Gong Xi means congratulations
Fa Cai means sudden and huge increase in your property
It really means - May prosperity be with you.
I like that
When I arrived here a few years ago, and moved into my abode, I was sleeping my first night on the floor of the dining area on the main floor. I thought I was in the middle of a war zone. Bright flashes of light and explosions ripped through the night sky and neighbourhood as I laid my weary head on the pillow (of sorts). Not sure what to do, or where to run, I lay there and watched the flashes of light and thought now what?
Turns out, what I witnessed was the final hurrah of Chinese New Year in Malaysia. I have to admit, the Chinese are a bit more civilized than some of the other cultures here. They set aside a special occasion for fireworks, and, yes, you will get a blast of them on that day. I would not define this as a religious event - more of a cultural display. For others, who stand behind a religious facade, I am afraid I cannot understand the significance of fireworks demonstrating their belief. My perspective coming from a western culture, uses fireworks to celebrate a non religious event such as a country's annual celebration of union, the beginning or ending of an international event, or something that everyone in the country acknowledges as a special day. I am looking forward to the Chinese New Year demonstration of fireworks tonight - It has not disappointed me in the past.
How the Chinese prepare for this special day is quite a ritual. Following, is what I know about the preparation. I am sure I have left out some valuable information, but what I wrote encapsulates the gist of the day.
New Years' Eve is carefully
observed, with all members of a family dining together. Supper is a joyous
feast, with jiaozi served-- dumplings boiled in water. (The word literally
means 'sleep together and have sons,' a traditional good wish greeting for a
family.) Fish is also traditionally served (the Chinese character for fish
sounds the same as that for 'abundance'.) There is also served a vegetarian
dish with a special seaweed called fat choi, a word similar in sound to that
for prosperity. Noodles accent the wish for long life.
Every light in the house is
supposed to stay lit for the whole night. At midnight, the sky erupts in a
colorful display of fireworks and firecrackers. The New Year has arrived!
Early in the morning, after
sunrise, the children receive their hong bao (red packets, often containing
money) from their parents. Then the family visits door-to-door to exchange New
Years greetings-- first to relatives, then to neighbors. In some Chinese
neighborhoods, mandarin oranges are also exchanged as offerings of good will
and good fortune.
The New Year is a time of
reconciliation. Old grudges are set aside, and the atmosphere is marked by
warmth and friendliness. The visits continue for several days, marked by a
great deal of gift giving. Passersby greet one another in various dialects: Sun
Nean Fai Lok and Xin Nain Kuai Le (Happy New Year) or Kung Hey Fat Choi and
Gong Xi Fa Cai (May Prosperity Be With You).
Fifteen days after New Years' Day,
the celebration's end is marked by the Festival of Lanterns. It is a time for
lantern shows and folk dances ... and another reason to feast. Another kind of
dumpling is traditionally served-- tang yuan-- sweet rice balls that are
stuffed with sweet or spicy fillings.
Well, now I understand the blazing
fireworks and noise when I moved into my house a few years ago. It was the 15
day after the fact celebration! Oh yes, I have many oranges from all the Chinese people I know. In fact, the Chinese school where I visit gave me a whole box of them. I tried very hard to decline, but 'no' was not an option. So, today, I must wander the streets and familiar shops and try to offer some of these juicy treats to my Chinese friends. I cannot possibly consume all of them myself.
恭禧發財
Best of all - the POLIS (police) checks ended on Thursday. The drive home was much more civilized because of that.
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