| Singapore Singapore Chinese New Year 2008 or Chun Jie |
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Chinese New Year, or Chun Jie, which literally means Spring Festival, celebrates the coming of spring and a fresh start to one's life. The Spring Festival is also called Nian, after the legend of the Nian monster. At the begining of the first month of the lunar calendar, the monster would come down from the mountains to hunt villagers. To conquer this monster, they would beat drums and gongs, burn bamboo and light fireworks to scare it away. There are also many other interesting practices steeped in tradition that can be found during this festive period. In the days leading up to Chinese New Year, you will find many local residents cleaning their homes. The belief is that if the home is dirty when the New Year arrives, the bad luck from last year is carried forward to the next. Another important aspect is the celebration of family ties. One important event is the reunion dinner, where family members spanning generations get together for a feast on the eve of Chinese New Year. During the 15-day celebration, everyone visits the homes of friends and relatives. Dressed in new clothes, visitors come bearing well wishes and gifts. Children look forward to receiving hongbaos--which literally means 'red packets' and these are given to children and adults who are not married. These red packets are filled with new dollar bills and represent good fortune for the coming year. As a sign of respect to one's elders and friends, two oranges must be brought along when visiting. It's also customary to present oranges with both hands, and for the recipient to present two oranges when the visitor leaves. The lion dance which is performed during Chinese New Year is a tradition that brings good luck to the households or businesses they visit. The dramatic climax of the dance is the Cai Qing or 'Picking the Green', where the lion 'eats' and then 'spits' the leaves out, signifying an abundance of everything in the coming year. Visiting Singapore during the festive period of Chinese New Year is especially rewarding. Celebrations and parties, as well as shopping and dining promotions across the island, make for an experience that is uniquely Singapo^^http://lookcolor.comi 25lookcolor.com25 sg.lookcolor.com25Copy right25252525 | |||||||||
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