For the chinese custom, we have the re-union dinner on the eve of CNY and we have a "start the year feast" to kick start the New Year. For the Catonese, we usually have it on the 2nd day of CNY and for the TeoChew, they will have it on the 3rd day of the CNY. FOr the Hokkien, their 2nd CNY is on the 8th day of the CNY. There is a long story why the Hokkien celebrate the CNY twice. Officially, the Government only recognize the eelebration on the 1st and 2nd day of the CNY as an official public holiday.
Yesterday, my family join my sister and brother's family to kick start the new year with a steamboat lunch at my ancestal home. It starts will honoring my deceased parent and we have a sumptious lunch. But, the weather was abit unkind and it was very hot. As we eat,our sweat keep flowing down from our forehead despite the air condition blasting fully. I think the sweat mixing with the food would make it tastier. So, why the choice of steamboat for lunch? There is no good reason but just the convenience and a more healthier choice after so much oily and meaty food.It has a detox effect on us because we used to pull in a lot of vegatables. A heaty and a sweaty start to the dragon year.
After the lunch, we can start to sweep and clean up our house. Yesterday morning, after I woke up and as I walk down the staircase, I saw my maid sweeping the floor. She immediately stop sweeping the floor ad used a cloth to pickup the dust o. It is a taboo to sweep the floor before the "kick start lunch". You might wonder why ? There is a period of " retention" of our wealth which starts from the Re-union eve dinner and the "kick start lunch" an it is a day to watch a list of the "don"ts and the dos" for the retention of wealth. Sweeping is deemed as sweeping away your fortune. Well, this is only accroding to the Chinese customs but my new Indonesian maid do not understand this custom. If you see it, you stop it but if they do it when you are not around, is it okay? Does it mean that you don't see it,, it has no impact? It is your choice to believe it or not. For me, it is abit uncomfortable because of my upbring but I do not actually mind.
If the action of others can impact your wealth, all your wealth could have disappeared by now. There are so many occasions that such rules are broken by other people in your property. So the choice to believe is yours but observing the rules could make you part of hte Chinese establishment.LOL.
If you observe the occasion, good food is an important part of the celebration. It is an occasion where you can eat the food which you have been eating as a child as in normal times, it is not available. Your Parents could go all the way to buy the ingredient and to make the occasion a great celebration and to satisfied your appetite. Each dish in the CNY feast have a name and the naming of the disk is an art passed down by the Chinese Establishment. In the clunary circle, the Chefs are creating new dishes with good meaning and wishes. It supposed to make the celebration a wonderful experience and most important to lure you to eat it and make money from you. Forget the second reason, enjoyment and creativity come first. We pay for the wonderful eperience.
So, food, health and wealth is always on the lips of the Chinese. Without good health, there is no meaning to wealth and good food support good health. So, out of the three ingredients, FOOD is the most important.
So long for now, need to kick start the 3rd day of the CNY.
Namaste.
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