![]() ![]() ![]() The vendors would carry their ovens on * Biandan, shoulder poles, and bake them at street corners, the hunger-provoking smell made it irresistible for passers by. This is also the time of year for people to indulge in * Tang Chao Lizi, Chestnuts roasted in sugar and fine sand, and * Kao Baishu, baked sweet potatoes. * Dong Shizi, frozen persimmons, has always been one of my favorites I mixed it with powdered milk, and made it into a persimmon ice cream. ![]() As a reward for going with her I came back loaded with all sorts of good food and toys. ![]() She would take me on most of those trips, and my Amah would go along to help carry the heavy baskets. Grandma loved to shop at the farmers' market, so during those two weeks she would stock up on * Shuiguo, fruits, and * Lingshi, between-meal nibbles, for the * Guo Pan, fruit plate, a big round bowl-shape plate with a lid, twelve to fifteen inches in diameter it had dividers making it possible for the plate to hold nine different kinds of * Guofu, dried fruits, * Guoren, nuts, and *Guazi, melon seeds. Even the chirp of a bird would be an excuse for me to run outside, then have my Amah chase after me all around the courtyard. I hated to be measured, it took so long, and I was not allowed to move. By the time Mother got home with boxes of materials, Grandma's two favorite tailors were already in the sewing room taking the measurements of all the children. As a rule, twice a year the family provided all the domestic servants with new clothes, once in Summer, and the other at Chinese New Year. They would usually buy a new coat for Grandma and a fur hat or a warm winter vest for * Wai Gong, maternal grandfather, as well. My mother and * Yima, Aunties, would go from shop to shop buying different color silks, blue for boys and maroon color for girls, to make * Mian Ao, padded jackets and * Mian Ku, padded pants for my cousins and myself. All the children had to have * Xin Yifu, new clothes, to wear on * Nian Chu Yi, New Year's Day. The two weeks after * La Ba would be the busiest time for the women in the household. I remember how I used to love * La Ba Zhou and if nobody stopped me, I could eat two big bowls of it. * La Ba Zhou is sweet, and has eight nourishing ingredients including glutinous rice, lotus seeds, dried Chinese dates, and different kinds of nuts and dried fruit. She would also cook a big pot of * La Ba Zhou, December 8th porridge, a rice porridge eaten on that day. Zhenjiang is a city in Jiangsu Province, about 137 miles west of Shanghai, famous for its high quality brown vinegar. She put a lot of * Suan, garlic, and a little bit of sugar into the dark brown * Zhenjiang vinegar, and they should be ready for consumption on New Year's Eve. The preparation for the New Year, actually began on * La Ba, December eighth on the Lunar calendar, and on that day my grandmother would make several big jars of * La Ba Cu ('Cu' is pronounced 'Tsu'), December 8th vinegar. Weeks, even months, before the New Year, I would start counting the days and impatiently awaited its arrival. But, during * Zhongguo Xin Nian, the Chinese New Year, also called * Yinli Nian, Lunar New Year, we would stay and celebrate for at least a month. During every major festival, like * Duan Wu Jie, Dragon Boat Festival, or * Zhong Qiu Jie, Moon Festival, my parents and I would go over to Grandma's house for a short stay. My * Wai Po, maternal grandmother, lived in Peking, today's * Beijing, only a little over an hour away by * Huoche, train. I have vivid memories of the Lunar New Year celebrations at my grandmother's place in China in the 1930's.Īs a young child I lived with my parents in the British Concession of * Tianjin, North China, better known to westerners as Tientsin. Regardless in which part of the world the Chinese people live, they always have a big celebration during the Lunar New Year. The year 2000 in the western calendar was the Year of the Dragon, 4698th year in the lunar calendar. The twelve animals are: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Serpent, Horse, Ram, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, Boar. (The only other ethnic holiday as popular is Cinco de Mayo!) The United States Postal Service now issues stamps every year commemorating the new Lunar year, with Chinese calligraphy giving the year's name, and an appropriate animal symbol.Įvery twelve years in the Chinese calerdar is a cycle, and each year is represented by an animal symbol. In San Francisco, the schools even have off, so many students- Asian and non Asian- love to take part. In the United States, even very assimilated Asian Americans still enjoy celebrating the great holiday of Lunar New Year. Lunar New Year, The Moon Lady and the Moon Festival Selections from The Asian-Pacific American Heritage ![]()
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