What was supposed to be a tradition among the Chinese has already become a fascination for most of us. With the growing popularity of celebrating the Chinese New Year, even among the non-Chinese, this festivity has surprisingly, elevated itself into a worldwide event with Hong Kong, Taiwan, Shanghai and Beijing leading the celebration (and was even declared a special holiday here). The Chinese in the Philippines have kept many of their traditions as a cultural minority group in the country, but they have also increasingly absorbed many dominant customs of the multi-cultural Filipino nation, in the same way as we have adopted their excellent cuisine and some of their unique practices such as Feng Shui.
The Chinese New Year is usually celebrated some time between Jan. 17 and Feb. 19, at the time of the new moon or “Yuan Tan.” For this year, Chinese people all over the world will be welcoming the “Year of the Rooster” tomorrow. And like any other holiday, it will be welcomed by feasting, as this attracts positive energy for the coming year.
Binondo has always been the center of Chinese New Year celebrations here in Manila. The Chinese community in the Philippines celebrates the event with gusto marked by large family gatherings, with noisy firecrackers, beating drums, street performers doing the lion and dragon dances, and a Festival of Lanterns.
Likewise, hotels in the metro have come up with a host of activities and promotions to usher in the New Year. A "Noodle and Dimsum Festival" will be held at the Pacific Lounge of Pan Pacific Manila with a three-course Chinese set menu consisting of noodles, dimsum, salad or dessert.
Hong Kong chef Ip Chi Kwong will be showcasing his culinary expertise at the Holiday Inn Galleria Manila in an authentic oriental repast dubbed "A Taste of China." The lunch and dinner buffet spread will feature, among others, the all-time favorite Roasted Peking Duck. The Manila Pavilion lets you enhance your luck with its special menu that is said to bring good fortune. The "Green Rooster Brings Luck" includes dishes such as Fresh Oysters with Nori in Spring Roll Wrapper, Sautéed Prawn Balls with Sweet and Sour Sauce in Taro Ring, and Braised Spareribs of Pork with preserved vegetables.
Meanwhile, the newest 5-star deluxe casino hotel, the Hyatt Hotel and Casino Manila, presents an elaborate celebration of the Chinese New Year with a traditional Bai-sun ceremony, Lion Dance and the honoring of the God of Fortune.
The Chinese believe that there are evil spirits around at New Year, so they let off firecrackers to frighten the spirits away. Sometimes they seal their windows and doors with paper to keep the evil spirits out.
The Chinese go by two calendars: The universally-used calendar and the traditional lunar calendar which reckons the days according to the moon’s waxing and waning. Although the Gregorian calendar was officially adopted in China in 1912, Chinese traditional feast days, like the New Year, still follow the lunar calendar.
The Chinese name their years after the animals of the Chinese zodiac. This practice is based on a legend and can actually be traced to the influence of Buddhism on Chinese culture.
According to Chinese folklore, 12 animals came to worship at the birth of Buddha Siddharta Gautama. Since then the Chinese have accounted time according to the order of their arrival. The 12-year cycle, therefore, starts with the year of the rat, the first animal to greet Buddha, followed by the year of the ox, the tiger, the hare, the dragon, the serpent, the horse, the sheep, the monkey, the rooster, the dog, and the pig. The next cycle begins with another year of the rat.
Today, the Chinese celebrate New Year twice, according to the Gregorian and lunar calendars, as well as join the whole country in other holidays like Christmas, Easter and even All Saints’ Day.
It is said that long ago, the Chinese people thought that an evil spirit, called Nian, brought the long darkness and severe cold of winter that killed many people. The Chinese decided on a plan to frighten Nian away. When the moon was at its darkest, they gathered together. At midnight, they started burning bamboo which crackled and popped. The bright light and the staccato of sounds produced by the burning bamboo coupled with the beating of gongs and drums frightened Nian.
As he fled, people felt the warm air of spring displacing the biting cold of winter. They celebrated their triumph by dancing, singing, and sharing food. They congratulated each other with the words, "Quo Nian hao!" or "It is good to have Nian go!."
Until today, people still greet each other with these words. But Nian now refers to "year," changing the greeting’s meaning to "It’s very good to have the old year go." Children greet their grandparents in expectation of gifts, usually money put in red envelopes called "hungpao."
Then, they may add a hearty "Kong hee hat chay" or "Kong ho sun hee," which means "May your life be prosperous."
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