Philip Li Ching Hum
6 February 2008
Port Louis — The Chinese have celebrated this festival for thousands of years and consider it as an important landmark in their lives. It was Emperor Han Wu Di (1121-771 BC) who first marked New Year's Day on the Chinese Lunar calendar. However, the story of the Nian - a mythical beast, which once allegedly terrorised villages in China on New Year's Eve - is also linked with the celebration of the festival.
To drive away the Nian, the Chinese people would paste red-paper couplets on their doors, light torches and burn firecrackers amidst rejoicings. Many of these practices form still part of New Year festivities today. Traditions die hard in the hearts of people.
Many weeks prior to the Chinese New Year, preparations begin feverishly. Families will clean the house thoroughly so that the household will be kept spick and span to welcome the New Year. On New Year's day itself, it will be most inauspicious to sweep the house because it is believed that, if we do so, we are sweeping away wealth. Moreover, the shopping centres bubble with activity as shopping for traditional New Year products (nianhuo) is like a ritual and constitutes an important part of the celebration. Several streets in the China Town area are converted into bazaars with stalls laden with nianhuo.
Lucky money and mandarin oranges
The social clubs (kwongs) organise their van shing (a thanksgiving ceremony) and host a dinner for the members of their respective clans. This is an occasion for them to meet and partake friendship. They weave their ties of kinship and fellowship.
New Year's Eve is the key note of the celebration. Families congregate for a traditional reunion dinner, and eat dishes with auspicious names such as fakai (a kind of algae, the Chinese name of which sounds similar to the phrase 'gaining wealth' and niangao (New Year's cake).
Many families stay up all night on New Year's eve. Firecrackers are lit at midnight to welcome in the New Year. It is believed that Zao Shen (the kitchen god) returns to Heaven to make an annual report on each household on New Year's Eve. The family shrine is laden with sweet offerings presented to this deity. Similarly, the devotees burn joss-sticks to welcome Cai Shen (the god of wealth) at the dawn of the New Year. Other offerings are also made to ancestors.
After the family dinner, comes the most yearned-for moment: the distribution of Hong Bao (a small red packet containing money-gifts). They are considered as 'lucky-money'. These are given during the New Year celebration. Another tradition linked with the festival is giving mandarin oranges when visiting friends and relatives. The word for this fruit in Cantonese (gam) sounds similar to the word for gold and it symbolises wealth.
The festival comes to an end on the 15th day of the New Year - Yungxiao (Lantern Festival) - when once again the family congregates for dinner.
Kung Shee Fat Choy!
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