. We wouldn't mind your monthly paycheck  Cheers. |
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Post by Suhana LIM on Jan 27, 2005 4:30:01 GMT -5
Da jia ni men hao Now to the other aspect of Sin Cia / Lunar New Year. It will be incomplete to celebrate Sin Cia without Nian Gao. Nian Gao is a circular brown cake made from rice flour and sugar. It is the cake of the Lunar New Year. The character gao sounds the same as the character for "high" in Chinese; so whoever eats nian gao will attain a higher status or ascend to a better life in the new year. Nian Gao is also emblematic of complete or eternal friendship because of its round shape and glutinosity. Its stickiness suggests standing by one another through thick and thin - a mark of true mateship. Its sweetness promises the eater a sweet life. This seasonal cake is the favourite gift for friends and relatives. Among the nonyas/peranakans, it is called kuih bakul/keranjang. When the cake hardens after a few weeks, it can be steamed and eaten with grated coconut or cut into slices, dipped in batter and fried. Consume it with hot tea or coffee, hmmmm feel like heaven (on earth). ;D However, no matter how sticky it is, the king of cakes by any high-sounding auspicious name cannot strengthen or sweeten the bond of friendship. For as the Chinese themselves put it, "It is difficult to win a friend in a year; it is easy to offend one in a minute." Gong Xi Fa Cai |
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Post by essence on Jan 27, 2005 15:31:39 GMT -5
Good day people.
Happy Chinese New Year to one and all, may everyone enjoy a prosperous year in this new year of the Chicken.
From what my granny told me about the Nian Gao, it is offered to the kitchen god as it is very sticky and will stick the kitchen god's mouth together when he goes back to report to the Jade Emperor.
Warmest regards,
Tze Hou
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Post by CStephens on Jan 27, 2005 23:31:51 GMT -5
Happy CNY!  |
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Post by Suhana LIM on Jan 28, 2005 4:19:45 GMT -5
Good day people. Happy Chinese New Year to one and all, may everyone enjoy a prosperous year in this new year of the Chicken. From what my granny told me about the Nian Gao, it is offered to the kitchen god as it is very sticky and will stick the kitchen god's mouth together when he goes back to report to the Jade Emperor. Warmest regards, Tze Hou Da jia ni men hao Ok, since Tze Hou mentioned about Kitchen God, I'll talk a bit about this ritual during Chun Jie. The Kitchen God is the most important of domestic deties. He recieves offerings twice a month and a special feast of honey at the end of the year, on the twenty-third or twenty-fourth day of the twelfth moon. He is represented by a potrait or a slip of red paper with the neccessary characters. As the old year draws to an end, the Kitchen God appears before the heavenly Jade Emperor to present his annual report on the behaviour of members of a household. To get into his good books, worshippers clean his shrine in the kitchen thoroughly. They sweeten his mouth with honey to ensure that his words will be sweet and flattering. If they fear a bad report, then try to muzzle his mouth by wiping it with honey or sticky confection, or nian gao. Some go a step further: they burn a generous amount of spirit money to help him with travelling expenses. Sometimes a paper horse is thrown in for good measure - for the celestial agent to ride on in comfort. The Chinese practise what they preach: "With money, you can make spirit turn the mill." To them, much money - even spirit money - moves the gods! Cheers. |
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Post by Suhana LIM on Jan 29, 2005 5:45:41 GMT -5
Da jia ni men hao Tuan Nian or Reunion Feast is also part of the Chun Jie rituals. The importance of the food is highlighted in the saying:"If there is no food for one day, a father's love grows cold; if there is no food for three days, a wife's love grows cold." By the same token, if there is no reunion feast on New Year's Eve, a family's love grows cold. Tuan Nian or the Reunion is therefore a demosntration of the love and respect that bind the family together. And also to symbolise that unity, a big fish is usually the centerpiece against an extravagant setting of dishes. Every member of the family makes it a duty to be present for this auspicious occasion. Even deceased ancestors are invited, and the feasting and rejoicing take place as if they were present. When all are gathered around the table, the reunion feast, usually an elaborate affair, begins amidst much talking and eating and drinking. For once, gone are the restrains on the mouth and stomach, forgotten the proverbial warning: "Much talk brings on trouble; much food brings on indigestion." Gong Xi Fa Cai |
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Post by diligentmantis on Jan 29, 2005 8:54:40 GMT -5
Hi Kung hei Fatt choy.
To you all . Dont Forget to Take some snap shots of your local Chinese new year Celabrations, Would be interesting to see from different countries.
The Kung FU Teams that play in London Uk are , Lung Ying , Bak Mei , Shaolin Fist, Juk Lum tong long , Wing chun , Nam Pai Chuan. May get Demos from Chow Gar , Hung Gar , Plus Wushu. I shall be there with my Video cam at the Ready.
dm
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Post by Suhana LIM on Jan 29, 2005 22:27:05 GMT -5
Hi Kung hei Fatt choy. To you all . Dont Forget to Take some snap shots of your local Chinese new year Celabrations, Would be interesting to see from different countries. The Kung FU Teams that play in London Uk are , Lung Ying , Bak Mei , Shaolin Fist, Juk Lum tong long , Wing chun , Nam Pai Chuan. May get Demos from Chow Gar , Hung Gar , Plus Wushu. I shall be there with my Video cam at the Ready. dm Da jia ni men hao The lung dance is for blessing the area and barongsay dance are for individuals. Cheers. |
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