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Monday, February 15, 2010

2010 Year of the Tiger: New York City Celebrates Chinese Lunar New Year

Gung Hei Fat Choi! 
Congratulations and be Prosperous!


On Sunday, February 14th, 2010 in addition to exchanging satin-covered-red-lace trimmed boxes filled with chocolates and 101 ways to say I-Heart-You greetings, many NY'ers as others around the world were fire-crackering-in the first day of a 15 day long celebration welcoming in the Chinese Lunar New Year (also known as the "Spring Festival"). Family, friends, poetry, gifts, music and food are all key ingredients to the stream of festivities.

The color of the day is red. Bright red for happiness in concert with gold and orange (happiness and wealth).

Handcrafted, tasseled decorations, lanterns, scrolls and banners filled with couplets about happiness, wealth, longevity and best wishes for the New Year are carefully hung all about, especially on windows and doors.

At the zero hour lion dancers accompanied by loud drums and clashing cymbals, and arsenals of firecracker pops scare away the evil spirits of the old year as the Door Gods usher in the good.

Guests at celebrations are treated to an abundance of wonderful foods many as the pyramidal center pieces of oranges or tangerines to bring good luck. Candied lotus seed to bring many children (especially sons) to a family, candied coconut to bring about unity/togetherness, and candied melon for good growth and health. Fish and Chicken for prosperity are served whole (heads and tails intact) to symbolize completeness.

The food name (homonym) as well as its appearance determines its reference as one for luck in a meal. Noodles (uncut) to represent long life, spring rolls for wealth as they are similar in shape to gold bars, and sweet and sour dishes because the word sour is similar in pronunciation to the word for grandchild. Tofu and bean curd are avoided because the color white is symbolic of death and misfortune.

In addition to sweets, and other treats, children look forward to receiving two Lai See, lucky, red money envelopes from elders (this includes family friends). The reason the elder gives the child two instead of one is because happiness is said to come in two's and this has been the tradition of passing good fortune from one generation to the next. Unmarried guests are also given Lai Sees and business owners give them to employees and associates. Lai See is given with an even-numbered denomination of currency, determined by the second digit. For example, 32 as 22 is lucky. Odd numbered amounts are only given at funerals. And the number 4 should never appear in the number of the amount given because the word for four is similar in pronunciation to the word for death.

Homes and offices are adorned with colorful fresh-cut flowers such as azaleas, peony, plum, peach blossoms or water lily and other plants for luck, as well as their beauty.

On the first day of the New Year those who follow traditions strictly do not clean so that the good fortune is not swept away.

On the 15th day a Lantern Festival is Held.

Chinese New Year Celebrations in NYC

If you missed the firecracker celebrations yesterday don't worry there are more celebrations to come.

14th Annual Chinese Lunar New Year Parade, Flushing, Queens

Flushing also known as the other Chinatown or NYC's little Chinatown, though its populations is quite large will host a parade on Saturday, February 20th from 11AM to 1PM. My Dad and I like to meet at one of the many Chinese Bakeries along and just off of Main Street, to fuel ourselves up on pastries and coffee and the excitement of other parade goers.

For more information go to: http://queens.about.com/cs/neighborhoods/p/2004_chinesenew.htm

The 11th New Year Parade and Festival, Manhattan 
(Starting in Little Italy ending in Chinatown)

The parade begins in Little Italy on Mott Street and winds its way through Canal, Bowery and other streets ending on Grand Street at Sara Roosevelt Park on Canal and Forsyth St. The parade will be held Sunday, February 21st from 11:30AM to 4:00PM. For more information go to http://www.betterchinatown.com/nydetail.html. Make a day of the parade, starting with some Dim Sum before the parade begins, and taking a break in between for more good eats and treats and shopping.

Shen Yun Performing Art Group at Radio City Hall

Traditional Chinese Dance and Music.

Saturday, February 20th at 2:00PM & 7:00PM
Sunday, February 21st at 2:00PM

For more information go to: http://www.radiocity.com/

2010 Year of the Tiger

There is nothing timid or predictable about a Tiger. It is big and bold yet moves with grace and great stealth. It sits tranquilly, yet yields to none in attack, triggering a polarity of emotions in man of fear and admiration.

The Chinese Zodiac consists of twelve animals (rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog and pig ) and five elements (metal, water, wood, fire and earth). The tiger's quick thinking and sharp actions are said come from the element of metal. 2010 is the year of the Metal Tiger.

Eye of the Metal Tiger

 
 One of Princeton's Metal Tiger Topiary Statues. Photo by cogdogblog

A pair of stainless steel tigers sculpted by Ruffin Hobbs flank the north entrance to Princeton's Stadium like door gods.

Years of the Metal Tiger:  
17 February 1950 - 5 February 1951
15 February 2010 - 2 February 2011

Water Tiger

e 
 Photo by Robert Pollack http://www.flickr.com/photos/pollack/13236152/

Initial reaction this photo "Awwh... it's so cute!" And, "Wow, what an amazing and powerful animal. Able to not only conquer earth but water too, if only we let its habitats be, if only we fought to protect its right like ours to exist. 
Years of the Water Tiger: 
8 February 1902 - 28 January 1903
5 February 1962 - 24 January 1963

Tigers Returning to the Woods 

Siberian

Years of the Earth Tiger:
31 January 1938 - 18 February 1939
28 January 1998 - 15 February 1999

Tigers Under Fire of Extinction 

Countries

Burma
Cambodia
China
India 
Indonesia (Sumatra)
Laos
Vietnam

Years of the Fire Tiger:
13 February 1926 - 1 February 1927
9 February 1986 - 28 January 1987

Tigers Gone from the Face of the Earth

Bali
Caspian
Javan 
South China Tiger has not been spotted for over 40 year in the wild! 

Years of the Earth Tiger:
31 January 1938 - 18 February 1939
28 January 1998 - 15 February 1999

Many efforts are underway from wildlife organizations and governments around the world to ensure the global population of lions double by the next year of the Tiger. There is still a long way to go and many still to come on board and act as guardians for these great beasts.

Have some fun: Techniques for making your eyes stand out like a Tiger's during the celebrations.


We have all heard Survivor's "Eye of the Tiger," and remember how it set the tone for Rocky III. Here's a great anime short taking the theme from boxing to samurai sword play.

 

Posted by Maureen Baraka Bonfante at 10:13 PM Skins ,

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