Nilla-paduma

as i type this, i'm letting another course of vodka take its effect in my system. this time, it's neat, so i guess it'll be faster, and stronger.

another week has come and gone. ever so fast, it'll be december. time for the holidays.. time where ppl be cheerful and merry. but i'm guessing this is not the time for me.. never was, never is, and probably never will be. i just hope i have more time, than to write articles, to enrol for my studies and head back to the university.

went for a walkabout in the rain this morning, as i was doing a photo assignment at the clan jetties. a lot of random thoughts came to my mind. one of which happens to be that i don't really like being out of my comfort zone. i live by a certain set of rules, and that have guided me for a long time. but sometimes, change is just inevitable.

instead of going for the movies tonight, decided to stay in. i still wanna watch Astro Boy and Christmas Carol (in 3D!!!)hopefully i can catch all of those before new moon.. another hot hot movie. i guess it's time to go back to the dreamgirls period, as i enter another phase of development.

i've just had another 'heart to heart' talk, with a somewhat inconvenient source. somehow it doesn't seem proper and right, but i guessed i've done the damage. was asked to rank a few ppl in my life.. honestly, there are no rankings. i care for all.. especially to those that i have once held dear..

mid-week, i've realised 'nilla-paduma'. the blue lotus. no matter how murky the water is, the filth in the swamp, the lotus will always emerge, unharmed, beautiful, clean and pure. this is closely relevant... and with blue, it's a target for me to gain better 'idhi'.. i used to have some, and was subsequently clouded. hopefully, one day, i've cultivated enough idhi and prana, and i shall be free...

ok, time to retreat to my bed as the vodka is taking its effect.

btw, it's still not bringing any tears.. and this time, not even the saddest movie clip featuring dogs could make me cry anymore.. probably will need help soon.. hehe

ciao

Day 10

Almost a week since i last blogged. so much for being a seasonal blogger.. haha. things just freezes up when i'm on holiday. thankfully, i'm really enjoying myself here. it's a really great experience, and great fun to be away. however, there are still some 'not-too-good' moments that i guess i'll have to endure.

was in brighton over the weekend. ah, brighton, the lovely capital for the alternative lifestyle. here, you can be really out of the norm, and still fit in. anyway, was there during one of the biggest event in town: Brighton Gay Pride Parada/Festival. yes, it was the pride. yes, i was there... and sadly, no, i missed the whole event. reason: rainpour, and i'm with family.. so, they don't really wanna drive me into town, and of course, i just can't say 'see you guys, i'm gonna go partying tonight'.. haha. however, did manage to catch some of the night scene. and when we tried to catch up the next day, the festival was all over.. haih.

after brighton (down south), it was all the way up to the north (ok, ok.. not that far off north), to frinton, clacton and coulchester. the beach in frinton is really really beautiful (and different) due to the 'posh' neighbourhood. i really want to own a house here..(hehe..secretly wishing to win the lotto)!!.. then, it was to clacton, where it was more of a public beach,and yet, so beautifully managed and maintained.. really put the Penang beaches to shame.. hehe. then, it was off to coulchester.. the earliest recorded town in England. established by the Romans, this town dates back to the time of Ceaser, and there are still remnants of the Roman empire in town. really really amazing to be able to step back in time, and feel what the romans felt.. simply amazing.

then, it was off to kew gardens this morning. it was one of my missions to be at kews this trip. i was really looking forward for it, and yet, it was magnificent. mere words cannot describe the beauty and splendour of this place. all you would want to see for a botanic gardens, it is in kews.. amazing. i actually spent about 3 & 1/2 hours there, and only managed to walk about 85% of the gardens. i really wish that they would have an opening for me.. (hehe. again, secret wish to boss so that he'll send me to kews for training)..but i guess, eventually, reality will set in, and i'll be back at my desk come the 17th..

another trip is scheduled tomorrow. tomorrow, i'll be off to kensington, and also to oxford st, doing some shopping. time to lead a little 'high-life', and feel a little loaded for a while.. hehe. probably drop by Harrods for a visit.. and then to Louis Vuitton.. hehe. really wanna be the fashion socialite, but i guess my current position will not be encouraging enough.. hehe.

just a little 'feel-good' moment. was in leicester square earlier this evening, and accidentally walked into the red-carpet premier of 'the ugly truth', with katherine heigl and gerard butler expected to be there. joined in and watched for a little while, soaked up the atmosphere, and felt so good. at least, now i can say that i was once at a film premier and red-carpet.. haha

ok, enough for now.. am trying to conserve some energy before hitting the road again tomorrow. now, am planning to go to london zoo, and then, to catch a musical. probably may want to watch 'priscilla, queen of the desert'.. supposed to be a good, camp musical!! hmm.. no wonder dr dave loved it.. haha

ciao

Festivals

Earlier this year, i had a little go in documenting the many chinese festivals celebrated throughout the year. however, as time passes, i guess other priorities and tasks cropped up, resulting in the neglect of such updates.

Anyhow, we are now at the end of the year. the last most important festival in the chinese calendar was celebrated on the 21st of December, namely the Winter Solstice. as i am cantonese, this festival is actually more important to us compared to chinese new year itself. accordingly, the days are now shorter, and nights are colder. with the passing of the solstice, it also means that spring is round the corner...

Although the celebrations are not grand, the basics are almost the same. firstly, prayers are offered to the heavens to express gratidude to the heavens for bestowing its blessings to the family. then, round glutinous rice balls (tang yuen) were also made and served to all family members as the MUST eat food of the day. the roundness symbolises unity, coupled with the sugary syrup to indicate good relations amongst all who eats it.

Not far from the winter solstice, it is christmas. although widely accepted as the celebration of the birth of christ, christmas actually has deeper pagan meanings to it. christmas was originally celebrated by pagan folk as the birth of the mithras, after the longest day of winter.. anyway, it's now a secular celebration, celebrated by christians and non-christians alike.

as for me, i do have my christmas tree all ready, my christmas eve dinner planned, and my christmas day occupied. but with the new change of lifestyle, i am actually running out of time and space to prepare gifts and all for everybody.. now, i really do hope that there are some elves out there who would help..

eat, drink and be merry, they said.. which is what i plan to do tomorrow nite.. hehe.
but before that, i think i may want to go to the hairstylist to get my hair done, and perhaps get myself proper outfit for the dinner.. still dunno what to wear.

also, with the new year approaching, i can't help but to feel so thankful for the year that passed. so many things have happened, so many things have changed. for better or for worse, changes do happen and will always affect me in ways that i could have never foreseen.

time to shake off the blues, and put on a merry hat!!

Merry Christmas, Blessed Yuletide, and Happy Hannukah to all.. (depending on which that you celebrate)

Peace on earth

ciao
ben

diwali weekend

It's the second day back in the office after a long weekend. quite hectic, as certain plans and deals crop up..

anyway, friday's dinner was beautiful.. it was at the view, equatorial hotel, and the food is simply delicious. i had quite a number of fresh oysters, had some caviar, pate, and last but not least, the best maincourse: the cod fish.
it was so fresh and so beautifully cooked. but i guess the most beautiful part is that i get to eat all those for free..hehe.

had my hair cropped on saturday (actually spent about 4 hours in the salon)..now, it's shorter at the sides, but still long at the front..hehe. something different, and have generated quite a number of praises.. the weirdest?? i'm radiating, due to the new haircut..hehe

watched hsm3 on saturday nite.. unplanned. actually went for a chinese opera, however, was so hungry that i couldn't finish the opera and went off after they have finished singing all the chinese oldies. as for hsm3, was ok. preferred mamma mia (i'm biased). overload of zac efron again..really love sharpay evans..hehe.
best part?? there was this whole bunch of teenage blokes behind me cheering and even singing to the movie...gosh (and i thought they have grown out of hsm..) was also surprised that my company actually watched this kind of movies...hmm.

monday was diwali...nothing special except that i was awaken by loud explosions of firecrakers. honestly, these ppl have no consideration for others who love to have their beauty sleep. come on, the firecrakers lasted until about 2 and started as early as 7.30 in the morning!!

had diwali lunch at lav's place.. food was just passable. however, really took her mum a long time to prepare everything...probably it was also due to the fact that i had no appetite for anything in the afternoon (suffered from colic).

dinner was just plain silly, as i actually had 2 bowls of dessert..hmm. talk bout me having sweet teeth. guess i better lower my sugar intake....hehe

am anticipating halloween this friday..am finally gonna go for a party at TGI, and this time, with deathly make-up (hopefully). am trying to get eyeliner and all from alexandra..hehe. have my wardrobe planned out (actually, it was just staring me at the face)...

ok, signing off now, as i am getting ready to leave work and go for another movie (butterfly lovers)..

ciao
ben

crazy week

i have to say, this is one hell of a crazy week. ok, probably not a week. just for a few days..haha

firstly, i had a hair cut.. after 3 years of having long hair, i decided to snip my locks and opted for a short hairdo.. yup, now i have a man-bob.. i must say, it was a welcomed change. anyway, this hairdo did get me a lot of compliments..especially from the gym.. some were shocked, some couldn't recognise me..and my lovely yoga teacher kept teasing me with compliments..haha

viva..hmm, it's over. i was evaluated by one of the hardest examiner in the field..but i guess it's good for me. i couldn't deny that my experiment did raise a lot of questions..some that even i couldn't understand. this is why i am not returning to this field!!

interview with marcus evans yesterday. i think it went well, but eventually, it's just another job in sales. although i know that the clientele is very high profile, i really don't see a future in tele-marketing. well, guess i have no options but to accept the job first, before moving forwards...one hand, i want a job..the other, i wanna continue my masters..aih

lost control and was taken over by temptations last night. was driving home after a movie and supper with friends. heard leona lewis on the radio and decided to sing along to it.. haih. disastrous. eventually, i did punish myself by giving me two slaps across the face.. looks like i have to be extra hard on myself

so, my uncle finally passed away. as much as we'd try to distance ourselves from him, i guess it's inevitable that i have to take part in the funeral. that's probably what family would do. besides, he's alone.. if we do not take care of his last rites, who would. but i would say that i am not a very good mourner.. i even had the time to go home to watch tv series (ugly betty and desperate housewives are more important), had time to go for interview, and even had the time to go out for dinner, and then watched the forbidden kingdom with a friend.oh, couple that with some work out time too.. haha.

as usual, not a single tear was shed on my part. i guess my heart has finally harden in this aspect. or probably my tear ducts have totally run dry. heck, i couldn't even shed a tear of sympathy for myself. there were nights when i would lie on my bed, thinking of things.. and wanting to cry it all out, but somehow, it's impossible now..haih

speaking of forbidden kingdom..i've watched it finally. after the many failed attempts, i managed to catch it. i was very close to snapping and was even about to go watch it all by myself (when i start, the next couple of movies would also be by myself)..but eventually, my buddy asked me out for it..so, i guess i wouldn't be catching any movies alone anytime soon.

so, parliament session began, and somehow, it turned into a circus. MPs were calling each other names, not respecting the order, and all trying to get their 15 seconds of fame. is this what the new democracy is all about?? people's interest or self interest first?? i wonder... but then again, i guess i'm the only person concerned about this (apparently, audrey tatou being the new face of chanel no.5 is more important that national affairs).

it was beltane until a about an hour ago. bonfires are lit to welcome the coming of summer. it's the time to feast and be merry.. and also to pray and wish for a better year ahead, and also for better harvest. to some, beltane is similar to samhain, whereby the veil shrouding bordering our world and the netherworld being the thinnest...so, guys, don't get spooked ya!!

speaking of getting spooked, watched muoi: ghost portrait, last saturday. err..terrible show. cold, unemotional faces..and apparently, it's based on true stories too..haha. but i guess they didn't expect that a certain scene did resonated with my reality..haha.

so, i'm turning 23 in 22 hour's time. ah, how time flies.. soon, i'll be on my deathbed, reminiscing of this moment leading on to my big day when i turn 23..haha. well, the jam gang is having a celebration for me..a small one. which i am thankful of... but then again, there is also a certain part in me which doesn't really wanna celebrate this affair. as silly as it may sound, it's actually a little heart-wrenching for me to celebrate this day.

ok, enough of my crazy days.. hoping for a good night's rest, before another crazy day take over me tomorrow.. i so wanted to go for the world music festival, but time doesn't permit me..aih. guess that i'll just hit the gym tomorrow to unwind again..haha

Qing Ming

it's the 4th of april. according to the heavenly branches and eartly stems, it's the festival of qing ming. in other words, it's the day or rememberance to the departed. celebrated since early civilisation, this festival gained momentum under the teachings of confucius, that is to respect and venerate the elderly.

as such, the chinese have taken to cleaning the tombs of the departed, as well as making offerings to them. it's an anual ritual,and is also important as it reunites the family. during this day, all decendants are expected to return home to pay their respects. it is believed that they will receive blessings from the netherworld.

as this festival is celebrated according to the solar calendar, the dates doesn't change yearly. qing ming normally falls on the 4th or 5th of april, and is normally celebrated as early as 10 days ahead, or as late as 10 days after. during this period, families will gather around the tomb of their ancestors, clearing and sprucing up the tomb. grass and shrubs are uprooted, headstones are repainted, and earth is often added to the tomb. it's believed that all the clearing and cleaning will harness better yang energy, and this will benefit the living.

offerings are then laid out for the departed. normally, offerings are to include roasted pork, chicken and duck. however, with more and more people being cremated and placed in niches in temples, vegetarian offerings are becoming more and more common. other offerings include fresh fruits, rice, duck eggs, pineapple, and sweet meats such as 'huat kuih', or 'bee koh'. tea and wine is a must (unless u're in a temple whereby alcohol is forbidden). the food is laid out in front of the tomb, and the spirits are invited to partake in the feast. however, it's also common to see the living 'sharing' the food with the dead too... after all, they are family.

joss stick and candles are a must, as to invite the departed back to the yang world. joss paper, with gold and silver markings, are folded into ingots to be offered to the departed. besides that, paper clothes and other accessories, as well as hell bank notes are offered to the departed, wishing that the departed will have a better life in the netherworld. sometimes, all these are packed in a nice paper box which symbolises a chest, so that the departed may receive the offerings solely (spirits do fight in the netherworld for offerings). besides all these, there is also a certain type of paper, usually red, to be bought from the store so that it may be placed atop the headstone, and also on the grave itself. this paper (called 'khai chin') is stuck on the grave, symbolising that the 'house' of the departed has got a new roof. (don't ask me where did that come from..). anyhow, all those are getting more and more uncommon now as most of the population now is creamated and sealed in niches in the columbarium.

presently, the meaning of the festival is shrouded by commercialism, with people buying various materials such as paper fridge, paper petrol stations (??), and paper lingerie to be burnt to the departed. they've missed the importance of the festival, that is to remember and cherish the deeds of our ancestors. especially, those living in the south-east asian region (nanyang). without our ancestors taking the chance to the high sea, we'll never be here, on this prosperous land.

until the next festival post, stay safe. blessed be

easter jam

sorry folks, but i just can't embed the vidoe for leona lewis's bleeding love here in my blog. but trust me, the song is beautiful, and feel free to watch in on youtube.
and when u are there, why not also catch a glimpse of celine dion's world tour. there's a special song, my love, performed only in south korea. seriously, i can't wait until april 8th. i believe that would be the happiest night of my life.
(omg, towards the end of the video, i am euphoric)..argh!!!!

so, it's gonna be easter sunday in a few more minutes. to all christians, i wish thy happy easter. it's the one of the most important day in the christian calendar as it's the very day the whole faith is based upon. it's the very day christ rose from death to atone the sins of the world. blessed be..

to all pagans, happy fertility day. in case u've forgotten, the spring equinox was just 2 days ago. it marks the arrival of spring. the very season whereby the mother goddess is born again. in case u guys didn't see..the bunny and eggs on easter, all are symbols of fertility. so..have fun. procrete..haha

on a more personal note, tomorrow, i'll be on stage again. this time, it's for the body jam release 44. but it'll only be like for 1 minute.. and i have to do a naomi campbell walk. so guys, wish me luck.. and hopefully i won't make a fool of myself
(anyway, prior to this, i actually wondered why would i want to play second fiddle, be underappreciated, and trying to make a fool of myself to an audience..)- then i realised, i am my greatest enemy!!

once again, wish me luck!!
btw, i'm a may baby..not april baby. sorry ya...me born like 2 days after the start of summer (belthane)..

ciao
je t'aime
ben

chinese solar festival- keng chek

today is march the 5th. according to the chinese solar calendar, today marks the start of the second month. it is also known as 'keng chek' in cantonese, or simply put: awakening of the insects. it is the third festival in the 24 heavenly breaths and earthly branches calendar. this calendar is also referred to as the peasant's calendar or the solar calendar, and coincides with our Gregorian calendar.

so, what makes this day so special? farmers back in ancient China believe that today, there will be a loud thunder clap from the skies, awakening all insects that went for hibernation in the winter. it also marks the start of work for the farmers. they are expected to till the soil and start germinating seeds to be planted.

however, today is also the day of the tiger. more specifically, the day the white tiger opens its mouth. often referred to as 'fu yeh'(cantonese) or 'hor yeah'(hokkien). this tiger(god) is worshipped in various temples and can normally be found on an altar near the floor. he is believed to be able to protect the individual, and also to help keep enemies at bay.

have you seen movie scenes in which chinese ladies will beat up a small piece of paper cut up in the shape of man, while cursing the paper. that paper is called 'small-person' (meaning enemy), and beating it will actually help keep the 'small person' at bay. well, today is the day to do so, as the tiger will help chase the 'small person' away, and at the same time prevent it from causing harm to other people. this is the reason why we sometimes see all the 'small-person' pasted on the walls close to the statue of the white tiger.

offerings to the white tiger is very unique also. instead of offering flowers and food (as to other deities), offerings to the white tiger must include one duck egg, and a fat slice of fresh lard (pig fat). the egg is offered near the feet of the tiger, while the slice of lard is wiped across it's mouth, and placed on it's head. it is believed that he appreciates eating such food (after all, tigers are carnivorous) and will protect the person that offers such things. quirky huh.

well, guess that's all for today. i really enjoy writing posts on chinese cultures and beliefs, and don't be surprised if i keep on writing posts like this. however, it won't be often, and i'll check the almanac for any other updates. haha

so long
ciao
je t'aime
ben

p.s. normal post tomorrow.. haha

End of Chinese New Year Celebrations

firstly, i would like to apologise to all my readers for not updating my blog. i'm so sorry, but i was taken ill for the past two days. it's only now that i managed to sit in front of the computer (sober and healthy) to blog.

i believe i didn't cover the last day of the Chinese New Year celebrations. well, it's called 'yuen siao' in China, 'yuin siew chit' in Hong Kong, and 'Chap Goh Meh' in Penang. it can be translated to mean the 15th night (of the first lunar month).

this is also festival of 'shang yuan', or the first of the three kings. these august ones once ruled over China, and was believed to be able to rid pestilence, cure disease, and maintain peace. 'shang yuan' is celebrated to the heavenly king. however, this practise is no longer celebrated in Penang

on the other hand, Penang is unique as the last day of CNY is celebrated the baba and nyonya (straits chinese) way. instead of lighting up lanterns to mark the occasion (in China), this is the night whereby Penang ladies take to the street. during the colonial days, this is the only night whereby young virgins are taken out of their houses. they are then chaperoned to Esplanade to throw oranges into the sea. apparently, the oranges are marked with their wishes (sometimes name and phone number)for a happy marriage soon. bachelors will then row out to the sea to fish these oranges, and eventually hoping to marry the maiden that threw the destined orange. funny huh....

this is also the night whereby the straits chinese come out in their finest to perform the dondang sayang. the Esplanade will be nicely decorated,and the dondang sayang troupe will come in their lovinly decorated bus. men and women will then dance to the beat, while exchanges verses in malay poems.

hmm. no wonder they call this the chinese valentine (actually, the chinese valentine's day is on the 7th day of the 7th month). fast forward a few decades, and Penangites now celebrate 'chap goh meh' in front of the penang chinese town hall instead of esplanade. gone are the maidens (tailed by their mummies)...and gone were the days when ladies threw oranges in the sea. apparently, they decided to build a wishing well in front of the goddess of mercy temple for the ladies to throw their oranges. hmm.. i wonder what's the fun in that.

anyway, the 15th day is also the day for pengat. it's a dessert made from coconut milk, bananas, sweet potates and sago. it's extremely delicious (but i didn't have any due to my illness). the pengat is a traditional nyonya dish, and is cooked on this day as the pengat signifies abundance. it will be offered to ancestors on the altar, and then eaten by the living..nowadays, u can easily get pengat from any dessert booth by the street.

guess this is the end of my festive post. i'll be going back to more personal posts soon.. in the meantime, feel free to read my paid posts. i actually spent some time penning my thoughts for something more than pennies.. haha

ciao
je t'aime
ben

10th day of Chinese New Year

it's the 10th day of chinese new year. since i'm on a roll on blogging about festivals celebrated during this period, this blog will bear the same content. if you are sceptical or find all this mumbo jumbo too hard to swallow, just browse away..

if not, here goes another festive blog. and since it's the 10th day, it's the birthday celebration of the earthly deity (tei chu kong). it's the deity worshipped on the small altar on the floor in most taoist chinese household. the deity is not a high ranking officer, but dwells only on land as guardians of the land.

when the chinese first landed in malaya (before christianity spread to the region), all the household will have this altar, as they believed that it will protect the occupants of the house. accordingly, this altar holds not only one deity, but five, from five different directions (north, east, south, west, and centre). therefore, normally five cups of tea and five joss sticks are offered on this altar. eventually, they are worshipped as a collective unit.

unlike the high ranking officers, the earth deity is not selected by the heavens. they are the spirits of the earth (like the elementals of greek mythology). they roam around the earth and finally settle down in locations where they are not disturbed. however, when humans moved out of their caves and into they open, the range overlapped. hence, to appease these guardians, special altars are set up to honour them. honouring them will bring peace to the household, protect from pestilence, and apparently, bring riches too..

offerings to this deity include pumpkin, gourd, garlic and coconut. the usual 'huat kuih' and 'ang koo' is also a must. joss sticks, candles and special joss paper are also prepared for the deity. however, all offerings must be in fives. however, due to the fact that it's a lower rank official, there isn't much of a celebration for them.

just an extra bit, it is believed that children and pets are sometimes spotted playing with the deity. according to my parents, i've also had similar experiences. apparently, i've disturbed this deity (in my old house) when i was young, and not once. then, i will end up crying the whole night until my parents come up to negotiate with the deity. i still have those images in my head, as i know that it's happen. it was an awful lot of crying from a mischevious young boy.

as to my parents negotiating..hmm, my parents are special too. they have these guardians behind them that helps them out. they are specially worshipped in my house. coincidentally, they share the same birthday with the earth deity too (today). however, it must not be confused that these guardians for common spirits. they are high ranking officials summoned from heaven to protect over their charge. these guardians can heal, negotiate, exorcise spirits, and also clean a certain area. one similar experience was that when i first moved into this new house, i decided to remove the amulets on the wall left by the previous owner. i removed all the smaller ones from around the house, until the largest one stuck behind the main door. as i was removing it, my mum's guardian came into action and stopped me. in fact, my mum's guardian had to apologise for me, and asked special permission to remove the amulet. apparently, the amulet was from guan yin, hence it's activated. i've seen a lot of instances of my parent's guardians hence i do not doubt them. in fact, i've used their help too, once when i was very young. but i think i'll save them for bedtime stories some other time.

so long for now, and i hope you guys enjoyed the post. all feedbacks are welcomed. and if u are still a sceptic but insisted on reading, then just take it with a pinch of salt. always remember, different people have different customs, and it doesn't hurt to respect them.

ciao
je t'aime
ben

Happy Birthday, jade emperor!!

well, as i blog now, fireworks are blaring away, blasting my eardrums as we herald the birthday of the jade emperor of heaven. actually, the celebration is on the 9th day of the first lunar month. however, the community here prepare for the celebration on the 8th, and when the clock strikes 12, the party begins.

in the chinese pantheon, the jade emperor is the highest post available. he's command over rules all earthly decision, and the only other deity that stands on par is the Buddha himself. however, it must be noted that the jade emperor is not actually the first deity in records of chinese history (the first deity will be the goddess Nu Wa). according to legend, the heavens needed a ruler to keep it in order, to be the highest guardian of heaven, and also to bestow blessings, rain and harvest upon men. at the same time, there was a young man in ancient China with the heart of gold. he's kind at heart and good in features. after undergoing various trials from the heaven, he was eventually confirmed the position as the highest ruler of the heaven. the jade emperor is married to the goddess Wang Mu, and have various children, all being stars in heaven.

in penang, the hokkien community is the majority chinese here. it was said that, when the hokkien in fujian was escaping from a brutal warlord, they fled to the sugar cane fields to hide. after hiding from some time, they emerged unharmed and their lives were spared. coincidentally, that very day was the birthday of the jade emperor, therefore, they believed that the jade emperor had rescue them and spared their lives. as a mark of gratitude, they decided to honour the jade emperor, and sugar canes are always used on the altar to mark this very incident. it is with this reason also that the hokkien people actually consider this as their 'official' chinese new year.

when it comes to the altar, food are lavishly spread across the table as symbol of gratitude to the jade emperor for the bountiful year before, as well as to wish for a better year ahead. the most important thing there is the roasted boar. it indicates the wealth of the family as only the rich could afford the boar. however, there are other must haves, including: glutinous rice cake (bee koh), ang koo, huat kuih, and chinese tea. as mentioned, sugar cane is used as offering also, but for me being cantonese, we only offer flowers and the kueh..

the end of the ceremony is marked when large amount of folded gold paper are burnt. the gold paper used is not the common type where we could buy to offer to other deities. we use the 'thnee kong kim'. it is larger and more intricate in design (to symbolise his authority as the leader of the heavens). the gold are stacked as high as possible to ensure that the fire is really strong. a strong fire is a good omen for a prosperous year ahead.

well, i guess this is as much info that i can provide from years of experience as well as some casual research that i've done over the years. i really hope that these articles concerning the celebrations over the chinese new year celebration period will help enlighten those who are clueless on what they are doing. it actually saddens me to see more and more chinese these days are ditching their age old cultures, and have adopted a different faith altogether. it's not that i am dissing their faith, it just that i feel that cultures that started some 4075 years ago are slowly evapourating with the smoke that i smell around me now. i would not be surprised if one day, people wouldn't celebrate chinese new year anymore.
from my angle, i see that here i am, a half chinese, trying my best to absorb the culture, to understand it, and perhaps to carry on with it... and then there are pure chinese who doesn't seem to give a damn. what world exactly are we living in now???

anyway, i'll still try to update as many chinese festivals as possible over this period, and i hope you guys enjoy reading them.
ciao
je t'aime
ben

happy birthday

happy birthday to all my readers. don't call me crazy yet, hear me out. on the 7th day of the first chinese lunar month, it is celebrated as the birthday of mankind. legend has it that the goddess nuwa breathed life into her clay people on this day, henceforth bringing out men. today is also the day whereby we (the cantonese ppl) will cook either fried rice vermicelli (bee hoon), or snakehead (Channa striatus) porridge to mark the occassion. in malaysia (and slowly spreading abroad), friends and family will come together to toss the yee sang. it's the chinese equivalent to fish salad, containing about 7 different types of ingredients and beautifully served with slices of salmon or other fresh fish.
well, i didn't have any of the abovementioned items. instead, i have to resort to having a bowl of tau fu fah (beancurd), and gui ling gao (chinese bitter jelly) to help sooth my sore throat.
anyhow, i'll try to update different celebrations celebrated by the chinese community throughout the new year here. i may not know much, but i think it's sufficient to provide info about the diversity of our culture. until tomorrow then..

ciao
je t'aime
ben

Chinese New Year

It's the lunar new year again. chinese (and half chinese like me)across the globe welcomed the earthen rat, wishing for a better year, limitless blessings, and peace to all beings. children and adults rejoiced together. houses are lit and merry. drums and fireworks fill the atmosphere. oh, what a wonderful sight to behold..

looking out of my balcony, i could see children and adults having fun. feasting, playing, being merry...with sounds of laughter and firecrackers in the air..how wonderful..

but what about me? here i am, stuck in front of the computer. i must say, it's not too bad. just an average start. woke up with a bang (from drums of lion dances). dressed to my finest (just to be at home). and eventually spent the whole evening on the bed trying to catch up on some sleep (slept late last night). but, it's still fine. as i believe, things are starting to change for me.. better changes. i just can't wait for this to happen.

and what have the stars got to say for me?? apparently, this is my best year. one of the best zodiac signs, with wealth, health and love factors fully activated. hmm, will i be able to tap and harness all this energy....

anyway, i will like to thank alan for spending the new year with me. you didn't know how wonderful that felt, just spending special occassion with a friend. we may be miles apart, but i could feel your presence. thanks again.

ciao

je t'aime
ben

p.s. perhaps i'll change some blogging elements of mine, before i make my readers more depressed....