Paper Cutting Crafts

This is one of my favourite stall. I loved to watch them cutting those red papers. They are very skillfull and the crafts are lovely.

Roads closed for Chingay Procession

If you find it strange for the empty streets and the barricade, it was because I took these photos on the eve of Chingay Procession. Sorry I wasn't at the chingay procession so there wont be any photos of the procession. You can see them in this link .

Empty streets, road closing soon.

On a normal day, the city hall will be empty of all these barricades, scaffoldings, tents, etc.

12 Chinese Zodiac

Every year Singapore will usher the Chinese New Year with the Singapore River Hongbao celebrations. This year it will be held at The Esplanade Park.

One of my favourite besides the God Of Fortune will be the 12 Chinese Zodiac Animals. Some of the photos are not clear because there are just too many people waiting to take photo of these animals.

Legends had it that the Jade Emperor (from heaven) invited all the animals to a race, only twelve showed up: the Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig.

The Rat is the winner of the race and the pig is last. Legend had it that the Cat is supposed to join the race and ask the Rat to wake him up in time for the race but the Rat did not wake him up so there he has a better chance to win. Therefore the Cat and Rat are alway enemies.

Another Legend was that the Cow was supposed to be first in the race but the Rat who hitch a ride on the Cow's tail, bit the Cow's tail when nearer the finished point and the Cow in pain swing his tail and that swing landed the Rat in the finished point and so the Rat is first in the race.

There are many versions to the Origins of the Chinese Zodiac but the above was what I heard from my elders.

Rat

Cow

Tiger(sorry for poor photo)

Rabbit

Dragon

Snake

Horse

Goat

Monkey

Rooster

Dog

Pig

God of Fortune

I visited the Singapore River Hong Bao couple of days ago. It is part of Singapore’s way of celebrating the lunar new year.

This year, at the River Hongbao, there is a huge mascot of the God of Fortune and 12 mascots of the Chinese Zodiac Animals and other colourful decorations. There are other cultural exhibitions too and of course food and beverage stalls selling local and foreign delicacies. You can view those food stalls in my food blog.

The God of Fortune holding a couplet reads "Zhao Cai Jing Bao" which means usher in the wealth and riches.

As I was concentrating on which angle to take the photo of the God of Fortune, suddenly there was a guy who hit the gong which startled me. He announced in mandarin that the God of Fortune is here. And there is this chubby "God of Fortune" right in front of me.

He started tossing gold coins and one coin just landed in my hands. Hahaha.....although it is not real gold but the feeling is so good.

Hope this gold coin from God of Fortune will bring everyone Good Health, Good Luck and Good Fortune.

Ninth Day of Chinese New Year

On the 9th day of the Chinese New Year is the Hokkien custom to "Bai Tian Gong" or praying to the Heavenly God.

The Hokkien Chinese offer the Tian Gong with sugar canes, roast pigs and fruit but no cooked ducks or chickens.

Legend had it that when the Hokkiens, who lived along the coast, were attacked by pirates. They ran and hid in the sugarcane plantation. For many days they stayed in the plantation without food, but chewed the sugar canes to sustain their lives. When the pirates left, they came out of the sugarcane plantation and that day was the 9th day of the New Year.

From then on, every year on that day, the Hokkiens offer sugar canes to pray to the Heavenly God.