Cheese Curds in Transit: Lunar New Year in Hong Kong

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Gung Hei Fat Choi!!!

This is the traditional "Happy New Year!" greeting here in the Canton region of China. For our pronunciation buffs out there, think Gung (rhymes with Kung as in Kung-fu), Hei (as in Hey you), Fat Choi (as in you are an overweight Choi). Each has a downward inflection, so you end up with (in English) "Gung. Hei. Fat. Choi." Now you try :)

Lunar New Year is a time of great tradition in China. Here is the run down of each day and what you are traditionally supposed to be doing:

Day 1: Fireworks are lit to scare off evil spirits, and some families will have lion dancers come in to bless their homes. Workers get bonuses from their employers, called red envelopes.

Day 2: Married daughters will visit their parents and relatives and close friends. Poor folk will go around, calling on the god of wealth, and people might give them money for luck.

Day 3: This is far from a lucky day. Everyone should stay at home. Rubbish and offerings are burned together. In some parts of China, this day is known as belonging to the god of blazing wrath.

Day 4: Business returns to normal in Hong Kong, and many companies hold their annual feast dinners. Lots of fish and seafood is served to bring luck.

Day 5: This is the god of wealth's day and many businesses will re-open on this day. Same will light crackers to gain the god of wealth's favour.

Day 6: This is the day to visit relatives and temples.

Day 7: This is considered everyone's birthday, as this was the day when humans were created by the goddess Nuwa.

Day 8: Companies go back to work and have lunch with their employees to celebrate the success of the year behind them, and thank them for all their hard work.

Day 9: People offer prayers to the Jade Emperor, the ruler of all heaven. He is especially important to the Hokkien people, of southern Fujian. They believe the Jade Emperor saved them from an invasion by the Japanese, when they hid in a sugar cane field. So today they always offer a piece of sugar cane in gratitude. This day is the Jade Emperor's birthday.

Day 10: Still the Jade Emperor's birthday, so those celebrations carry on.

Day 11: No special events. In-laws might be invited for a final meal.

Day 12: More feasting with friends and family.

Day 13: People take a rest from all the feasting and eat only vegetarian food.

Day 14: People stay at home to decorate their lanterns. Traditionally the lanterns have riddles on them for children to solve.

Day 15: Lantern Festival marks the end of the New Year celebration. Candles are lit to help the spirits find their way home.
(Taken from: South China Morning Post; Monday, February 4th YoungPost pg. 7)

So as one can see, this is no small "one and done" festival here in Hong Kong. Unfortunately the newspaper forgot to mention the day when everyone is suppose to rent bikes and ride them for the first time in their lives, making sure to swerve in front of oncoming runners and walkers and parking in a clump so that they take up the ENTIRE bike/walk/sidewalk lanes (that happened on Saturday as we were running/walking) :)

Here are some pictures of our participation in some of the really big events: