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Thus, on the 365th evening, vigilant Chinese had their houses brightly lit and made sure that 100 solid objects had been painted red. In addition, they struck drums and gongs and performed lion dances. As a result of these precautions, the monster disappeared.This tradition of celebration, now essentially a gesture of thanksgiving, has since been faithfully observed by Chinese on the 365th evening of every lunar year.
"Kung hay fat choi" : Traditionally, celebration of the New Year lasts 15 days. In some homes it is still fully celebrated, but modern day responsibilities have caused it to be limited, in many Chinese families, to three days.
Some old Chinese customs, deliberately discarded or simply forgotten during the rest of the year, are revived during the New Year days. For example, the emphasis on respect for one's selders is manifested on New Year's Day when the younger generations offer tea to their elder.
It is customary for married couples to give lai see, a red envelope containing lucky money, to children. The amount is theoretically insignificant, because it is a gesture believed to bring luck and prosperity is kung hay fat choi, meaning "wishing you prosperity," and it is heard reverberating through homes and streets at this time.
Two systems are use in naming and determining the character of every new year. The first system names each new year after an animal. There are 12 animals represented in the scale. In recurring chronological sequence the names of the years are : Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Ram, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig. This perpetual or cyclical system is called kan tse.
The second system which determines the character of the new year is based on astrology, the Ching (a complicated system of fortune telling), and on the Chinese view of heaven and earth.
The New Year festival is a happy time. Children run around
with bright red packets of lai see
- lucky money - and salaried people are happy because
they have just received a year-end bonus which, in some
cases, represents two or three months' pay. Shop
assistants and waiters, foki, are treated to a
yearend feast by their bosses, lo ban. This feast
is rich in food and symbolism. Chicken is always the main
course and, in the manner of a good host, the boss serves
his employees with his own chopsticks. If a foki
receives the most succulent part of the chicken, it means
he is being treated as guest, not as part of the family,
and is therefore out of a job for the coming year.On the 16th day of the 12th moon (the last month), businessmen close their accounts and thank the three gods of wealth - Kuan Ti, Tusan Tan Shang Ti and Ts' ai Shen - for a prosperous year (if it has indeed been one) and wish for another such year.
New Years debts equal bed joss : It is bad joss to begin the year with outstanding debts, si this is an important time to settle accounts. However, Chinese pragmatism occasionally causes problems. The crime rate is always higher at this time of year because some Chinese will steal enough money to pay off their debts in order to begin the new year with good joss. Of course, modern Asia has proper billing procedures in business and a good accountant is usually careful enough not to let accounts mount up.
Another custom is the buying of peach blossoms (which bring good luck in male-female relationships), kumquat trees and narcissus flowers. These are indispensable decorations at this time of the year. Gardeners work hard year round pruning leaves and buds so that these plants will bloom virtually overnight on New Year's Eve.
Sweetened lips : New Year's celebrations
actually begin about a week before New
Year's Eve. This period is known as "Little New
Year," and it is said that the "God of the
Kitchen," Tsao Wang departs from his domain then for
a yearly journey to heaven to report on all Chinese
families.It is of course desirable that Tsao Wang tell only good things about the family or report as little as possible, so Chinese families guarantee that he bears good tiding by preparing a special sticky-sweet candy, tang kwa, which is smeared on the god's lips so that they are sealed or so only sweet words will be spoken. Naturally, most of the sweets find their way into the hands and mouths of the youngsters in the family.
Wine is alos offered, and paper money burned, to assure Tsao Wnag a comfortable journey. During his absence in heaven, the family turns his image around to face the wall and burns a caricature of him. Before he returns on New Year's Eve, the house must be thoroughly cleaned and each family member must help (if he or she wants to remain in Tsao Wang's good graces). Following this New Year's cleaning, the image is turned back around or a new image of Tsao Wang is placed above the stove. A feast is prepared to greet him after his long journey, and door gods are st up for the new year.
"Silver ingots" : As one would expect in any celebration where a kitchen god is honored, food plays a big part in the Chinese New Year. Indeed, a virtual feast is prepared in the house to usher in the year. Certain foods are even renamed. Translated from the Chinese, eggs become "silver ingots," mushrooms are "opportunities," chicken is "the phoenix," kumquat is "gold luck," pig's tongue is "profits," dried oysters are "splendour," melon seeds are "silver," and pig's trotters are "good luck in gambling."
Two traditional food made especially for
New Year are gin tuy and yaukok. The former
looks like a softball; the latter has a triangular shape.
Both are fried and made with glutinous rice flour; gin
tuy has sesame seeds sprinkled on the outside, yau
kok is stuffed with a filling of crushed peanuts, coconut shreds and sesame seeds. If you sense the urge to try either of these, buy them at the nearest Chinese grocery store. They also serve as proper gifts if you are calling on someone. Cognac, however, is also an acceptable "modern" offering.
Tradition lives on and on. No one goes to sleep on New Year's Eve, and little children are discouraged from dozing off, in the belief it will shorten their lives if they are not awake for New Year's Day. After the new year has arrived, the head of the family presents all the children and juniors with lai see so they will have good fortune for another 12 months.
On New Year's Day ancestors are honored at family altars, and red scrolls inscribed with characters signifying happiness, property and long life are pasted on the walls. A basket of food is placed in the centre of the living room to guarantee that there will be enough to eat in the coming year, and knives and scissors are hidden away so that no
one will cut luck's continuity.
The second day is known as Hoi Nien or "The Opening of the Year." The most important event of this day is banquet-style dinner. The third day is commonly regarded as on which might induce quarrels, so social visits are avoided. The seventh day is called Yan Yut or "Everybody's Birthday." Though now observed only in a modified way, it is a day on which smiling faces are expected.