Today I attended Coffee Connection which is held at the Community Center of Shanghai. CCS caters to expats and offers classes, tours, help settling in and more. Every other Friday they have Coffee Connection with, of course coffee, and a topic of conversation. Today there was a presentation on the upcoming Chinese New Year and traditions.
It was very interesting. The Chinese New Year follows the lunar calendar and is celebrated on a different date each year. This year Chinese New Year day is Feb 7 (Molly's 1st B-day) and lasts for 15 days. Legend has it that a terrible beast that lives at the bottom of the sea comes out on New Years Eve to torment the people in the villages. The people would flee the villages and go to the tops of the mountain. One year, an old man and woman decided they could not climb so they stayed behind. To warn off the beast, they lit candles all over the home, and hung red fabric to hide behind. When the beast appeared, he was terrified of the fire and red and went back to the sea. So it is now tradition to hang red decorations in your home to keep you safe, and to light fireworks. Mostly for the kids though.
It is also custom to give a red envelope (hongboa) containing a small amount of money to children. This is meant to buy them peace and to bribe ghosts away for another year. This tradition has since been comericalized and now extends to family, friends and employees. Employees such as drivers and ayis expect to receive an extra months salary in their red envelope. They take this gift back to their family and share it with them. We were informed that it is best to give them the red envelope before New Year's Eve.
The Chinese are very superstitious. They feel the house must be completely cleaned before New Year's Eve and all cleaning supplies should be put up and out of site. No cleaning shall take place until after the third day of the New Year. They fear that cleaning will sweep away luck and good health.
All debts should be paid before the New Year. If not, you will owe for the rest of the year. And likewise, it is not good to lend money during the New Year celebration, or you may end up lending money all year. It is also not good to cry on the New Years Eve, or you will be sad all year. Children especially like this, because they get away with mischief on New Years Day. The parents wont scold them because they don't want them to cry.
There was a performance by a young kindergarten class doing a traditional dance. They were adorable and wore costumes and had makeup. Of course I didn't have my camera with me. One woman demonstrated how to m
ake traditional dumplings. Apparently, a mother in law can tell if a woman will make a good wife for her son if she can quickly make beautiful dumplings.
The class was filled with a lot of interesting information. It is fun to learn about this new holiday we will be celebrating this year.
On another note....Morgan had a field trip today to the Oriental Pearl Tower. The teacher asked the children where they would like to go. Most of the kids voted for the aquarium, but had already been there. But Morgan suggested the Pearl Tower. She obsessed with it and can spot if a mile away. Even Teacher Tom had not been there yet. I am anxious to hear what Morgan thought about going all the way to the top. She was very excited to be going and to be riding on the school bus (an extra long van). Here is a picture from Mark and I were here in October.
It was very interesting. The Chinese New Year follows the lunar calendar and is celebrated on a different date each year. This year Chinese New Year day is Feb 7 (Molly's 1st B-day) and lasts for 15 days. Legend has it that a terrible beast that lives at the bottom of the sea comes out on New Years Eve to torment the people in the villages. The people would flee the villages and go to the tops of the mountain. One year, an old man and woman decided they could not climb so they stayed behind. To warn off the beast, they lit candles all over the home, and hung red fabric to hide behind. When the beast appeared, he was terrified of the fire and red and went back to the sea. So it is now tradition to hang red decorations in your home to keep you safe, and to light fireworks. Mostly for the kids though.
It is also custom to give a red envelope (hongboa) containing a small amount of money to children. This is meant to buy them peace and to bribe ghosts away for another year. This tradition has since been comericalized and now extends to family, friends and employees. Employees such as drivers and ayis expect to receive an extra months salary in their red envelope. They take this gift back to their family and share it with them. We were informed that it is best to give them the red envelope before New Year's Eve.
The Chinese are very superstitious. They feel the house must be completely cleaned before New Year's Eve and all cleaning supplies should be put up and out of site. No cleaning shall take place until after the third day of the New Year. They fear that cleaning will sweep away luck and good health.
All debts should be paid before the New Year. If not, you will owe for the rest of the year. And likewise, it is not good to lend money during the New Year celebration, or you may end up lending money all year. It is also not good to cry on the New Years Eve, or you will be sad all year. Children especially like this, because they get away with mischief on New Years Day. The parents wont scold them because they don't want them to cry.
There was a performance by a young kindergarten class doing a traditional dance. They were adorable and wore costumes and had makeup. Of course I didn't have my camera with me. One woman demonstrated how to m
ake traditional dumplings. Apparently, a mother in law can tell if a woman will make a good wife for her son if she can quickly make beautiful dumplings.The class was filled with a lot of interesting information. It is fun to learn about this new holiday we will be celebrating this year.
On another note....Morgan had a field trip today to the Oriental Pearl Tower. The teacher asked the children where they would like to go. Most of the kids voted for the aquarium, but had already been there. But Morgan suggested the Pearl Tower. She obsessed with it and can spot if a mile away. Even Teacher Tom had not been there yet. I am anxious to hear what Morgan thought about going all the way to the top. She was very excited to be going and to be riding on the school bus (an extra long van). Here is a picture from Mark and I were here in October.
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