Showing posts with label holidays. Show all posts
Showing posts with label holidays. Show all posts
Sunday, December 02, 2007
Sunday, May 06, 2007
Start of Summer - 立夏 - Lixia
In addition to the traditional Chinese lunar calendar, there are 24 solar periods in a year; e.g., 3/21 Spring Equinox, 6/21 Summer solstice, 4/5 Clear & Bright (tomb sweeping). 5/6 is "Start of Summer" (立夏Lixia).
When I was growing up, we were given hard boiled eggs to eat and play with. We would weave individual satchels out of colorful yarns for the eggs. We were also given herb sachets to ward off bugs for the upcoming summer. Since I grew up in Shanghai before bathroom scales, we headed off to the scale vendor around the corner to get ourselves weighed.
The egg eating & children weighing traditions stem from days before air condition and refrigeration when the hot summer made people loose weight due to lost of appetite and increased stomach flu. In fact, my father-in-law has a theory that Americans are fat because of air condition :(
Earlier today we headed out to the nearby Longhua Temple Fair and caught some of the children weighing and egg action.
Two kids with eggs around their necks.
The weighing ceremony (1 RMB). A girl with pigtails is on the scale (lower middle right)
And finally, it's not a fair without a Midway.
And additionally, last night we went over to my parent's and I made "egg holders" for my nephews. You really need colorful yarn, but all I could find was string. John was amazed that I remembered how to make them.
In this photo, Ian (at left) has his egg around his neck. Ethan (at right) has a New Year's ornament around his neck.
When I was growing up, we were given hard boiled eggs to eat and play with. We would weave individual satchels out of colorful yarns for the eggs. We were also given herb sachets to ward off bugs for the upcoming summer. Since I grew up in Shanghai before bathroom scales, we headed off to the scale vendor around the corner to get ourselves weighed.
The egg eating & children weighing traditions stem from days before air condition and refrigeration when the hot summer made people loose weight due to lost of appetite and increased stomach flu. In fact, my father-in-law has a theory that Americans are fat because of air condition :(
Earlier today we headed out to the nearby Longhua Temple Fair and caught some of the children weighing and egg action.
Two kids with eggs around their necks.
The weighing ceremony (1 RMB). A girl with pigtails is on the scale (lower middle right)
And finally, it's not a fair without a Midway.
And additionally, last night we went over to my parent's and I made "egg holders" for my nephews. You really need colorful yarn, but all I could find was string. John was amazed that I remembered how to make them.
In this photo, Ian (at left) has his egg around his neck. Ethan (at right) has a New Year's ornament around his neck.
Thursday, April 05, 2007
Qingming - Qingtuan
April 4 was Qingming Festival or Tomb Sweeping Day. The traditional food for Qingming is qingtuan and we have eaten our way through several packages of these tasty green dumplings with red bean paste inside.
And here's the view from our apartment window earlier this evening.
And here's the view from our apartment window earlier this evening.
Friday, March 02, 2007
Chinese New Year - Postscript
I ran out of steam and never did a post for Feb 24, the last day of the Chinese New Year public holiday. Not much happened. We stayed at home. I finished up my Feb 23 blog post. We watched a movie.
I still have unprocessed video of the New Year's fireworks. Look for that in March.
I've also decided to take the Pig of the Day idea one step farther and have a photo for every day of the Year of the Pig. You can follow my efforts at this flickr set: Year of the Pig.
I still have unprocessed video of the New Year's fireworks. Look for that in March.
I've also decided to take the Pig of the Day idea one step farther and have a photo for every day of the Year of the Pig. You can follow my efforts at this flickr set: Year of the Pig.
Thursday, February 22, 2007
Ancestor Worship & Winter Solstice
In December, just before the Winter Solstice, we made a trip to Shanghai's Jade Buddha Temple (Yifo Si) with our friends Brian and Debbie who were visiting from the US. For centuries the Chinese have been celebrating the Winter Solstice - a turn from Yin to Yang as the days get longer - with offerings to Heaven and Ancestors. However, the amount of activity astounded us. The whole temple complex was buzzing with activity.
Debbie and Brian at Jade Buddha Temple.
Crowded main courtyard.
If one has loads of money to honor Heaven and your Ancestors, you can hire monks to parade and chant. You can even put on black robes and process and chant with them(see video below).
Less expensive, one buys silver paper, folds it into the shape of silver bars, puts it in a red box or red bag, and then burns it in urns at the temple. Typically the ancestor's name is written on the outside of the red bag so the money can be "delivered".
It takes a long time to fill up several bags so if you have many ancestors, you bring your folding camp chairs and food to the temple as you will spend the whole day there.
People lined up to burn the red bags of money for their ancestors.
Alternatively, the average Chinese may just come to the temple, and burn incense and pray. This photo from a visit a few days earlier to the City God temple.
Here are some videos.
For more info on China and the Winter Solstice click here.
Finally, here's a photo of one of the two Jade Buddhas at the temple.
Debbie and Brian at Jade Buddha Temple.
Crowded main courtyard.
If one has loads of money to honor Heaven and your Ancestors, you can hire monks to parade and chant. You can even put on black robes and process and chant with them(see video below).
Less expensive, one buys silver paper, folds it into the shape of silver bars, puts it in a red box or red bag, and then burns it in urns at the temple. Typically the ancestor's name is written on the outside of the red bag so the money can be "delivered".
It takes a long time to fill up several bags so if you have many ancestors, you bring your folding camp chairs and food to the temple as you will spend the whole day there.
People lined up to burn the red bags of money for their ancestors.
Alternatively, the average Chinese may just come to the temple, and burn incense and pray. This photo from a visit a few days earlier to the City God temple.
Here are some videos.
For more info on China and the Winter Solstice click here.
Finally, here's a photo of one of the two Jade Buddhas at the temple.
Friday, February 16, 2007
Chinese New Year's Eve Eve - Feb 16
I've decided to blog a day by day account of our Chinese New Year festivities. New Year's Day this year - the first day of the Year of the Pig - is Sunday, February 18.
The Pig. What a great symbol! Here's a shot I took today.
Today, Friday the 16th, was the last day of work for me as Intel gives us 8 days off, going back to work on Sunday the 25th. Sun-Ling must work tomorrow, then she has 7 days off.
As in the US, most Chinese white collar workers get to go home early the day before a long holiday. So just after lunch I walked down the aisle, wished everyone a Happy New Year, announced I was going home early, suggested they should leave early as well, caught the shuttle bus to the Dongchuan Lu Metro station, and was home before 3PM.
On the way home, I got a call from Sun-Ling saying we are invited to dinner tonight by an Aunt and Uncle on her Mother's side. So that's the plan for tonight. It was not revealed if we are eating at their house or out.
My next task was to give a red gift packet (Hong Bao)to our maid (ayi). It's common to give domestic workers a New Year's bonus or time off with pay or both. Xiao Xiao was very happy to get the red packet and some days off next week.
Dinner was at a somewhat fancy restaurant in one of the malls near Jingan Temple. We rode the Metro. It was raining but the mall is right above the Metro Station so the umbrella did not come out.
Turned out the dinner was mainly for Aunt's co-workers. She has several businesses. There were three tables of 10 each. One for the men to smoke, drink, and loudly toast each other. One for the wives and small children. We sat at the table for older children and a few of the wives.
The three tables (back to front: men, wives, the rest of us)
Two of the children were on holiday from university in Australia. So Sun-Ling and I quizzed them about school, Australia, internships, etc.
Here's Anthony who is going to school at Canberra and just finished an internship with Mary Kay (yes, the cosmetics Queen) in Shanghai.
The food was good with lots of vegetarian items, the beer was cold, and the restaurant an inferno - lots of people and halogen lighting.
Check out this fancy deep fried in tomato sauce fish dish.
And another shot of our table.
It was all over at 9:15 and we rode the subway back home.
The Pig. What a great symbol! Here's a shot I took today.
Today, Friday the 16th, was the last day of work for me as Intel gives us 8 days off, going back to work on Sunday the 25th. Sun-Ling must work tomorrow, then she has 7 days off.
As in the US, most Chinese white collar workers get to go home early the day before a long holiday. So just after lunch I walked down the aisle, wished everyone a Happy New Year, announced I was going home early, suggested they should leave early as well, caught the shuttle bus to the Dongchuan Lu Metro station, and was home before 3PM.
On the way home, I got a call from Sun-Ling saying we are invited to dinner tonight by an Aunt and Uncle on her Mother's side. So that's the plan for tonight. It was not revealed if we are eating at their house or out.
My next task was to give a red gift packet (Hong Bao)to our maid (ayi). It's common to give domestic workers a New Year's bonus or time off with pay or both. Xiao Xiao was very happy to get the red packet and some days off next week.
Dinner was at a somewhat fancy restaurant in one of the malls near Jingan Temple. We rode the Metro. It was raining but the mall is right above the Metro Station so the umbrella did not come out.
Turned out the dinner was mainly for Aunt's co-workers. She has several businesses. There were three tables of 10 each. One for the men to smoke, drink, and loudly toast each other. One for the wives and small children. We sat at the table for older children and a few of the wives.
The three tables (back to front: men, wives, the rest of us)
Two of the children were on holiday from university in Australia. So Sun-Ling and I quizzed them about school, Australia, internships, etc.
Here's Anthony who is going to school at Canberra and just finished an internship with Mary Kay (yes, the cosmetics Queen) in Shanghai.
The food was good with lots of vegetarian items, the beer was cold, and the restaurant an inferno - lots of people and halogen lighting.
Check out this fancy deep fried in tomato sauce fish dish.
And another shot of our table.
It was all over at 9:15 and we rode the subway back home.
Sunday, February 11, 2007
It's a festival
It seems to me that the Chinese like to get started on Chinese New Year festivities as soon as possible after the solar New Year. Thus recently we have attended one wedding and 2 birthday parties. Note how western traditions have been adopted into Chinese culture: white wedding dress, birthday cake and candles.
Sun-Ling's cousin's wedding (Jan 21). There goes the bride!
Sun-Ling's Father's birthday (Jan 30)
Sun-Ling's co-worker's birthday hosted at our apartment (Feb 11)
Sun-Ling's cousin's wedding (Jan 21). There goes the bride!
Sun-Ling's Father's birthday (Jan 30)
Sun-Ling's co-worker's birthday hosted at our apartment (Feb 11)
Wacky Promotions - IT Takes 5IVE
It is quite common in Shanghai to see people dressed in wacky costumes promoting a business, an activity, or a product.
Here are three recent examples I managed to capture.
Last weekend, these two mascots were handing out leaflets at the opening of a new Standard Chartered bank branch in front of our apartment.
Yesterday, these guys on stilts were attracting attention in front of Grand Gateway Towers promoting the Adidas ad campaign "IT Takes 5IVE".
Around Christmas, this Kirin Klaus was hawking a new brand of Kirin tea drink.
Here are three recent examples I managed to capture.
Last weekend, these two mascots were handing out leaflets at the opening of a new Standard Chartered bank branch in front of our apartment.
Yesterday, these guys on stilts were attracting attention in front of Grand Gateway Towers promoting the Adidas ad campaign "IT Takes 5IVE".
Around Christmas, this Kirin Klaus was hawking a new brand of Kirin tea drink.
Sunday, December 24, 2006
Shopping for Xmas Eve Dinner Party
Sun-Ling and I are having a few friends over for dinner on Christmas Eve, so last night we went out to one of our nearby supermarkets to buy stuff. The Christmas carols were blaring so I discretely set my camera on the shopping cart and took some video.
This supermarket is in the basement of a shopping mall and was not particularly crowded last night.
The folks in blue uniforms are supermarket staff.
Enjoy!
This supermarket is in the basement of a shopping mall and was not particularly crowded last night.
The folks in blue uniforms are supermarket staff.
Enjoy!
Saturday, July 08, 2006
Chinese New Year Video (updated)
I moved the videos of the Pudong waterfront at night and the Chinese New year fireworks to youtube. The connection is much better. Have a look. I'll be uploading some video from Tibet and Bali soon.
Sunday, February 12, 2006
Lights! Camera! Photos!
The 15th of day of the New Year is Lantern Day. It is the first full moon of the year and marks the end of New Year celebration. It is also the third night (after New Year's Eve and 4th Day) of major fireworks.
The Yuyuan area in downtown Shanghai was all decked out for Lantern Day during the New Year holidays.
Is that Snow White and Price Charming?
A pile of money for prosperity.
Tie a ribbon and make a wish.
Tradional Lanterns.
The other major areas of the city also seemed more festive.
NanJing Dong Lu pedestrian mall.
Pudong on a foggy evening
The Bund was all lit up too, but our photo came out horribly.
The Yuyuan area in downtown Shanghai was all decked out for Lantern Day during the New Year holidays.
Is that Snow White and Price Charming?
A pile of money for prosperity.
Tie a ribbon and make a wish.
Tradional Lanterns.
The other major areas of the city also seemed more festive.
NanJing Dong Lu pedestrian mall.
Pudong on a foggy evening
The Bund was all lit up too, but our photo came out horribly.
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