Gung Hey Fat Choy. That is how they say Happy New Year in Chinatown in NYC. Monday is New Years Day.
On Jan 23, 10:33 pm, "[email protected]" <[email protected]> wrote: > 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. 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