February 2003

Chinese New Year Celebration (8 January - 2 February 2003)
Venue: Mahkota Parade, Melaka
Organiser: Lion Mahkota Parade
Telephone: 06-282 6151
Fax: 06-282 7305
Feast your eyes as streets and buildings in town spruse up with decoratives and illuminated arches and festive spirit galore. Catch lion dances, cultural shows and related activities which bring the Lunar New Year festivities to its height. An experience of a lifetime to cherish.

CHINESE NEW YEAR
1 - 2 February 2003
Venue: Throughout Malaysia
Chinese New Year, which falls on Feb 1 this year, is the most important celebration for Chinese people all over the world, regardless of the origin of their ancestors. It is also known as the Lunar New Year as it is based on the lunar calendar as opposed to the Gregorian calendar. According to Chinese astrology, 2003 is the year of the Goat. Chinese people who have forgotten most of their resolutions made on December 31, still have another chance to start anew with the celebration of Chinese New Year. Chinese New Year starts with the New Moon on the first day of the new year and ends on the full moon, 15 days later. The 15th day of Chinese New Year is the Lantern Festival ( or Chap Goh Mei).

ORIGIN OF CHINESE NEW YEAR
The origin of Chinese New Year is too old to be traced; nevertheless, various interesting legends have surfaced over the years to explain the beginning of this celebration. Many agree, however, that the word “Nian”, which means “year” in Chinese, was originally the name of a ferocious beast that preys on people on the eve of new year. To scare “Nian” away, the people pasted red paper decorations on windows and doors, and set off firecrackers, as “Nian” is said to be afraid of the colour red, the light of fire and loud noises. Therefore, at the end of every year, they repeat these rituals and it is carried on from generation to generation.

Legend also has it that the people asked a lion for help. The lion wounded the beast, but it returned a year later to harm the people. This time, the lion couldn’t help as it was guarding the Emperor’s gate. So, the people use bamboo and cloth to fashion an image of the lion. Two men crawled inside, pranced and roared, and frightened “Nian” away. This is also the origin of the Lion Dance. It is one of the most impressive sights during the Chinese New Year Festival. The phrase “Guo Nian”, which may means, “survive the Nian”, is used to mean “Celebrate the (New) Year”. The word “Guo” in Chinese means “to pass”. Till today, the customs of having red paper decorations and firecrackers are still observed by the Chinese community. Nevertheless, most people don’t really know the reason they are used except that the colour and the sound adds excitement to the celebration.

CHINESE NEW YEAR’S CELEBRATION IN MALAYSIA
Although the climax of Chinese New Year’s celebration generally only last for four or five days including the eve, the New Year season actually started from early twelfth month of the previous year to the middle of the first month of the New Year. Preparations begin about a month before Chinese New Year, where the Chinese community will be busy shopping for decoration materials, food and drinks, new clothing, groceries and titbits. This is the time when businesses selling these goods will be busiest. Chinese New Year songs can be heard in shopping complexes and there will be sale and promotions. Chinatown at Petaling Street is an ideal place to experience the excitement of the celebration. A major clean up of the house will be carried out, hoping to sweep away any traces of bad luck to make way for the wishful in-coming good luck and fortune. Some even renovate their houses or give them a new coat of paint.

After that, the house is ready to be decorated with paper scrolls and couplets inscribed with blessings and auspicious words like happiness, longevity, and wealth. Few days before the eve of Chinese New Year, people living far away from their families will begin to prepare for their journey home. Traffic jams will start to build up on highways while airports, bus terminals, and train stations are normally packed. Tickets are usually being snapped up the moment they go on sale. No matter how tiring the journey may turn out to be, it is certainly worth it when all the family members have gathered around the table to enjoy their Chinese New Year’s eve dinner (or reunion dinner), the most important meal of the year. After dinner, family members will spend the night playing cards, mahjoong, watching TV programmes dedicated to the celebration, or just having a good time talking to each other.

On the first day of Chinese New Year, ritual homage is offered to one’s ancestors and reverence is paid to the gods. New clothes are worn and younger family members will greet their elders “Kong Xi Fatt Chai” (in Mandarin) or “Kong Hei Fatt Choi” (in Cantonese), meaning, “congratulations and prosperity”. In return, they will receive “Ang Pow”, a red packet containing cash. It is given by married couples to children and singles. The seventh day of Chinese New Year is known as “everybody’s birthday”. On this day, the Chinese will eat “Yee Sang”, a combination of pickled ginger, shredded vegetables, lime, raw fish and various sauces. This meal is believed to bring prosperity and good fortune to those who eat it. The participants will mix and raise the ingredients with their chopsticks. They believe the higher they are able to raise them, the greater the prosperity they will enjoy throughout the year. On the eighth day, the Hokkien community will have another family reunion. At midnight, they will pray to “Tian Gung”, the God of Heaven. On the ninth day, numerous offerings are set out in the forecourt or central courtyard of temples to celebrate the birthday of the Jade Emperor. The 15th day is Chap Goh Mei. It marks the end of Chinese New Year’s celebration.

During Chinese New Year’s day and several days that follow, the Chinese will hold open houses. This is the time when relatives and friends, regardless of their races and religions, will visit one another, exchanging good wishes and gifts like tangerines (called “Kam” in Cantonese, meaning “Gold”) and other traditional New Year’s delicacies. As festivities in Malaysia are celebrated by ALL communities, the open house concept bears testimony to the fact that tolerance and mutual respect are evidently observed in this multi-racial country. In fact, this is a very unique practice in Malaysia that symbolises the unique diversity of culture and religion here. Like other major celebrations in the country, Chinese New Year is also celebrated at national level where open house will be held. Malaysians, as well as tourists around the world, are welcome to join in the celebration of this auspicious event. There will be an array of local delicacies for all the guests, cultural show and other performances.

This year, the Chinese New Year’s open house is jointly organised by The Ministry of Culture, Arts and Tourism, and the Selangor State Government. It will be held at Petaling Jaya Square in Petaling Jaya, Selangor, on February 8, 2003, at 8:00pm. The open house will be graced by His Majesty, the King and Her Majesty, the Queen of Malaysia, along with the Chief Minister of the State of Selangor, Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Khir Toyo and other distinguished guests. Although the customs and traditions of Chinese New Year vary from place to place in the world, the spirit of the celebration is similar: to have peace, good health, happiness and prosperity among family members and friends.