4 The Asian American Times Friday, January 20, 2012 印州华报2012 年元月20日 星期五 by Dr. Patrick H. Lau the people to put red gather for a celebratory believe that the exploding ornaments on the windows reunion dinner 年夜飯, 團 noise of the firecrackers will and doors, light torches 年飯 on New Year’s Eve 除 dispel all evil spirits and Dr. Patrick H. Lau was born in Hong in front of the houses 夕. In some regions, this misfortunes. Firecrackers also Kong and immigrated to the United States and create thunderous communal meal is also called serve to enhance the festivity noises to keep Nian away. after High School. He retired from the “surrounding the stove or spirit. Another tradition is VA Northern Indiana Health Care System They faithfully followed weilu 圍爐”. 守歲圍爐竟廢眠. the dragon and lion dance, his instructions; and The celebration emphasizes the which, besides in China and where he served as Chief Radiologist. In the strategies were ritual of a religious ceremony Taiwan, can be seen in most 2011, Dr. & Mrs. Lau migrated south to successful, and Nian to honor the household gods as Chinatowns throughout the sunny Florida to be near their son. Dr. Lau had not reappeared well as the family ancestors world. Dragon symbolizes power, has dedicated countless hours supporting in the village. They and departed relatives. fertility, poise, good luck, local community organization such as implemented the same Equally significant, it serves and happiness. Dragon and Lion Indiana Association of Chinese Americans tactics year after year; to symbolize the unity of dance is supposed to welcome and Indiana Chinese Medical Association these eventually evolved living family members. Most the good fortune, success, and “爆竹聲中一歲除，春風送暖 prior to his moving to Florida. Dr. Lau as the traditions and customs Chinese believe in auspicious prosperity of New Year. is also a scholar of art and literature and 入屠蘇，千門萬戶曈曈日，總把新 of the Chinese New Year, such foods which are customarily New Year’s Day is 桃換舊符。” ~王安石 as setting off deafening a prolific writer, he has been a dedicated served on the table; however, celebrated within the family. columnist of Asian American Times. firecrackers, hanging red they vary from province to Bai nian 拜年 literally means At my old age, I can still lanterns and red scrolls at the province. Dumplings signify visiting family, relatives and It consists of hundreds of vividly recall my childhood front doors, putting red paper wealth because they are shaped friends during the New Year participating units, including during the time of Chinese New cuts on the windows and so like ancient silver and gold Season. For married couples, extravagantly decorated floats, Year in my hometown, Hong Kong. forth. ingots 新年大發財，元寶滾進來. it is customary to pay a visit people in glamorous costumes, When morning had broken on China is, in fact, a very Whole fish (魚, yu) symbolizes to the man’s parents on New folk dancers, singers, school New Year’s Day, I was awoken enormous country encompassing abundance, surplus (年年有 Year’s Day. 初一拜本家; they, marching bands, martial arts by the intermittent, intense various ethnicities, the 魚/餘) and good fortune. Whole together with their children, groups, stilt walkers, Chinese sound of firecrackers from traditions and customs of the chicken (including head, tail will offer tea to the parents, acrobatics, lion dance, Miss near to far, which signified Chinese New Year evidently and feet) denotes prosperity grandparents and other elderly Chinatown USA and the Golden the passage of a year 爆竹聲 vary from region to region. and completeness as well as family members, wishing them Dragon 金龍. The golden dragon 中一歲除. Hurriedly I jumped Nevertheless, traditionally a unity in the family. Prawns Happy New Year, wealth, good measures approximately two out of bed. I elatedly put on few days prior to New Year’s represent liveliness and health and longevity. Then they hundred fifty feet in length. my brand new shirt, pants, Day, people meticulously clean happiness; while long noodles will receive red packets from In fact, it takes a team of socks and shoes, which had their houses and sweep the for longevity. A popular them. Giving of red packets, over one hundred men and women been, for a while, put aside grounds ‘掃塵’ in preparation New Year’s dish is called ‘hong bao 紅包’ (‘lai to perform the dragon dance, in the closet pending the for the approaching New Year; made with dried oysters 蠔 see 利是’in Cantonese) is an which is featured as the grand arrival of the right moment. in the belief of sweeping away 豉 and hair-like black sea important New Year tradition. finale of the parade, when Entering the living room, the the family’s ill fortune. 掃 moss fungus 髮菜, signifying These are red envelopes hundreds and thousands of first thing that caught my means sweep. 塵 means dust, prosperity and wealth; 蠔 containing ‘lucky’ money. Red firecrackers are set off. eye was the most beautiful, and it is a homonym for 陳. 掃 豉 is a homonym for 好市, packets are given to the youger Here are some exquisite lofty peach tree blooming 塵 signifies 除陳布新; sweeping meaning good business, and 髮 generations, particularly poems pertaining to Chinese New with countless, graceful all the bad luck 窮運, 晦氣 out 菜 as 發財, meaning getting children and teenagers from Year, composed by pink flowers, contained in of the house, and welcoming the rich. Oranges, kumquats and the older generation including famous poets of various a large picturesque Chinese New Year and good fortune. And tangerines are symbols of parents, grandparents, dynasties. 韓愈: 新年都未有芳 vase mounted on the table with all the brooms and dustpans are wealth and good luck. Nian relatives and friends. This 華，二月初驚見草芽。白雪卻嫌春 red ribbons. Customarily, our put away on New Year’s Eve gao, New Year’s cake 年糕 is ritual symbolizes luck, 色晚，故穿庭樹作飛花。陳獻章： parents went to the flower to ensure that good fortune prepared from glutinous rice; wealth and blessings for all 鄰牆旋打娛賓酒，稚子齊歌樂歲 market late on New Year’s Eve cannot be swept away. Moreover, a very popular food consumed involved. It is a custom to 詩。老去又逢新歲月，春來更有好 to buy a peach tree. This Hong people also pack away all the around New Year time. Nian offer visiting guests a variety 花枝。晚風何處江樓笛，吹到東溟 Kong tradition is comparable sharp tools, such as knives 年 means year; and gao 糕, of treats from a circular 月上時。葉颙: 天地風霜盡，乾坤 to that of the western nations and scissors, to avoid cutting cake. 糕 is homonymic as 高, tray with eight compartments, 氣象和；歷添新歲月，春滿舊山 purchasing a live evergreen the good luck of the New which means high in Chinese. called ‘tray of togetherness’ 河。梅柳芳容徲，松篁老態多； tree for Christmas. Year. On the 24th day of the Therefore, 年糕 symbolizes (全合 chuen-hop), which 屠蘇成醉飲，歡笑白雲窩。林伯 I gingerly entered my twelfth lunar month, people higher achievement or promotion contains sugared fruits and 渠: 邁街相約看花市，卻倚騎樓似 parents’ bedroom and gently offer sacrifice to the Kitchen in position at work in each vegetables including lotus 畫廊；束立盆栽成列隊，草株木本 woke them up while quietly God, ‘Zaowang 灶王’ who is coming year 年年高升. Another seed, lotus root, coconut, 鬥芬芳。通宵燈火人如織，一派歌 uttering words of New Year believed to be the guardian of traditional food for the Spring winter melon, water chestnut, 聲喜欲狂，正是今年風景美，千紅 blessing, such as 恭喜發財 the family hearth, protecting Festival is Yuan Xiao 元宵, tangerine, carrot, etc. These 萬紫報春光。高適: 旅館寒燈獨不 Kung Hei Fat Choi (Gong Xi the family from fire and other in the South, it is called foods are believed to signify 眠，客心何事轉淒然？故鄉今夜 Fa Cai in Mandarin), meaning dangers. Zaowang takes a trip tangyuan 湯圆; they are round a sweet beginning to the New 思千里，霜鬢明朝又一年。孟浩 wishing you prosperity and back to heaven to report to dumpling balls made of sweet Year. 然: 昨夜斗回北，今朝歲起東。我 wealth; and 增福增壽, wishing Jade Emperor 玉皇大帝 what glutinous rice flour with On the second day of the 年已強壯，無祿尚憂農。桑野猶耕 you good luck and longevity. the family has done, good or sweet fillings. Tangyuan 湯 New Year, the visit is paid 父，荷鋤隨牧童。田家占氣候，共 They, half asleep, fetched a bad, in the past year. People 圆 is pronounced similarly to to the home of the woman’s 說此年豐。范成大: 除夕更闌人不 red packet and handed it to me. customarily offer him sweet “tuanyuan” 團圓, which means parents; it is known as ‘Son- 睡，厭禳鈍滯迫新歲。宋伯仁：居 I gratefully thanked them and sticky candy and New Year cake, reunion, and additionally, in-law’s Day’ 初二拜岳家. The 間無賀客，早起只如常，桃板隨人 swiftly ‘fled’ to tear the nian gao 年糕 to appease him as tangyuan is sweet and round visits to relatives and friends 換，梅花隔歲香。白居易: 眾老憂 red envelope apart to reveal well as to keep his mouth stuck in a shape corresponding to will commence on the third day 添歲，余衰喜入春。年開第七秩， the ‘lucky’ money inside. As closed, consequently, he is the full moon. Thus, eating 初三拜親戚. The celebration, 屈指幾多人！張維屏: 造物無言卻 children, whenever we received unable to disparage the family tangyuan together symbolizes Jie Cai Ceng 祭财神, welcoming 有情，每於寒盡覺春生。千紅萬紫 red packets from our relatives to the Jade Emperor. union, completeness, harmony, the Gods of Wealth and 安排著，只待新雷第一聲。蕭子 and parents’ friends, we People traditionally hang and happiness for the family. Prosperity, falls on the fifth 雲: 四氣新元旦，萬壽初今朝。毛 politely said ‘Thank you’, or paste red scrolls called After the reunion feast, day of the New Year. Merchants 滂: 一年滴盡蓮花漏，碧井屠蘇沉 while simultaneously and chunlian 春聯, vertically to the whole family stays up for offer sacrifices and set off 凍酒。 曉寒料峭尚欺人，春態苗條 secretly feeling the content of the right and left sides of the night, playing mahjong, firecrackers, believing these 先到柳。 佳人重勸千長壽，柏葉椒 the sealed red envelope. If it the front door; and optionally cards or other games; while will bring them prosperity, 花芬翠袖。 醉鄉深處少相知，祇與 was hard, it’s a coin, fifty a shorter third one above the others are watching television financial success and good 東君偏故舊。孔尚任: 蕭疏白髮不 cents; and if soft, a dollar door horizontally. Chulian programs designed for the fortune for their business. The 盈顛，守歲圍爐竟廢眠。 剪燭催幹 bill, and occasionally a five customarily display literary occasion, such as the China seventh day of the New Year is 消夜酒，傾囊分遍買春錢。 聽燒爆 dollar bill. Retrospectively, verses articulating lucky, Network Television New Year’s labeled ‘Renri 人日’ which 竹童心在，看換桃符老興偏。 鼓角 we should not have looked at happy, inspiring and blessing Gala 春節聯歡晚會, a New is believed to be everyone’s 梅花添一部，五更歡笑拜新年。董 a gift horse in the mouth; messages regarding the Year’s Eve countdown variety birthday; hence everyone is 必武: 共慶新年笑語嘩，紅岩士女 indeed, the thoughtfulness upcoming New Year. The Chinese show. At midnight, spectacular one year older. In traditional 贈梅花；舉杯互敬屠蘇酒，散席分 counted. 千里送鵝毛, 禮輕情意 characters are classically fireworks will light up the , people added 嘗勝利茶。只有精忠能報國，更無 重! hand written utilizing a darkness of the sky, while one year to their ages at New 樂土可為家；陪都歌舞迎佳節，遙 The Chinese New Year, calligraphic style. Examples of millions and millions of Year’s time rather than on 視延安景物華。 also known as the Spring the vertical chunlian include: people cheer on. Fire crackers their birthdays. Charles Lamb In spite of disparate Festival 春節 (it signals the 天増歳月人増壽, 春満乾坤福満 are also set off. Staying up wrote, “New Year’s Day is traditions and customs in beginning of spring) is the 門; 一帆風順吉星到, 萬事如意 throughout the night on Chinese every man’s birthday.” The celebrating the Chinese New most significant traditional 福臨門; 迎喜迎春迎富貴, 接 New Year’s Eve is called Lantern Festival or Yuanxiao Year from region to region holiday among Chinese in China 財接福接平安; 一年四季春常 Shousui (守歲), translated as Festival 元宵節celebrated on within China, the underlying as well as overseas Chinese 在, 萬紫千紅永開花; and事事如 guarding the age or guarding the fifteenth day marks the spirit is, in actual fact, a throughout the globe. The 意大吉祥, 家家順心永安康. And the year. The practice of conclusion of the Chinese New genuine wish of happiness, festival commences on the first examples of horizontal chunlian shousui became popular in the Year season. peace, safety, health, day of the first month in the include: 四季平安; 吉星高照; 五 period of Cao Wei 曹魏 and Chinese New Year Festival longevity and prosperity for Chinese lunar calendar, and 福臨門; and 喜迎新春. Windows 晉朝. It has been is held in many Chinatowns in the family members and friends. concludes with the Lantern and doors are adorned with regarded that this is an act of major cities in North America. Furthermore, the significance Festival or Yuanxiao Festival red paper-cuts and couplets filial piety; children practice However, the San Francisco of the New Year celebration is 元宵節, celebrated on the 15th with the themes of happiness, shousui will bring their Chinese New Year Festival and to leave the past behind us, day. In 1996, China instituted wealth, longevity and good parents longevity. Furthermore, Parade is the largest and most while looking ahead to a brand a weeklong vacation during the fortune. Pasting a red poster it is a way of bidding farewell spectacular celebration. It new and better life in the Spring Festival, so people who with the Chinese character to the old year. 李世民 (守歲 encompasses the Chinese New coming year, which provides us work far away from home have auspiciousness or good luck, 詩): 暮景斜芳殿，年華麗綺宮。寒 Year Flower Fair and Chinatown a new hope and opportunity to the opportunity to return home ‘福’ on the doors, windows 辭去冬雪，暖帶入春風。階馥舒梅 Community Street Fair. All fulfill our dreams that we have for a family reunion and New and walls is also a popular 素，盤花捲燭紅。共歡新故歲，迎 the festivities conclude been pursuing. William Arthur Year celebration. 2012 Chinese custom. Nevertheless, the 送一宵中。 with the Chinese New Year Ward wrote, “This bright new New Year falls on January 23rd; Chinese character 福 is usually Setting off firecrackers Parade, which has attained year is given me, to live each and it is, according to Chinese put upside down. In Chinese is an integral part of Chinese the reputation of one of the day with zest; to daily grow zodiac, the year of the dragon. language, upside down is 倒, New Year celebrations. People world’s top ten parades. and try to be my highest and my It is believed by many scholars which sounds phonetically best!” that the Spring Festival similar to 到, meaning arrive. originated during the Shang Consequently, the upside down 送兔迎龍新景象,萬事如意祝吉祥;發財健康壽延長, Dynasty 商朝 (16th-11th century 福 symbolizes the arrival of BC). In addition, this festival luck. How imaginative and 闔家歡樂喜洋洋。恭贺新禧! may have initiated as an end- ingenious! (Dane Rudhyar of-harvest celebration in which wrote, “Man can only become people offered prayers and what he is able to consciously sacrifices, expressing their imagine.”) Furthermore, gratitude towards gods for the families customarily adorn US CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION bountiful harvest as well as their houses with blooming for another good crop in the plants and flowers, symbolizing coming year. rebirth, growth and prosperity. SERVICES From mythical perspective, Flowers also signify career the origin of Chinese New Year success and wealth. Popular involved an extremely vicious flowers are peony 牡丹 and lily On Thursday, February 16th, from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., USCIS will conduct a national Chinese-language engagement man-eating predator beast, 百合. Multicolored and vibrant (Jiao liú) session as part of our ongoing series of multilingual public engagements. Each Jiao liú session focuses on an called Nian 年 (which means pictures, nian hua 年畫, such immigration-related topic and includes a presentation and Q&A session with USCIS officials. During the Jiao liú session, year in Chinese) in ancient as 福祿壽三星圖, 天官賜福, 五 USCIS spokespersons provide explanations of the law, regulations, and forms, but do not offer legal advice or provide case time. Nian came out the night 穀豐登, and 迎春接福 are not specific information. before each new year began, infrequently hung on the walls. ravenously devouring humans Red lanterns are, by and large, The first national Jiao liú session will promote the Office of Citizenship’s initiative: The Naturalization Process – and their livestock. People a common sight during the Becoming a United States Citizen. The event will be broadcast live from our San Francisco Field Office and stakeholders were exceedingly frightened and Spring Festival. Incidentally, may participate in person, via teleconference by calling 1-800-475-8388 (password: Jiao liú), or via live Web stream at devastated. Fortunately, an red and gold are the favorite http://www.uscis.gov/stream/Live. immortal god disguised as an colors for the Chinese New For further information on this event, please email to [email protected] and enter the word “Jiao liu” in the old man came to their rescue, Year; red symbolizes happiness, taming the ferocious Nian. and gold, wealth. subject line. You may also visit www.uscis.gov/jiaoliu, follow on Twitter in Chinese (@uscis), YouTube (/uscis), or the He rode away with Nian; and It has been a long observed USCIS blog The Beacon. Please note that that the “Jiao Liu” website also contains informational videos in Chinese and before he parted, he advised tradition for a family to English as well as flyers relating to the event. Email Address: [email protected] or [email protected] (English) Website: www.indychinesenews.com Mailing Address: P. O. Box 852, Carmel, IN 46082-852 Telephone: (317)-590-9662