There’s more to Chinese New Year than just ang pows and lion dances!
Ang pows, mandarin oranges, and lion dances — these are all the classic symbols of Chinese New Year celebrations in Malaysia and among people of Chinese descent all over the world certain practices, rituals, traditions, and even food items served during CNY can differ from one dialect group to anotherWhile some of these customs are still widespread and are even assimilated into other cultures today, others have may been forgotten or dismissed as mere superstition in modern times.
Here are some CNY traditions and customs that are uniquely celebrated by the Cantonese, Hokkien, Hakka, and other Chinese dialect groups:On CNY eve: A lot of thought is put into the food served during reunion dinner, as certain dishes or food items symbolise good blessings for the new yearIt's also important to leave leftovers for the next day to signify overflow of prosperity and the continuity of balance." in Cantonese, some consider the second day of CNY the actual beginning of the year and will also offer prayers to their ancestors and gods on this day. dates back to the Han Dynasty and has its roots in Chinese mythology. It is said that Nüwa, the goddess of creation and restoration, created human beings on the seventh day. Main ingredients for yee sang include a variety of julienned vegetables, plum or sweet and sour sauce, crackers, and slivers of raw salmon. Typically served during get-togethers, family members and friends would toss and mix the ingredients together while shouting auspicious phrases for luck and good fortunetheir own unique takeOn the evening of the eighth day, Hokkien households would set up an altar table laden with offerings such as fresh fruits, roasted meats, dyed red eggs, sweet cakes, sugary confections, tea, and most importantly, sugar cane*. *Legend has it that a long, long time ago, the Hokkiens were spared from a massacre by Japanese pirates after hiding in a sugar cane plantation on the eighth and ninth day of the first lunar month, coinciding with the Jade Emperor's birthday. As"sugar cane" sounds similar to"thank you" in Hokkien, sugar cane is offered to express gratitude to the Jade Emperor.At the stroke of midnight, prayers would commence with intricately carved dragon-themed joss sticks. Firecrackers and fireworks will also be lit , followed by The Jade Emperor's birthday is considered the most important day of the lunar new year for the Hokkien community, with are served to certain members of the family during the reunion dinner, as each ingredient has its own special meaning are reserved for the elders to show respect for the elders, but the most coveted part of the fish has got to be its Tian Chuan Re to celebrate the auspicious occasion by making offerings of steamed rice cakes and fried sticky rice balls with with needles in it to symbolise the tools the goddess stitched the sky up with. Save the Hakka Culture Facebook, the head of the unicorn moves in a circular motion from left to right and looking backwards as well as in little shaking movements, whereas the lion's head moves up and down with the dancers usually high on their legs. The unicorn dance is typically performed during Hakka festivals and celebrations, and is believed to ward off bad luck and bring in the good instead.Olives are an important fixture in the Teochews' CNY celebration. They are often given as gifts and served to guests during CNY, usually together with mandarin oranges., where they were traditionally used in prayers as well as a premium offering to the emperor. It probably also has something to do with the fact that Chaozhou, the ancestral home of the Teochew people, is one of the few places in China that produces olives. On CNY eve: The tradition of having steamboat for reunion dinner is said to be of Teochew origins, as the weather is often cold during, it is also tradition to not finish the dishes served at the reunion dinner so that there will be leftovers brought over to the new year, thus symbolising excess and abundance for the coming year. On CNY eve: The Hainanese community in Klang Valley will head to the Thean Hou Temple in Kuala Lumpur after reunion dinner to pay homage to Mazu, goddess of the seaIn the olden days, people on Hainan island – most of whom relied on the sea for income – would pray to the goddess Mazu before going on their voyages and sea escapades. As such, Mazu is also known as the patron goddess of Fujian and Hainan provinces. Today, modern Hainanese pray to her for guidance and ask for blessing on their business and children's academic studies. , the noodles will also be served with two hard-boiled eggs to wish for the diner's well-being in the new year. Do you have a CNY tradition or practice that's unique to your dialect group or family? Share it with us in the comments section below!MILO Bites Mocha & Double Choc Now Available In Malaysia
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