Published in The Dress Circle February 2007
There is a legend from ancient China that tells of a merciless and ferocious man-eating beast called Nian, which would descend from the mountains on the 1st and 15th days of each lunar month, stealthily enter people’s homes and make a meal of them.
The Chinese were dreadfully afraid of Nian and always made sure that their doors and windows were securely locked way before sunset on the days of its coming. One day, a wise old man, who turned out to be an immortal god, came and negotiated with Nian to leave the people alone and to feed instead on other beasts of prey.
Nian was convinced and went away carrying the old man on its back. Before the old man left he told the people that Nian was fearful of loud noises and the colour red and advised them to decorate their homes with red paper, beat drums and burn fireworks at each year’s end to scare away the monster should it ever return.
These defensive practices of the ancients have survived many generations and today it has become customary to usher in the Lunar New Year with loud noises, provided by lion and dragon dances and firecrackers, all of which serve to scare away evil spirits. Donning new red attire and dressing one’s house up with red papercuts and red cloth banners also make up part of this tradition.
Today, the words Guo Nian, which literally mean “Passing of the Nian”, are used to denote the new year. The popular new year greeting Gong Xi Fa Cai, which is often mistaken for “Happy New Year”, in fact directly translates to “congratulations and be prosperous” and was used by the ancients to congratulate each other for making it through another year of keeping the monster, Nian, at bay.
Chinese New Year, also known as Lunar New Year or Spring Festival, falls on the first day of the second new moon after the winter solstice. Historically, it was the only day in the year when China’s diligent peasants would permit themselves a rest from work.
Festivities start with the reunion dinner on the eve of the new year, where family members from near and far make special effort to return to the family home for a celebratory get-together.
In China, this enormous movement of people, known as chunyun or ‘spring transportation’, puts great strain on the public transport system, in particular the railway system. In preparation for the 2006 Lunar New Year celebrations, more than 2 billion people were on the road headed back to their respective hometowns.
There’s Meaning in Every Dish
Reunion dinners typically highlight a massive spread of food chosen for their significance: for example fatt choy, a black hair-like algae is a favourite in many dishes because its name is a homonym for prosperity; turnips portend good omen; garlic chives mean everlasting; and meat or fish balls signify reunion.
Chicken is almost always a feature and fish is served but not completely eaten with the leftover stored overnight. This practice of leaving some fish behind is to ensure that there will always be enough to spare: nian nian you yu or ‘may there be fish every year’ sounds the same as ‘may there be surpluses every year’.
The first day of new year is a time for people to visit and pay respects to their family elders, a time when adult children visit parents and grandparents. It is also a day for welcoming the gods of heaven and earth, and a day when many choose to abstain from meat, believing that this will bring them long and happy lives.
Money in red packets, called lai see, hung bao or ang pow, are traditionally given during Chinese New Year, usually by married people to their unmarried, junior family members and visitors, for good luck.
People generally take pains to ensure that the amount they give in a red packet is a lucky number, perhaps one that ends in eight which has a similar sound to the Chinese word for prosperity. It is not uncommon to receive large amounts in affluent families and some people have also taken to substituting cash with financial instruments like unit trust, bonds and stocks.
Mandarin oranges are popular and abundant during the Chinese New Year and it is considered common etiquette to bring a bag of these along when visiting friends and relatives. They symbolise abundant happiness and if the leaves are left intact on the fruit then it means that the relationship between giver and receiver is a strong one.
The Lunar New Year ends on the 15th day when, in order to find a lover, girls might write their names and addresses on a mandarin orange and throw it into a river in the hope that it will bring them the partner they desire. Today’s women are also likely to include their email addresses and mobile numbers.