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Thursday 26 January 2012

15 DAYS OF CHINESE NEW YEAR : HOW MANY DO YOU CELEBRATE?

If Chinese New Year is anything to go by, the Chinese should be the masters of festivities. There are 15 days of celebration and every day is significant and earmarked for certain traditions.

Singapore marks Chinese New Year as a two-day public holiday. As long as I've celebrated Chinese New Year in Singapore, there are only 5 days that truly mattered.

Sumptious feast
Eve of Day 1 - The eve of Chinese New Year is reunion dinner. That's when the immediate family comes together to partake of a sumptious feast which includes all the animal protein you can find on this earth and noodles to symbolise long life.

Day 1 - The first day when you visit your parents and the eldest of the familly. If your parent is the eldest in the family, the rest of the family will then come to visit you. They will be expecting to be fed so there will be
lots to do.
Two Mandarin Oranges and Hong Baos

Day 2 - The second day is when you visit your extended family -- the relatives that you are closer to. It's always a bonus when they have great food to serve. And the added bonus is when other relatives also gather at the same place which means that you've technically covered ground with those relatives you'll otherwise have to visit. There will be a systematic and organised ritual that follows. You greet with hands clasped uttering Gong Xi Gong Xi with gusto, exchange oranges and receive or give out the much anticipated hong pao or red packet.

Day 3 - The third day is when you rest. It's also generally considered bad luck to visit relatives and friends on this day but I think it's the excuse my parents had passed down to us so that they could have a break from all the eating and handing out of red packets. I haven't heard anyone else say that it was bad luck to visit on the third day so if your family believes that too, it must have come from somewhere! Superstition aside, Day 3 is when I visit friends. I don't think I'm bringing them bad luck and vice versa. I guess we've been lucky that no one has turned us away yet. However, if Day 3 falls on a work day, it's back to work and visiting friends will only happen over the weekend.

Day 15 - Chap Goh Mei is when families come together again to ceremoniously mark the end to Chinese New Year and all that excessive eating. How do we do that? By partaking of a meal again! The last big supper of the Chinese New Year. In my family, we call it Reunion Dinner deja vu but this time, it's without the Yu Sheng, oranges and hong pao's.

What happens between Day 4 to Day 14? I don't ever remember earmarking the days for anything special or significant. What did our Chinese ancestors have planned for those 10 days? Is there anything we have been missing out? Have those days lost their significance today?

I read this article about the 15 days of Chinese New Year. I can't vouch for its authenticity but it makes for interesting reading.

Day 1: Welcoming the Gods of the heavens and earth. Abstain from meat to ensure long and happy lives. (LionCityMum: So I guess that cancels out the BBQ pork, duck, goose, chicken, beef, mystery meats and fish)

Day 2: Pray to ancestors and Gods. Feed dogs well and be kind to them as the second day is the birthday of all dogs. (LionCityMum: It's official. All dogs have a designated birthday)

Day 3 and 4: Sons-in-law to pay respect to Parents-in-law. (LionCityMum: I guess I can understand why my parents said it 
was a day of bad luck) 

Day 5: Stay home to welcome the God of Wealth. No one should visit friends and families as it will bring both parties bad luck. (LionCityMum: I think this is the excuse to gamble)


Day 6 - 10: The Chinese visit their relatives and friends freely. They also visit temples to pray for good fortune and health. 

Day 7: This is for farmers to display their produce and concoct a drink from seven types of vegetables to celebrate the occasion. (LionCityMum: Drink up! Go down to your nearest fruit stall for that all important drink. Make it a lunchtime meal). It's also the birthday of human beings. Noodles and raw fish should be eaten for longevity and success. (LionCityMum: Happy Birthday all!)   

Day 8: The Fujian people have another reunion dinner and at midnight, pray to the God of Heaven.

Day 9: The Chinese make offerings to the Jade Emperor. (LionCityMum: Is this the excuse to get jewellery?)

Day 10 - 12: Invite friends and relatives for dinner. (LionCityMum: Just another reason to eat and party again)

 Day 13: Take a break and eat congee and mustard greens to cleanse the system. (LionCityMum: Note to self: Do the Master Cleanse!)



Day 14: Preparations to celebrate the Lantern Festival which will be held on the 15th night. (LionCityMum: Lanterns? I thought that's for the Mooncake festival?)
*
http://education2.uvic.ca/Faculty/mroth/438/CHINA/15-day_celebration.html

So the question begs. How would you spend your 10 days?

From
LionCityMum
- As we age, we should rage less and encourage more -

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