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Qingming Poem by Du Mu with an MP3 Recording
Friday, April 3rd, 2009Yesterday, I posted the poem Qingming by the poet Du Mu (803 – 852) that mentions the Qingming Festival (also called Ching Ming). I asked my friend Ray Lee about it. He grew up in Hong Kong and I wanted to hear his impression about the poem and also my translation of it (below). Here’s what Ray wrote:
This is indeed a very well known poem. We were taught this poem when we were in school. I don’t know if they still teach this in school. Even if they don’t, the school kids are bound to hear it from their parents or on TV or read about it somewhere.
The translation you have is pretty good. I am not sure about the second line though. I have always thought it said, “pedestrians on the road are like ghosts,” because of the rain.
Below you can find the Chinese text, the Pinyin and an English translation I had done of the poem Qingming plus an mp3 of Qingming being recited…
Ching Ming
It’s raining hard at the time of the Ching Ming Festival,
The mourner’s heart is overwhelmed on the road upland.
May I ask where there’s a tavern to drown my sorrows?
The shepherd boy points to Xinghua Village in the distance.清 明
清 明 时 节 雨 纷 纷，
路 上 行 人 欲 断 魂。
借 问 酒 家 何 处 有，
牧 童 遥 指 杏 花 村。
qīng míng shí jié yǔ fēn fēn
lù shàng xíng rén yù duàn hún
jiè wèn jiǔ jiā hé chù yǒu
mù tóng yáo zhǐ xìng huā cūnRay later wrote to me about the second line:
There is another translation on the Internet that is somewhere between my translation and yours. This one says something like travelers all look gloomy and miserable.
Thanks, Ray, for letting us know more about this poem!
The poem was read by Jia Zhou for Librevox.
If anyone would like to comment about the translation, please feel free to let us know what you think in the comments below or to email me at lisa@mamalisa.com .
Below you can read posts about the Chingming Festival…
-Mama Lisa
Qingming Festival in China, Hong Kong and Taiwan
Thursday, April 2nd, 2009The Qingming Festival is on April 4th this year in China, and on the 5th in Taiwan. In Taiwan it’s called Tomb Sweeping Day.
This day is a remembrance of ancestors – it’s similar to All Saints Day and The Day of the Dead. People clean the tombs of their ancestors and offer them food, drink, joss (paper gifts) and spirit money (not real currency). Some people carry willow branches to ward off the evil spirits that are thought to roam the earth on this day.
Qingming is also a celebration of the spring. People have picnics, play on swings and fly kites.
There is a well-known poem by the poet Du Mu (803 – 852) that mentions this day. Below you can find the Chinese text, the Pinyin and an English translation I tried my hand!
Ching Ming
It’s raining hard at the time of the Ching Ming Festival,
The mourner’s heart is overwhelmed on the road upland.
May I ask where there’s a tavern to drown my sorrows?
The shepherd boy points to Xinghua Village in the distance.清 明
清 明 时 节 雨 纷 纷，
路 上 行 人 欲 断 魂。
借 问 酒 家 何 处 有，
牧 童 遥 指 杏 花 村。
qīng míng shí jié yǔ fēn fēn
lù shàng xíng rén yù duàn hún
jiè wèn jiǔ jiā hé chù yǒu
mù tóng yáo zhǐ xìng huā cūnBelow you can read other posts about the Chingming Festival…
Feel free to share your holiday photos or traditions by commenting below or emailing me at lisa@mamalisa.com.
Mama Lisa
The poem was read by Jia Zhou for Librevox.
Mama Lisa Now Has a Facebook Group
Sunday, February 22nd, 2009We’d love it if you’d join the Mama Lisa Facebook Group. You can post anything you’d like about your culture. You can post your own musical recordings or YouTube videos… Links to culture and musical sites… Photos of your country… Questions about songs or cultural issues… Anything related to World Culture and Music…
Click on the icon below to access the group. If you have a Facebook account already, you just need to click on “Join the Group” to join. If you’re not a member, you simply have to sign up for free to become a member and then you can join the Mama Lisa Group…
Looking forward to seeing you in Facebook!
Mama Lisa
Chinese New Year
Thursday, January 22nd, 2009The Chinese New Year starts on January 26th this year. It’ll be the year of the Ox.
Here’s a composition by David W. Solomons that he created in honor of the holiday.
If you’re interested in learning more, you can read previous posts about the Chinese New Year.
If you’d like to find a festival near you, check out an article about some Chinese New Years Festivals around the world. If the weather permits, I’d like to bring my family to the one in Chinatown, in New York City.
The Dragon Boat Festival
Monday, June 9th, 2008
The Dragon Boat Festival falls on the fifth day of the fifth moon (month) in the Chinese New Year. This year that’s today!
According to Andrew Sullivan, it falls on this day, “in remembrance of Qu Yuan, a patriotic poet who committed suicide in the Miluo River on the day in 221 BC.” Depending on which story you follow, Qu Yuan was either protesting the corruption of the government, or was so depressed by it, that he killed himself!
The legend is that the villagers raced out onto the river to try to save Qu Yuan, but it was too late. So they threw rice into the river to keep the fish from eating his body. They also beat the water with their paddles to scare away the fish. This race in search of Qu Yuan’s body became the tradition of the dragon boat race.
Every year on the fifth day of the fifth month the villagers threw rice in the river to feed Qu Yuan’s spirit. According to the legend, the spirit of Qu Yuan appeared one night and told the villagers that he was eaten by the river dragon. He said the river dragon was eating the rice they were throwing into the river. So he asked them to wrap the rice in silk and tie it with different colored strings before throwing it in (this became known as zongzi). The colors will scare away the dragon and he won’t be able to untie the strings. He said they should also throw in loose rice. The loose rice would be to feed the dragon and the zongzi would feed Qu Yuan. Today, the tradition is to eat zongzi for the Dragon Boat Festival. Nowadays, zongzi is typically made with rice wrapped in bamboo leaves.
The Dragon Boat Festival is known as the Duanwu Festival in China and Taiwan. It’s known as the Tuen Ng Festival in Hong Kong and Macau.
The Photo is from Dragonboat Racing Festival in Macau 2005 by Iidxplus on Wikipedia, and was slightly edited by Mama Lisa.
Can Someone Help with a Chinese Song from an Album called “Children’s Folk Rhymes in Beijing”?
Friday, November 9th, 2007Kel wrote:
Hi,
I just found your web page and am interested in finding a song and lyrics. The song is called is “Looking at the Sights With My Small Eyes” (in Chinese its “Xiao Yan Jing Kan Jing Zhi Er”). It’s from an album called “Children’s Folk Rhymes in Beijing”…..
I’m trying to find somewhere I can download it and also the lyrics (in English) please.
Thank you in anticipation.
Kel
If anyone can help Kel (we’d also love to receive the lyrics in the original language if anyone knows them) – please comment below.
Thanks!
Mama Lisa
I Need Help with the Chinese Text for a Kids Song called “Count Ducks”
Tuesday, May 29th, 2007I received a wonderful Chinese children’s song recently called Count Ducks. The text I received is a scanned in image – I had a hard time making it look crisp and clear. If anyone can send me the computerized text in Chinese, I’d be grateful. Here’s the graphic, followed by an English translation.
Count Ducks
(English)In front of the
Door under the bridge there are ducks.
Come on count them
Two four six
Seven eight.
Quack, quack
So many ducks.
Countless ducks.
Countless ducks.
Grandpa with a white beard
Chases the ducks away,
Sings in the local
Opera and tell jokes.
Kids, kids, go to
school quickly,
Don’t get a duck egg* on your exam and
Come home with it.
Don’t get a duck egg on your exam and
Come home with it.*This is using a duck egg to represent a score of zero.
Many thanks to Hanchao for contributing and translating this song. Thanks also to Ray Lee for help with the translation.
If anyone can provide the computerized Chinese text for this song, please email me. Thanks! – Lisa
Yuan Xiao and the Lantern Festival in China
Monday, April 16th, 2007
Yuan Xiao is a traditional food for the Lantern Festival in China. The Lantern Festival is at the end of the Chinese New Year celebrations. People go outside with lanterns, watch the dragon dance, set off firecrackers, and they eat Yuan Xiao. (Yuan Xiao is also called Tang Yuan.)
There’s a sweet version and a salty one. The sweet version is made of sticky rice wrapped around black jasmine, white jasmine or peanuts with sugar. Sometimes there’s something else like fruit inside.
Recently, Hanchao, a woman from China who lives in my neighborhood, treated me to a luncheon that featured Yuan Xiao. Xuemei (also from China) was there, as was Rae from Taiwan.
Hanchao made Yuan Xiao with black sesame paste, and Xuemei made it with red beans. Both were wonderful to taste!
I mentioned how I would love to share the recipe for Yuan Xiao with my readers.
The ladies told me they don’t have cookbooks in China like we have in the West. Recipes are passed on from mother to daughter, from sister to brother and from friend to friend. They were amazed at how we have such precise measurements in our recipes and how we can duplicate the exact same recipe each time. They teach each other recipes by cooking the meal together.
Hanchao said she would try to write down her recipe for us. Here is what she sent me…
Hanchao’s Yuan Xiao Recipe
3 cups sticky rice flour
1 1/2 cups chopped black sesame seeds
1/2 cup sugarThe black sesame seeds that I bought were fresh. You can put the sesame seeds on a cookie sheet in the oven on 375 F. Stir a few times while cooking. Cook until it tastes good – about 30 minutes.
Mix chopped sesame with sugar in a blender until smooth. This is the filling. Set aside.
Put 1 – 2 cups of water into the sticky rice flour and mix to make the dough. You can use up to a total of 3 cups of water. Add the water slowly, because if you add to much, it will be too gooey – in which case you can add more flour. You want it to be smooth like pie dough or playdough.
Shape the dough of the sticky rice into half balls, put a teaspoonful of filling into the half ball. Close the half ball to form a full round ball and smooth out it by rolling it between your hands.
Put the Yuan Xiao into boiling water. Cook until all the Yuan Xiao float on the surface of the water. Cook for 30-60 minutes. Serve in the water it’s cooked in, like a soup.
Some people will serve Yuan Xiao in a sweetened broth. I asked Hanchao about this and she said she only uses water.
Yuan Xiao (Tang Yuan) are a symbol of family unity and happiness. People serve them to their family on the last day of the Chinese New Year celebration. It’s a symbol that the family will be happy and complete in the upcoming year.
Many thanks to Hanchao for sharing her recipe for Yuan Xiao with us!
Here are some links for other recipes:
Taiwanese Tang Yuan in an Egg Drop Soup
A Recipe for Pork Tong Yuen and one for Black Sesame Seed Paste Tong Yuen
Recipe for Glutinous Rice Balls with Salted Egg Yolk and Peanut Filling
Qingming – Festival of Pure Brightness – 清明節
Thursday, March 29th, 2007The Qingming Festival takes place on April 4, 5, or 6th – whichever is the 104th day after the winter solstice. It’s celebrated in China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan.
Qingming has many names and spellings: Qingming, Ching Ming, Ch’ing Ming, Qing Ming Jie. In English it’s been called Clear Brightness Festival, Remembrance of Ancestors Day, Grave Sweeping Day, and Spring Festival.
Qingming is a festival to honor the dead – similar in some ways to The Day of the Dead in Mexico. It’s thought that it’s important to keep ancestors happy in order to have good luck. Qingming is a good occasion to fulfill this obligation.
First, people go to the graves of their family members and clean them. They sweep away debris, pull up weeds and sometimes plant flowers.
I asked Ray Lee about what he did for Ching Ming Festival growing up in Hong Kong. He said, “That’s when we would go to the grave site of our grandparents and leave flowers for them.”
Hanchao from China said she would also go and clean off the graves of her relatives who had passed away. Sometimes her family would burn paper money. The money is for the deceased to use in the afterlife. (It’s not actual currency – it’s called spirit money.) It’s also traditional to burn incense.
People also put out food and drink near the tombstone for their ancestors. Hanchao said, “We put steamed buns, fruits, and wine and food at the grave, that the people who passed away liked when they were alive, and we light incense.”
Qingming is also a day to celebrate the Spring. After tending the grave and offering food, the family will sometimes have a picnic and enjoy the fresh air. People sometimes play games and fly kites.
Please feel free to let us know what your family and friends would do for Qingming in the comments below.
-Lisa
“Delighting in Rain on a Spring Night” – A Poem by the Chinese Poet Du Fu
Monday, March 26th, 2007Du Fu, also known as Tu Fu (712-770), is one of the best-known poets of China. Many of his poems are about nature and the seasons.
Here’s Delighting in Rain on a Spring Night in simplified Chinese and with an English translation by Brendan O’Kane. After the translation, I posted the traditional Chinese text.
春夜喜雨
Delighting in Rain on a Spring Night杜甫
Dù Fǔ好雨知时节，
A good rain knows its proper time;
当春乃发生。
It waits until the Spring to fall.
随风潜入夜，
It drifts in on the wind, steals in by night,
润物细无声。
Its fine drops drench, yet make no sound at all.
野径云俱黑，
The paths between the fields are cloaked with clouds;
江船火独明。
A river-skiff’s lone light still burns.
晓看红湿处，
Come dawn, we’ll see splashes of wet red –
花重锦官城
The flowers in Chengdu*, weighed down with rain.*Chengdu is now a large city in southern China. Du Fu lived in Chengdu for 4 years and composed over 200 poems there.
Here is the poem in traditional Chinese text:
春夜喜雨
好雨知時節,
當春乃發生。
隨風潛入夜,
潤物細無聲。
野徑雲俱黑,
將船火獨明。
曉看紅濕處,
花重錦官城。Many thanks to Brendan O’Kane for letting me post his translation of this poem. Brendan is a translator living in Beijing. He also has a blog called Bokane.org. Check it out for translations of some other Chinese poems and general posts about Chinese culture and life in Beijing.
The Chinese New Year – The Year of the Pig
Friday, February 16th, 2007February 18th is the first day of the Chinese New Year. This coming year will be the year of the Golden Pig. It’s considered to be a very lucky, prosperous year. The pig is considered the symbol of fertility. People born in the year of the Pig are thought to be honest, lucky and warm-hearted.
Here’s some info about writing Happy New Year, Pig and Good Luck in Chinese characters…
Happy New Year in Chinese characters is:
You pronounce it in Cantonese as Kung Hey Fat Choy, and in Mandarin as Gong xi fa cai. Both sayings mean “Congratulations and Prosperity!”
Here is the symbol for good luck:
In Mandarin it’s pronounced “fu” and in Cantonese it’s pronounced “fook”. It’s often hung on doors on a red diamond shape banner. Some people hang it upside-down. That’s because the word for upside-down in Mandarin sounds like “dao”, which also sounds like the Mandarin word for “arrive”. So it’s like saying – let good luck arrive.
The Chinese character for Pig is…
Here’s a link with an animation that shows how to write pig in Chinese
Pig is pronounced as “zhu” in both Mandarin and Cantonese – You can hear how to say pig in Cantonese!
You can find more about how to say Happy New Year in Cantonese, Mandarin, Vietnamese and Korean in my post from last year.
Here you can hear the pronunciation of Happy New Year in Mandarin and Cantonese.
Many thanks to Ray Lee for help with the Chinese characters!
恭喜發財!
Can You Help with a Mandarin (or Cantonese) Chinese Children’s Song?
Thursday, January 18th, 2007Linda wrote:
Dear Mama Lisa,
I spent two years in Taiwan and three in Hong Kong as a child. I was taught a song, I believe in Mandarin, that began as follows:
Gu gu ba ba jung wei da
een ya za wo ja
way gwa
chu dong dong
dong bing
shou ha haI learned this about 40 years ago, so I know things are not right! My friend is adopting a Chinese baby from a province that speaks Mandarin and has asked if I remember any of the language. I would love to be able to teach this little girl a song in her native language. Could you please help me with the proper wording?
Thanks you so much!
Linda McCreedy
If anyone can help out with this song, please email me or comment below.
Thanks!
Lisa
P.S. I asked my friend Ray, who speaks Cantonese, if it sounds Cantonese (just to check). Here’s what he wrote:
It’s probably in Mandarin. “wo ja” sounds like “my family” spoken in Mandarin. In Cantonese it would be “ngor ga”.
Still, the whole thing doesn’t make much sense to me and my co-worker, to whom I forwarded the song. The first line seems to say, “My brother and my dad are great”.
“Dong bing” sounds like “become a soldier” in Cantonese. But then that contradicts with my earlier observation. It would be very helpful if there’s a recording of a person singing this song!
If anyone else can help – or if you can send a recording Linda – that’d be great!
-Lisa
How to Find Sheet Music, Tunes and MP3’s on Mama Lisa’s World
Saturday, January 6th, 2007In addition to this blog, I also host Mama Lisa’s World. Mama Lisa’s World is a large collection of children’s songs and rhymes from countries all around the globe.
Matt, a music teacher from Rhode Island, wrote a question to me, the other day, about Mama Lisa’s World:
Hey Mama,
I love the concept of your site. It’s been exciting to watch it grow. My only frustration is not being able to find either written (preferably) or audio music to accompany the lyrics. How do I find the tunes for all these great lyrics?
Matt
Music Teacher, Rhode Island, USAHere’s what I wrote back, I’m sharing it with you, in case it helps you too…
Hey Matt,
Thanks for writing!
We’ve just added basic sheet music to a lot of songs on the Germany, France, Hungary, Spain and Mexico pages – plus many others.
We’re now in the process of converting the whole site to a database. We’re halfway through. Hopefully by the summer we’ll have a feature that will let you do a search on songs that have sheet music, midis or mp3’s. Midis play the tune of a song. MP3’s are recordings – usually of someone singing the song.
But for now, the songs on the countries that are in the database are working on a simple system. On the country pages they have symbols next to the song if they have special features. Here’s the key…
KEY TO SYMBOLS
– this song has sheet music
Midi – this song has a Midi tune
MP3 – this song has an MP3 recording
– this song has a Video recording
If there’s anything in particular you’re looking for, you’re welcome to ask – in case I know if we have it or not – I may be able to guide you to the right place to find what you’re looking for.
And, of course, we’re always looking for more sheet music, midi’s and mp3’s, so if you’d like to contribute any from your culture, we’d be thrilled!
I hope this helps!
Mama Lisa
Mama Lisa’s World News and Multimedia Features
Thursday, November 30th, 2006A significant part of the Mama Lisa sites is a large collection of songs and nursery rhymes from around the world. We currently have about 750 songs from around 90 countries and cultures.
When you consider how many languages there are in those cultures – that’s a lot of information! In order to make it easier to access all of the songs, we are in the process of converting the sites to a database. The database allow our visitors to search for songs on the site by language, by songs with sheet music, recordings, etc.
While we’re putting the songs into the database, we’re trying to obtain as much information as possible about each song. So if we can find the tune, we’ll include a midi tune and sheet music. If we find a recording of the song on the internet, we’ll provide a link to the recording. Sometimes we’ll make a recording ourselves. Anything we can do to help you know everything possible about that song.
If you happen to see any songs on the site that are missing a tune or recording and you know it, we’d be very pleased if you could help us get the tune. We’re able to make midis from sheet music, if that’s what you can send. We’re also happy to post recordings if you’d like to sing the song, play it on an instrument, or even hum it. Really, anything to help others get an idea how to sing or play the song.
Once the database is complete Mama Lisa’s World will have 98 countries and cultures and over 850 songs. How great is that!
-Lisa
UPDATE: The Database is now complete! We have 100 countries and cultures. We’re now working on a Spanish version of Mama Lisa’s World which will feature children’s songs, folks songs and nursery rhymes from around the world with Spanish translations.
Cherry Blossom Festivals Around the World
Sunday, March 26th, 2006In previous entries I talked about the importance of Cherry Blossoms in Japan.
In 1912 the mayor of Tokyo gave a gift of 3000 cherry trees to the city of Washington D.C., thus spreading the love of cherry blossom viewing to North America.
Nowadays, Washington D.C. hosts the National Cherry Blossom Festival. I’ve been there and it was really beautiful to see a mass of cherry blossoms in bloom.
Below are links to some Cherry Blossom Festivals Around the World. If you know of any others, please comment below.
Japan Guide to Cherry Blossom Viewing (Sakura Matsuri)
The Jinhae Gunhang Festival in Korea
Cherry Blossom Festival in Vancouver
Wulai Cherry Blossoms Festival in Taiwan
Cherry blossoms feast at San-Zi Township in Taiwan
Cherry Blossom Festival in Northern California
Cherry Blossom Festival in San Francisco
Cherry Blossom Festival in Seattle, Washington
Cherry Blossom Festival in Hawaii
Cherry Blossom Festival in Philadelphia
Cherry Blossom Festival in Brooklyn Botanical Gardens, New York
Cherry Blossom Festival in Macon, Georgia
Here’s a photo from when we went to view the Cherry Blossoms. I was pregnant with my son at the time.
Why Does the Chinese New Year Move Around?
Monday, January 23rd, 2006By Raymond Lee
Every year, the Chinese New Year comes several days earlier than it did the year before. If you’re wondering why, it’s because the Chinese year is shorter than the western year. Of course, something has to be done or the Chinese New Year will just keep moving up. The Chinese calendar compensates for that by having a leap year every 12 years (I think). And during a leap year, there are actually 13 months. That’s why if you look at the movement of the Chinese New Year from year to year, you will see it come earlier and earlier, and then suddenly, boom, it gets pushed back by almost a month, and the cycle repeats.
Come Visit Mama Lisa’s Chinese New Year Page for more about the Chinese New Year.
Come visit the Mama Lisa’s World China Page for Kids Songs from China and
The Mama Lisa’s World Taiwan Page for more Chinese Children’s Songs
Greetings and Hand Gestures for the Chinese New Year
Sunday, January 22nd, 2006The Chinese New Year is on January 29th, 2006. It’s the Year of the Dog.
The Chinese New Year is called Sun Lean in Cantonese.
To wish each other a Happy New Year, the Chinese characters are æ?喜發財.
The New Year’s greeting in Cantonese is Kung Hey Fat Choy, which means Congratulations and Be Prosperous. When the New Year’s greeting is said, there is a specific hand gesture. Here’s a picture of the correct hand gesture made for the Chinese New Year.
You shake your hands up and down slightly while making this gesture.
My cousin James, who lives in Shanghai, China, wrote me about what’s said in Mandarin for the Chinese New Year. He said…
Xin nian kuai le means Happy New Year in Mandarin, and is normally said to a young person.
Xin = New
Nian = Year
Kuai le = HappyXin nian jian kang is normally said to an elderly person.
Jian Kang = Good Health
Xin nian hao is normally said to someone you don’t know on the street.
Hao = Good
Gong xi fa cai can also be said for the New Year.
Gong xi = Congratulations
Fa cai = ProsperityXin nian kuai le!
In Vietnam, the New Year is called Tet Nguyen Dan. The Vietnamese New Year’s greeting is Chuc Mung Nam Moi meaning, Happy New Year. (Tet refers to the first morning of the first day of the New Year).
In Korea the New Year is called Sol or Seollal. In Korean they say, Say-hay boke mahn-he pah-du-say-oh, which literally means, Please Receive Many New Year’s Blessings.
Many thanks to Ray Lee for sending me the photo of the correct hand gesture to use for the Chinese New Year, and for help with the Cantonese, and to James Yannucci for help with the Mandarin.
Happy New Year!
Lisa
Come Visit Mama Lisa’s Chinese New Year Page for more about the Chinese New Year.
Come visit the Mama Lisa’s World China Page for Kids Songs from China and
The Mama Lisa’s World Taiwan Page for more Chinese Children’s Songs
More Traditions of the Chinese New Year
Saturday, January 21st, 2006The Chinese New Year is also know as the Spring Festival and Lunar New Year
The Chinese New Year is usually celebrated on the 2nd new moon after the winter solstice and ends with the full moon 15 days later. This year the Chinese New Year starts on January 29. The year will be 4703.
There are many traditions associated with the Chinese New Year. Here are some of them:
In preparation for the New Year, houses are swept clean to get rid of traces of bad luck. But there is no sweeping on New Year’s Day for fear of sweeping away good luck.
No sharp objects can be used on New Year’s Day. They might cut out the good luck.
To maintain honor, all debts must be paid before the New Year begins.
Red is the color for luck and to ward off evil spirits. Red also symbolizes happiness. People will paint their doors red and decorate the house with red and gold ornaments. Gold is another important color since it symbolizes wealth.
People often wear red for the New Year. Black and white are not usually worn, since they’re considered colors of mourning. (Red is also the traditional color for brides’ gowns in China.)
Sayings of good luck are written on red scrolls or banners and used as decorations. Happiness, prosperity and longevity are primary themes.
Pictures of Door Gods are sometimes hung on the front door to keep out the evil spirits.
Flowers and fruit are symbols of the New Year. Traditional flowers for the Chinese New Year are Plum Blossoms, Narcissus, Azaleas, Peonies, and Water Lilies. Flowers symbolize good health and wealth. It’s particularly good luck if a flower opens its bloom on New Year’s Day. The most important types of fruit for the Chinese New Year are oranges and tangerines, which both symbolize happiness.
The New Year is also a celebration of ancestors – sometimes places will be laid at the table for ancestors on New Year’s Eve.
People have a special meal on New Year’s Eve and will stay up till midnight to welcome in the new year.
At Midnight people light fireworks to ward off evil spirits and welcome back the Kitchen God.
Celebrations can last for 15 days.
At the end of the New Year’s celebration, on the 15th day after the start of the new year, there is a Festival of Lanterns. There’s a parade of children carrying lanterns lit by candles inside which represent the moon.
Come Visit Mama Lisa’s Chinese New Year Page for more about the Chinese New Year.
Happy New Year!
Lisa
Come visit the Mama Lisa’s World China page for Kids Songs from China and
The Mama Lisa’s World Taiwan Page for more Chinese Children’s Songs
“Sending off the Kitchen God Day” is on January 23nd
Thursday, January 19th, 2006A week before the Chinese New Year people burn the Kitchen God.
The Kitchen God is called Zao Jun. It is thought that he is sent from Heaven to watch over the family throughout the year. He is also said to have invented fire. He’s present in the kitchen in the form of a picture, or a banner with the Chinese symbol that represents him in gold.
When the Kitchen God is burned it is said that the smoke from the burning paper sends him to heaven. Once there, he reports to the Jade Emperor, who is the highest god in Taoism. He’ll report to the Jade Emperor about the moral behavior of the family, whether good or bad.
Before the family burns the image or symbol of the Kitchen God, they offer him sweets as a bribe to say nice things about them. They also smear his lips with sugar or honey to either sweeten what he says, or to make his lips stick shut so that he won’t say anything at all!
A new Kitchen God is placed in the kitchen on the first day of the New Year.
Happy Sending off the Kitchen God Day!
Lisa
The Names of Foods Eaten for the Chinese New Year
Wednesday, January 18th, 2006My entry yesterday about the Chinese New Year focused on Red Packet Money.
Today my friend Ray from Hong Kong wrote me about the foods eaten for the Chinese New Year. He wrote…
- Food for the Chinese New Year… During the New Year, there are certain food items that people eat. These food items are picked because of their names. Chinese people like things that sound nice. For example, when it comes to phone numbers, license plates, and so on, they like to see the number 8 in it, because the pronunciation of the number 8 resembles the pronunciation of the character that means “get wealthy”. So, during the New Year, people eat food items whose names sound good. For example, there is one vegetable whose name sounds like “get wealthy”. Or there’s this cake whose name sounds like “get taller”.
That’s very interesting. Thanks for writing Ray!
Lisa
Come visit the Mama Lisa’s World China page for Kids Songs from China and
The Mama Lisa’s World Taiwan Page for more Chinese Children’s Songs
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