Gong xi fa cai - Congratulations and Prosperity (for the New Year)

by fulltimestudent 4 Replies latest jw friends

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  fulltimestudent

  Its Chinese New Year time!

  All around the world, Chinese people and their friends will celebrate this event starting this year on February 8 and ending on the 24th. And, in the traditional concept, the coming year will be the year of the (water) snake.

  If you have Chinese friends, you can greet them with the words "Gong xi fa cai" ( pinyin transliteration) a traditional Chinese greeting. Its pronounced a bit like this (and remember I speak with an Australian accent) 'gong she far tsye,' "cai" is a bit difficult, the easiest way to remember the pronounciation is to the think of the 'ts' sound when you say 'cats.' A close approximation to the ai sound is 'eye.' Remember to emphasise the 't' sound and it will likely come out about right.

  The above greeting is Mandarin Chinese, now the official language of China. But Mandarin has variations also - Taiwanese Mandarin can have a slightly different sound.

  And if your friends speak Cantonese, it will be more like this - 'gong hey fat choy," which is often better known toLaowei- (foreigners)

  I'll post more about CNY or as it is more popularly known in China these days, the Spring Festival.

  For anyone living in Sydney, here's the program.

  http://www.sydneychinesenewyear.com/ and https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/cdn.sydneychinesenewyear/docs/CNY13_program.pdf

  The Parade is usually good fun ... but these days you need to get to the parade route (in George Street) early, to get a good viewing spot. Every year there's an official cultural delegation from a different part of China. This year it will feature a contingent from the City of Shenzhen.

  CNY is a fun time - I think this pop group (I think its a Taiwanese group) manages to express the modern CNY spirit.

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ryn0469AmjY

  and a Shenzhen offering:

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7QETDprUKfI
• 

  fulltimestudent

  In Chinese mythology, (and Indian also) snakes are not visualised in the same way as those influenced by Judeao-Christian Mythology, in that mythical view of the world a snake will always be associated with the fall of humans from perfection, an act that must be overcome in some way to regain that lost perfect world. In the meantime, only by trusting in Yahweh, as Psalm 91 makes clear, and with the power that comes from said Yahweh, a true believer can trample "on young lions and big snakes." T

  A totally different viewpoint is seen in the ancient Chinese beliefs of human origin. In one 'origins' myth, Nu-wa, a snake with the head of a woman, along with her brother/husband plays a role in the creation of humans, moulding them from clay and bringing them to life and making it possible for them to have children. Later fighting demons broke the pillars that supported the heavens, and the earth became chaotic with both fire and flood affecting people. It was Nu-wa who worked to overcome the damage and ensure that heaven was in its correct place. Here's a representation of Nu-wa and her brother'husband Fu-xi from the Han era (roughly the first and second centuries BCE)

  

  So in East Asian (Vietnam, China, Korea, Japan, Mongolia and Tibet) (Note: Tibet is also influence by Indian thought) snakes are not seen through that Judeao-Christian thought window, but through a more practical and realistic viewpoint.

  So what does it mean to be born in the year of the snake? A Zodiac system maintains tha thumans are influenced by the time and date of their birth. The simple western system has 12 'signs' that most of us know and may even 'sort of' believe. I'm a Libra - if that helps describe me? (grin). The Chinese system is far more complex, as each of the 12 zodiac signs (represented by different animals) are also affected by its 'element.' and that element can be either yin or yang. So there is a sequence like this: Yang Wood, Yin Wood, Yang Fire, Yin Fire, Yang Earth, Yin Earth, Yang Metal, Yin Metal, Yang Water and Yin Water This year (2013-as an example) is a 'water' year.

  So forgetting all the theory, how do East Asians see someone born this year? Here's an explanation of the expected attributes from Sydney Universities, Confucius Institute.

  This Sunday 10th February marks the beginning of the Year of the Water Snake according to the Chinese Zodiac. The sixth sign of the Chinese Zodiac, the snake represents wisdom, intelligence and self-control. The snake also represents the ability to strike at will, quickly and powerfully. We will see some big changes in the year ahead - some difficult but many wonderful. People born in the Year of the Snake (such as 2001, 1989, 1977, 1965, 1953, 1941, 1929 etc) are intuitive, introspective and graceful. They are exciting and dark at the same time. Frequently contemplative and private, the Snake is not outwardly emotional, and will often plot and scheme to achieve their desires. Yes, the Year of the Snake is coming and it promises some big challenges. But it is also bringing some of the best opportunities we've seen in a long time as expressed in the Chinese word "??" (wei ji, ?: danger; ?: opportunity) ?

  Another web-site descibes a snake person this way: Snake becomes a clam, shy, cautious and low-key animal. Snake won't attack its opponent, unless it's disturbed. As long as we don't fool with Snake, we won't get bitten.

  Snake has the ability to swallow an animal bigger than its size. So we cannot underestimate snake's ambitious. We shouldn't ignore the existence of Snake.
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  fulltimestudent

  And, in the contemporary world, the vibrant East Asian culture adapts to modern forms.

  Traditional greetings have expanded into the new media. A friend sent me his personal CNY greeting, with some views of his (Sydney suburban) house:

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fmzx8uBhsn0

  And, for younger people, what's popular in the music field is adapted into the traditional as in this example, combining Korean gangnam style:

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKw9_WG0jeE
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  fulltimestudent

  Wherever Chinese and other East Asians live, the Lunar new year is celebrated, often with community organised events.

  Here's Shanghai's light display:

  http://english.cntv.cn/program/cultureexpress/20130207/107008.shtml

  and some examples of Singapore's (70% chinese) celebrations:

  http://english.cntv.cn/program/cultureexpress/20130209/101644.shtml
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  blindnomore

  I was born in the Year of the Snake. The year of birth is a big deal in Korea and China. It determins what and who you will be and serves as the factor of your behavior. Thanks for bring back the long forgotten memory of my home country tradition.

  "Sinyun Bok Mani Bodseyo" is Happy New Year in Korean.