These photos are fresh from my camera. :) Took them last night at the Singapore River Hong Bao 2009. This is the giant God of Fortune.
He is holding a couplet that read zhao cai jin bao which means attracts/usher in money and valuables. Now I wish the God of Fortune will visit me. :)
Why are these people sitting here? If you find this place familar, yes, it is the floating platform used during the national day celebration You can find another photo of it in my previous post in here. You have to return to visit to see why these people are sitting here.
Now I am stuck in this queue but not very long, the whole area is very big so the queue moves very fast. As the floating platform is on top of the Singapore River, the breeze from the sea made the whole place cooling and not stuffy. You have to return to see if it is worth the queue, I have so many beautiful photos of the Singapore River Hongbao Show.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Monday, January 26, 2009
Happy Chinese New Year
A very happy chinese new year and may the year of the ox brings good luck, good health and good fortune to all. This is the most important of all the chinese festivals and lasted for 15 days. I will tell you in brief what to do and what not to do during chinese new year especially for the first few days.
On the first day of chinese new year - For the religious, they would welcome the deities of the heavens and earth and some will head to the temple on chinese new year's eve to be the first to put the first joss stick in the urn of the temple at the stroke of twelve. They hope to be lucky for being the first one.
I will be at home resting after the reunion dinner on chinese new year's eve and watch the live interesting programme on television to welcome the chinese new year at the stroke of twelve...lol.
What not to do: Do not sweep the floor on the first day cause it meant sweeping away all the luck and same for not cutting and washing your hairs on the first day too cause it would meant your luck will be washed away for the whole year but it is not practised in most family nowadays. Of course I will wash my hair, would love to have clean hair when out visiting....lol.
I will not use a broom but I will use the magic clean duster to clear any dust on my floor(a little bit of cheating here)...hahaha.
On the second day of chinese new year - Chinese pray to their ancestors as well as to all the gods.
The Cantonese dialect group will hold a 'Hoi Nin' prayer(hoi=opening Nin=year) to start the 2nd day of Chinese New Year. The prayer is done to pray that they will be blessed with good luck and prosperity for the year.
As late mom is cantonese we, married daughters, are supposed to return for the 'Hoi Nin' on second day for the prayers and rewarded with a big feast....hehehe. Although mom is not around, we still gather at my brother's house.
On the third day of chinese new year - The third and fourth day of the Chinese New Year are generally accepted as inappropriate days to visit relatives and friends. On these days, quarrels and arguments are easily aroused.
On the seventh day of chinese new year - it is everyone's birthday. Legend has it that the goddess (nuwa) created the animals on different days, and human beings on the seventh day after the creation of the world. On this day, we would toss yusheng (raw fish). You can read more information on yusheng in here. When tossing the yusheng, we need to read the chants for luck and fortune...lol. You can find out more about the chants in here.
On the ninth day of chinese new year - it is a important day for the Hokkiens. This is the day they will offer thanks giving prayers to the Emperor of Heaven. Offerings will include sugarcane as it was the sugarcane that had protected the Hokkiens from certain extermination generations ago.
Now we come to the last day, Fifteenth day, of the new year - this marks the end of the chinese new year. This day is also known as Chap Goh Mei or Yuan Xiao Jie. Singles would toss mandarin oranges into the sea, hoping to find a good husband.
I hope you all enjoyed the little stories/myths behind each day of the chinese new year.
Source: Wikipedia.
On the first day of chinese new year - For the religious, they would welcome the deities of the heavens and earth and some will head to the temple on chinese new year's eve to be the first to put the first joss stick in the urn of the temple at the stroke of twelve. They hope to be lucky for being the first one.
I will be at home resting after the reunion dinner on chinese new year's eve and watch the live interesting programme on television to welcome the chinese new year at the stroke of twelve...lol.
What not to do: Do not sweep the floor on the first day cause it meant sweeping away all the luck and same for not cutting and washing your hairs on the first day too cause it would meant your luck will be washed away for the whole year but it is not practised in most family nowadays. Of course I will wash my hair, would love to have clean hair when out visiting....lol.
I will not use a broom but I will use the magic clean duster to clear any dust on my floor(a little bit of cheating here)...hahaha.
On the second day of chinese new year - Chinese pray to their ancestors as well as to all the gods.
The Cantonese dialect group will hold a 'Hoi Nin' prayer(hoi=opening Nin=year) to start the 2nd day of Chinese New Year. The prayer is done to pray that they will be blessed with good luck and prosperity for the year.
As late mom is cantonese we, married daughters, are supposed to return for the 'Hoi Nin' on second day for the prayers and rewarded with a big feast....hehehe. Although mom is not around, we still gather at my brother's house.
On the third day of chinese new year - The third and fourth day of the Chinese New Year are generally accepted as inappropriate days to visit relatives and friends. On these days, quarrels and arguments are easily aroused.
On the seventh day of chinese new year - it is everyone's birthday. Legend has it that the goddess (nuwa) created the animals on different days, and human beings on the seventh day after the creation of the world. On this day, we would toss yusheng (raw fish). You can read more information on yusheng in here. When tossing the yusheng, we need to read the chants for luck and fortune...lol. You can find out more about the chants in here.
On the ninth day of chinese new year - it is a important day for the Hokkiens. This is the day they will offer thanks giving prayers to the Emperor of Heaven. Offerings will include sugarcane as it was the sugarcane that had protected the Hokkiens from certain extermination generations ago.
Now we come to the last day, Fifteenth day, of the new year - this marks the end of the chinese new year. This day is also known as Chap Goh Mei or Yuan Xiao Jie. Singles would toss mandarin oranges into the sea, hoping to find a good husband.
I hope you all enjoyed the little stories/myths behind each day of the chinese new year.
Source: Wikipedia.
Friday, January 23, 2009
Skywatch-Friday-Chinatown
Today, my contribution to skywatch must be the chinese new year decoration in chinatown.
Take note of all the different shophouses with different designs. Shophouse consists of shop on the ground floor and residential accomodation on the higher floor. These shophouses have a long history and some dated during the colonial times.
Shophouses decorating their shop front with chinese new year greetings and lion dance mascots.
Take note of all the different shophouses with different designs. Shophouse consists of shop on the ground floor and residential accomodation on the higher floor. These shophouses have a long history and some dated during the colonial times.
Shophouses decorating their shop front with chinese new year greetings and lion dance mascots.
For other sky watchers, please hop over to Skywatch blog.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Chinese New Year 2009 - Part 3 - Chinese New Year's Chun Lian/Couplets
Chun lian is a special type of Duilian, or couplet. It is used only during the Chinese New Year as part of its celebration. While duilian is permanent, chunlian is a temporary decoration to be placed on the entrance of the house, somewhat akin to Halloween and Christmas decorations.
Duilian comprises of a couplet written on vertical strips of red paper in the best calligraphic style one can muster.
The first (called upper) line is posted on the right side of the front door.The second (called lower) line is posted on the left side of the front door.
In addition, a third horizontal piece may be posted across and on top the door.
(Source: http://www.chinapage.com/duilian/chunlian0.html)
The above are known as "duilian which are placed at the side of the doors.
The above are chun lian and the more commerical ones comes with cute pictures.
Duilian comprises of a couplet written on vertical strips of red paper in the best calligraphic style one can muster.
The first (called upper) line is posted on the right side of the front door.The second (called lower) line is posted on the left side of the front door.
In addition, a third horizontal piece may be posted across and on top the door.
(Source: http://www.chinapage.com/duilian/chunlian0.html)
The above are known as "duilian which are placed at the side of the doors.
The above are chun lian and the more commerical ones comes with cute pictures.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
My World-Chinese New Year in the Year of the Ox
My part of the world is busy preparing for the coming Chinese New Year in the Year of the Ox. If I do not have time to go round visiting your blog, please forgive cause I will be too busy spring cleaning my home and stock up my fridge cause all the markets, majority of shops and malls will be close on the first two days of chinese new year i.e. 26 and 27th January 2009.
Everyone busy shopping or browsing through the stalls in chinatown.
Come night, and it would be very very crowded.
The above photo are waxed ducks which are available only during Chinese New Year.
Chinese sausages. I would cook rice with waxed duck and chinese sausages, yummy, they would smell very delicious.
Chinese sausages. I would cook rice with waxed duck and chinese sausages, yummy, they would smell very delicious.
Everyone busy shopping or browsing through the stalls in chinatown.
Come night, and it would be very very crowded.
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