http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-01/24/content_10712090.htm
BEIJING, Jan. 24 -- We're two days away from what we the Chinese call
Nian, Spring Festival.
People from various ethnicities in different parts of the country
celebrate the festival in their own different ways. But the point of
the celebrations is the same for everyone - change.
That's why people in many parts of the country traditionally
believe they must stay up until midnight on the eve of the Lunar New
Year and watch the very last minute of the passing year slip away from
their grip.
As the bell tolls, marking the arrival of the New Year, what seem
like a million firecrackers go off in succession.
Traditionally, this moment is called shousui, which means, to
witness the moment one moves into an older age.
By saying, "You cannot step twice in the same river, for fresh
waters are ever flowing in upon you," Greek philosopher Heraclitus
pointed to the fact that everything is in a state of flux. Likewise,
every Lunar New Year is different. And the traditions marking the
occasion make a lot of sense just for the differences.
Traditionally, many would observe a ritual to pay tribute to their
loved ones, who are no more. It's to tell their relatives in another
world that they are still remembered, even though times have changed.
My father, when he was alive, would place photos of my
grandparents on a table with some food and fruits kept beside them,
and burn three incenses.
He would lead us to kowtow to these photos. My father told me that
this was not superstition at all but a ritual to pay tribute to those
who deserve to be remembered.
Now, my father's photo is among the ones we put on that table
every Spring Festival eve.
The photos will be put away in the morning of the first day of the
festival.
But I believe, my daughter's generation will quite probably stop
observing this tradition. That will be just one of the changes the
festival will bring along in the coming years.
One of the major changes that has already come along is that great
food and new clothes are not as important as they used to be during
the festival.
For quite a number of years, the two weeks during Spring Festival
was a period of time for people to entertain themselves with the food
they could not taste the rest of the year. It was also the time for
them to dress up in brand new clothing they spent quite a percentage
of their savings on.
Most people my age (in the 50s) remember as kids how eagerly we
used to be looking forward to the Lunar New Year because of the great
food and new clothes.
Another reason was that parents were not supposed to blame
children for any mistakes they committed during those two weeks.
In my childhood, my parents and other adults in the family told me
frequently that Spring Festival is a time for children.
I feel the same way now when I have to stand for hours in line to
buy train tickets to go to my parents' home. My enthusiasm for the
festive season has been reduced by a certain degree.
But no matter the hardships, families must reunite. No matter how
far their homes, people will somehow manage to reach their families.
This is the time for an old couple to meet all their children and
for brothers and sisters to meet each other.
Even many of those who have other options, like traveling to a
scenic spot for their holidays, would choose to leave after the first
day of the New Year.
Even though all modes of public transport, especially trains, are
over crowded this time of the year, it has never dampened people's
enthusiasm for traveling home.
The trips during this period are on a steady rise year after
year.
It's one of the reasons that the Spring Festival evening party
broadcast by China Central Television Station on the eve has become so
popular, as families sit together and watch the show while eating the
reunion dinner. And once they're tired of discussing their lives and
work, they have the performances to criticize and discuss.
But this tradition of going home will soon change, too, as now,
most people my age have just one child. The size of families is
getting smaller. And so is the scale of family reunions.
Of course the tradition of fireworks remains, and will probably
remain forever. If anything, it has only become better with each
passing year. It's not just because people like listening to bombs
going off, but because more powerful and far prettier and fancy
firecrackers are now produced.
Sporadic bangs can already be heard once in a while, with only
about 40 hours left to the moment people will be watching the hands of
the clock tick away this year.
I wish everybody a blessed beginning in the Year of the Ox.
--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups
"World-thread" group.
To post to this group, send email to [email protected]
To unsubscribe from this group, send email to
[email protected]
For more options, visit this group at
http://groups.google.com/group/world-thread?hl=en
-~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
