Being Chinese is no bad thing... Sure, in halls we'll take over your kitchens and smear them with 10 year old chunks of meat. But, being Chinese also means a great part of tradition, a poetical race and with a keen eye for beauty and urrr... money (seriously, why the heck do you think there are so many chinatowns around?!)
But of course, the onset of migration and mixing of culture and trends over several generations will have a tendency of diluting and dumbing down of most of Chinese culture... prime example, me! I've got no clue about my traditional roots and the most I've come to what my grandparents have done is watch a Chinese Opera (shrieking voices and actors with sleeves too long for their arms) and to accompany them to temples (I'm Christian, so no burning of insence sticks and whatever for me, thanks...)
I know several deity figures and the basic family member salutes (different members of the family have different titles and some families insist on the specific titles). But since it's Chinese New Year, I'll see what I can figure out from the depth of my very empty head.
1. No cleaning
Thats right folks, no cleaning on Chinese New Year. Sweeping out the dirt is like sweeping out prosperity
2. Red's the new black
Red is always a good colour for us Chinese, some of us even look pretty good in it. But anyway, it's for prosperity and fortune. Black on the other hand, is a little bit of a no- no... bad luck, funerals... you get the picture.
3. Firecrackers (now banned)
We used to have a stash of firecrackers, my cousins and I. Occasionally we'd have makeshift wars with the other families over who gets to use the field to have fun with firecrackers, now we just get the contraband stuff. Traditionally meant to ward of evil presence and probably to wake up the household (don't quote me on the wake up thing).
4. Crying, cutting hair and sleeping in
No fears, no tears otherwise you'd have a sad sad year. Haircuts, wanna look good for the day... do it before, once again... bad luck. Sleeping in, besides than being rude it brings some sort of misfortune
5. Lion dances
Can't remember, but once again the noise made is to ward of evil spirits
The list goes on... to be honest, I highly doubt my kids (if any) would know most of these things and it's a little sad. I'm sure my grandparents thought of the same thing about me not knowing poetry and not having a sundry shop to grow up in (yeah, granddad was a sundry store owner and merchant until the Japs came).
Also, I don't really believe this stuff but it's fun as form of tradition, the same way as how Christmas trees and presents are part of tradition. Now, shhh... don't tell anyone but Christmas really isn't in December (it's just too cold to have a census)
Happy Chinese New Year peeps!
But of course, the onset of migration and mixing of culture and trends over several generations will have a tendency of diluting and dumbing down of most of Chinese culture... prime example, me! I've got no clue about my traditional roots and the most I've come to what my grandparents have done is watch a Chinese Opera (shrieking voices and actors with sleeves too long for their arms) and to accompany them to temples (I'm Christian, so no burning of insence sticks and whatever for me, thanks...)
I know several deity figures and the basic family member salutes (different members of the family have different titles and some families insist on the specific titles). But since it's Chinese New Year, I'll see what I can figure out from the depth of my very empty head.
1. No cleaning
Thats right folks, no cleaning on Chinese New Year. Sweeping out the dirt is like sweeping out prosperity
2. Red's the new black
Red is always a good colour for us Chinese, some of us even look pretty good in it. But anyway, it's for prosperity and fortune. Black on the other hand, is a little bit of a no- no... bad luck, funerals... you get the picture.
3. Firecrackers (now banned)
We used to have a stash of firecrackers, my cousins and I. Occasionally we'd have makeshift wars with the other families over who gets to use the field to have fun with firecrackers, now we just get the contraband stuff. Traditionally meant to ward of evil presence and probably to wake up the household (don't quote me on the wake up thing).
4. Crying, cutting hair and sleeping in
No fears, no tears otherwise you'd have a sad sad year. Haircuts, wanna look good for the day... do it before, once again... bad luck. Sleeping in, besides than being rude it brings some sort of misfortune
5. Lion dances
Can't remember, but once again the noise made is to ward of evil spirits
The list goes on... to be honest, I highly doubt my kids (if any) would know most of these things and it's a little sad. I'm sure my grandparents thought of the same thing about me not knowing poetry and not having a sundry shop to grow up in (yeah, granddad was a sundry store owner and merchant until the Japs came).
Also, I don't really believe this stuff but it's fun as form of tradition, the same way as how Christmas trees and presents are part of tradition. Now, shhh... don't tell anyone but Christmas really isn't in December (it's just too cold to have a census)
Happy Chinese New Year peeps!
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