Congratulations and good fortune for you too ! Peace and best wishes.
Xi On 25 ene, 06:20, silver <[email protected]> wrote: > 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. 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 -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
