Prosperity, Abundance and Superstitions Galore

Chinese New Year is the most significant of all the traditional Chinese festivals. It is an auspicious start to the year and at this time the Chinese are on their best behaviour. Not to do so may prove catastrophic. There is no room for open hostilities. Every one is gracious and willing to forgive and forget. By embracing a spirit of goodwill and spreading joy and peace they experience moments of blessed calm and sheer bliss. It is a highly commendable way to begin the year.

Chinese New Year, falling between 20^th January and 20^th February of the Gregorian calendar each year, would be mundane and a nonentity without the accompaniment of traditions and age-old taboos and superstitions. They are still practised although many Chinese with modern ideas regard them with scepticism. Nevertheless, Chinese New Year traditions and customs remain robust because they provide continuity. They bridge the divide between past and present and in this way offer the Chinese a sense of identity.

Tradition and Taboo Combine to Usher in Chinese New Year 

Spruce-Up

Chinese New Year brings with it a rich and unique collection of superstitions that is of considerable interest. First, a few weeks prior to Chinese New Year the whole house is spruced up. Tenacious bad luck that lurks in nooks and crannies is meticulously dispatched with broom and mop or the ubiquitous vacuum cleaner. This allows good luck to flow into the house smoothly. If the house is not only spic and span but also shining with warmth and colour, more good luck will be attracted to it. Then the family will have sufficient good fortune to see them comfortably through the year.

Emblems of Reawakening

Second, abundant live plants and flowers adorn the living room. They represent new life, new growth and healthy mental, emotional, and spiritual development. One cannot help but notice the stately bamboo plant that commands an enviable position in the house. It signifies steadfastness, compatibility and longevity. Delightful plum blossom which symbolizes reliability and perseverance occupies a place of honour too. Other flowers that are much sought after and loved are pussy willow, peony and narcissus. According to the Chinese, bright flowers and plants are emblems of reawakening. Unsightly presence of plastic and artificial flowers will generate a torrent of disapproval and criticism.

Auspicious Words and Condiments

Doors too act as vehicles to carry the message of goodwill. Happy wishes such as “May the star of health, happiness, wealth and longevity shine on you” are written on glossy red pieces of paper and pasted prominently on front doors. These heart-warming greetings create a sense of joy and hope. Pleasing words do wonders to the spirit and people reciprocate warmly. Quaint baskets of oranges and tangerines, which sounds in Cantonese exactly like the word gold and whose colour is similarly bright, are a must-have as they are symbols for abundance, happiness and wealth. Besides, they add a touch of radiance and cheerfulness to the place. Pretty circular trays of candy which sit demurely on coffee-tables are believed to bring people together and are aptly named Trays of Togetherness. They strengthen and sweeten relationships.

Food Do’s and Don’ts

Food is the order of the day. More food is consumed during Chinese New Year than at any other time of the year. At this time they spend lavishly on food and eat day and night to their heart’s content. However, food is not chosen in a haphazard fashion. Different kinds of food have different significance and they need to be thought about and prepared carefully. For example, a whole fish and chicken must be cooked intact. They represent completeness and prosperity. To cut them up into pieces spell disaster for the family. Long noodles are cooked uncut and eaten with relish. They symbolise a healthy long life which is the ultimate aim of every one. Dried oysters with black hair fungus which sounds like ‘good affairs and prosperity’ in Cantonese, is another favourite.

A note of caution: white “Tofu”, though nutritious, is taboo. We are told that the twin terrors of Misfortune and Death go hand-in-glove with “Tofu”. Some see no possible justification but the verdict is “Tofu” stays out of the menu. Fear of these two dark and destructive forces is real.

Taboos

Superstitions and taboos are so deep-rooted that it is difficult to disregard them. Some superstitions are really quite daunting. It is believed that bad luck clings stubbornly to those who insist on sweeping the floor during the first 5 days of Chinese New Year, enjoy talking of death, telling ghost stories, accidentally break crockery, shed tears of sadness or quarrelling or fighting. The sick are not spared either. They have to get dressed and sit in the living room because bad luck will befall them if someone decides to greet them while they are in their bedrooms. Then their condition will deteriorate and the prognosis is poor. (Perhaps psychology plays a part.) And woe betide the one who leaves knives and scissors around the house. Their good fortune will be torn asunder or cut to shreds.

15 Days to Celebrate

Chinese New Year is celebrated for 15 days. The Chinese take a well-deserved break and return home to their loved ones. On Chinese New Year Eve family members far and wide converge to have a reunion dinner and join in the festivities. People do not let off fireworks these days as they are banned, favouring instead a video recording of a display of fireworks which is shown over and over.

On the 1st day of Chinese New Year married adults give “Lai See” which is a small red packet with money enclosed, to children and unmarried relatives for good luck. The 5th day is “Open Business Day” and some people are ready to go back to work. A lion dance team is invited to perform a lion dance for reopening business.

The celebration of “Yuan Xiao” festival on the 15^th day officially ends Chinese New Year. The Chinese eat glutinous rice balls which symbolise unity. The other days of the 15-day celebration are generally spent on visiting temples to pray to different gods, dropping in on friends and visiting places of interest. On the 16^th day of Chinese New Year everyone goes back to work with vigour and vitality. They now look forward to the New Year with great optimism.

YEW SOOK MOY