Chinese New Year

It is incredible to think that it has been over one year since our arrival to Malaysia. Last year we arrived several days after the start of the Chinese New Year. We had no idea how huge the holiday was - but we have an excuse: we were just trying to figure out how to live in this foreign country. Although some festivities were still occurring, we only knew that it took longer than normal to get anything done.

Chinese New Year is the most important festival for the Chinese in Malaysia. (Even though it is a Chinese festival, most people in Malaysia seem to celebrate it in some fashion.) The New Year marks the first day of the lunar calendar and the celebration continues for fifteen days. But, the preparations leading up to the first day of the New Year have been occurring for many weeks. People buy new clothes & get haircuts (for a fresh start) and thoroughly clean their homes (to sweep away any bad luck from the previous year). (On New Year's Day, you're not supposed to wash your hair or clean the house for fear that good luck will be washed and swept away.) Kuala Lumpur was very quiet on Sunday since many people left to go back to their birth towns for big family reunions and dinners.

The decorations around the city are mostly red, a color that symbolizes prosperity and luck. (The word for red in Mandarin is hong, which also means prosperous.) Gold is also another popular color since it also represents prosperity.



Here the kids and I are in front of a tree decorated with red lanterns.


Ezra and I are on a street decorated with gold lanterns.

Although the decorations are beautiful, we have learned that the holiday seems to revolve around food. We have enjoyed some incredible meals and have surely added a few pounds to our frames.



I can't remember what this dish was called, but its main ingredient were noodles which symbolized longevity. Before eating the noodle dish, it is tradition in Malaysia for everyone to mix the ingredients together.


This meal was actually a going away party for some of our friends, but since it happened on the eve of the New Year celebration, we were able to enjoy some traditional Chinese food. Here we were enjoying an overwhelming amount of Dim Sum.

Here are some of the other traditions we have learned about:

*All debts must be paid by New Year's day and nothing should be lent on this day. It's believed that anyone who does so will be lending all year long.
*References to the past are avoided as everything should be turned toward the new year and a new beginning.
*At Chinese New Year celebrations, people dress in red clothes and give children little red envelopes filled with money. This symbolizes wealth and prosperity for the coming year (for both the giver and the receiver). Red also symbolizes fire which according to legend can drive away bad luck. The fireworks that shower the festivities are rooted in a similar ancient custom. *Long ago, people in China lit bamboo stalks, believing that the crackling flames would frighten the evil spirits.
During the New Year, death and dying are never mentioned. People also refrain from using bad language, unlucky words or negative terms.
*During reunion dinners, one is not to finish all of the food, since having leftovers means that the family will continue to enjoy abundance during the new year.
*The phrase "Gong Xi Fa Cai" is often exchanged. It essentially means "I wish you prosperity and abundance in the new year".

As you can see, the traditions of the New Year celebration are heavily intertwined with the religious beliefs of the Chinese people. Although we have enjoyed the festivities, celebrations and learning more about the history of our friends, we don't believe or follow the superstitions associated with the New Year. We believe that Jesus is the Author of life and that red is an important color because God created it. God gives and takes away because of His perfect plan for our lives.

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." Romans 8:28