Gong Xi, Gong Xi Mari Kongsi Ang Pow Legacy.....
Its been a massive Chinese New Year. Not that I celebrate it but it has been 2 years now that I feel the blast of it. This year I think I enjoyed it more than my own day. Put aside the hectic job I gotta deal with, but it is always a whole new world to cross reference into another culture... And I've a whole mini world to let me feel it..
So what is a Chinese New Year without Ang Pows right. I remember since I was young, my parents also gave me angpow during our celebration. Well it is always happy moment just to recieve extra cash from parents. But not until very recently that I began to ponder on the idea of Ang Pow itself. I guess it is not about the cash, but it is about the packet that it is served with. Before I blabber on...here is some revelations to all you ignorants....
The story of "ang pow" dates back to the Sung Dynasty in China. A village called Chang-Chieu was at the time terrorised by a huge demon. No one was capable of defeating it, not even their greatest warriors or statesmen. However, a young orphan, armed with a magical sabre inherited from his ancestors, fought the evil demon and eventually killed it. The villagers were triumphant and the elders presented the brave young man with an ang pow filled with money for his courage in saving them. Since then, the ang pow has become a part of traditional Chinese customs.
The practice of giving ang pow may be centuries old, but it is still as popular as ever. During Chinese New Year, they are given by married couples to small children, teenagers and unmarried adults. So it helps if you have a rich aunt or uncle as the gifts can be quite large.
They can be given at any time and you do not need a special occasion even, they are considered extremely auspicious just in the fact that they are given and if received you should try and pay some debt of with some of the money received, you should always leave a small part of the money inside the ang pow and place in your purse or handbag.
It is traditional and customary to give red envelopes to parents when their baby celebrates his/her first month. In return, parents distribute to well wishers gifts like red dyed eggs (ang nui), yellow rice (nasi kunyit) with curry chicken, bean cakes (ang ku), Money is usually given as birthday gifts for celebrants of all ages. The elderly also distribute gifts of money to the younger generation when they celebrate, for example, their 70th birthday.
Feng Shui devotees believe that a red envelope containing a gold coin (i-ching coin), can bring good luck to the holder when placed in your purse, wallet, accounts books or handbag. They are also used as wish list holders, you write your dreams and aspirations on a piece of red paper and place inside the red envelope and sit back and wait. Some Feng Shui Practitioners even insist on being paid with their fee inside a red envelope, this is not something that I adhere to though.
There you go, a little something that I managed to dig up from the net.... So continuing my babblings...I recieved quiet a bit of angpows ...Like I never recieved that much before..I am not talking about the amount of course. It was like the number of packets I recieved beats my entire collection for a year base. Of course I have recieved bigger amounts, but it isn't about the amount, well at least not this time, but it is the fun about recieving those red packets with all type of patterns and sizes...Everywhere I go like "Gong Xi, Gong Xi" or a standard handshake with " Happy New Year", I'll recieve one packet. Initially I felt reluctant accepting it, but then I knew it is customary for all the Chinese people to go about Ang Pows....So kinda feel less burdened in my heart, though it is still hard to distinguish if some one is wishing sincerely or just for the sake of the red packets.....
Anyway, what have I observed so far????Let me put it on a way of culture as I've seen it, so bear in mind that I am not here to offend anyone....Just my little perspective...
Indians
Well they give angpows alright, but I guess they dont know what to call it in their own way and decided to stick with angpow, or at least that's how I was brought up to believe. Beg to differ anyone??? They don't make it as a tradition to give, as in even Single Adults get ang pow from married people. Here the adults will mainly give it to the kids. That pretty much sums it up I guess.
Malays
Again no offence, but this is the worse. I don't know what's their excuse to give ang pows. And by the way they call it "Duit Raya". Giving it finelarrrr....got no problem one but heck, from my freinds that I know till the small kids that are capable of roaming around the kampung alone all will eye that "Duit Raya" alone. They go by houses, that they are not well versed of and seek to "beraya". In the beginning though akward, but I brushed off my wanderings, only to find out later on that the reason why this kids like to "beraya" is so that they can get "Duit Raya"....So there you go these kids will come with a whole bunch of gang and start attacking any houses they see wide open. Kinda like Halloween, where kids go by trick or treating every other house....What kind of tradition is this, just to entertain some kiddos, I need to spend the very last bit of my penny. Next time don't open the door and those darn kids will go away...Anyway one particular case I personally experienced was whereby a kid got so desperate and decided to "beraya" at my house. The kid was with his friend. Probably both of them about 6 or 7 years old. I was outside the lawn when the kid appraoched me...."Abang, kami nak beraya boleh tak"...I was like what the fuck, you want to beraya at my place...1st we dont know each other....2nd it is not my time....But being kids and all I decided to be more polite to them..."Abang tak berayalarrr...." SHould have seen the puppy dog face on both the kids...Well I am too smart to fall for the trick kiddos....
Chinese
Well you can go back to the top of the page and read the bolded paragraphs....
Anyway it has been good to cross into other cultures......Get to learn stuffs and join in the merry....I had a good time, did you????
So what is a Chinese New Year without Ang Pows right. I remember since I was young, my parents also gave me angpow during our celebration. Well it is always happy moment just to recieve extra cash from parents. But not until very recently that I began to ponder on the idea of Ang Pow itself. I guess it is not about the cash, but it is about the packet that it is served with. Before I blabber on...here is some revelations to all you ignorants....
The story of "ang pow" dates back to the Sung Dynasty in China. A village called Chang-Chieu was at the time terrorised by a huge demon. No one was capable of defeating it, not even their greatest warriors or statesmen. However, a young orphan, armed with a magical sabre inherited from his ancestors, fought the evil demon and eventually killed it. The villagers were triumphant and the elders presented the brave young man with an ang pow filled with money for his courage in saving them. Since then, the ang pow has become a part of traditional Chinese customs.
The practice of giving ang pow may be centuries old, but it is still as popular as ever. During Chinese New Year, they are given by married couples to small children, teenagers and unmarried adults. So it helps if you have a rich aunt or uncle as the gifts can be quite large.
They can be given at any time and you do not need a special occasion even, they are considered extremely auspicious just in the fact that they are given and if received you should try and pay some debt of with some of the money received, you should always leave a small part of the money inside the ang pow and place in your purse or handbag.
It is traditional and customary to give red envelopes to parents when their baby celebrates his/her first month. In return, parents distribute to well wishers gifts like red dyed eggs (ang nui), yellow rice (nasi kunyit) with curry chicken, bean cakes (ang ku), Money is usually given as birthday gifts for celebrants of all ages. The elderly also distribute gifts of money to the younger generation when they celebrate, for example, their 70th birthday.
Feng Shui devotees believe that a red envelope containing a gold coin (i-ching coin), can bring good luck to the holder when placed in your purse, wallet, accounts books or handbag. They are also used as wish list holders, you write your dreams and aspirations on a piece of red paper and place inside the red envelope and sit back and wait. Some Feng Shui Practitioners even insist on being paid with their fee inside a red envelope, this is not something that I adhere to though.
There you go, a little something that I managed to dig up from the net.... So continuing my babblings...I recieved quiet a bit of angpows ...Like I never recieved that much before..I am not talking about the amount of course. It was like the number of packets I recieved beats my entire collection for a year base. Of course I have recieved bigger amounts, but it isn't about the amount, well at least not this time, but it is the fun about recieving those red packets with all type of patterns and sizes...Everywhere I go like "Gong Xi, Gong Xi" or a standard handshake with " Happy New Year", I'll recieve one packet. Initially I felt reluctant accepting it, but then I knew it is customary for all the Chinese people to go about Ang Pows....So kinda feel less burdened in my heart, though it is still hard to distinguish if some one is wishing sincerely or just for the sake of the red packets.....
Anyway, what have I observed so far????Let me put it on a way of culture as I've seen it, so bear in mind that I am not here to offend anyone....Just my little perspective...
Indians
Well they give angpows alright, but I guess they dont know what to call it in their own way and decided to stick with angpow, or at least that's how I was brought up to believe. Beg to differ anyone??? They don't make it as a tradition to give, as in even Single Adults get ang pow from married people. Here the adults will mainly give it to the kids. That pretty much sums it up I guess.
Malays
Again no offence, but this is the worse. I don't know what's their excuse to give ang pows. And by the way they call it "Duit Raya". Giving it finelarrrr....got no problem one but heck, from my freinds that I know till the small kids that are capable of roaming around the kampung alone all will eye that "Duit Raya" alone. They go by houses, that they are not well versed of and seek to "beraya". In the beginning though akward, but I brushed off my wanderings, only to find out later on that the reason why this kids like to "beraya" is so that they can get "Duit Raya"....So there you go these kids will come with a whole bunch of gang and start attacking any houses they see wide open. Kinda like Halloween, where kids go by trick or treating every other house....What kind of tradition is this, just to entertain some kiddos, I need to spend the very last bit of my penny. Next time don't open the door and those darn kids will go away...Anyway one particular case I personally experienced was whereby a kid got so desperate and decided to "beraya" at my house. The kid was with his friend. Probably both of them about 6 or 7 years old. I was outside the lawn when the kid appraoched me...."Abang, kami nak beraya boleh tak"...I was like what the fuck, you want to beraya at my place...1st we dont know each other....2nd it is not my time....But being kids and all I decided to be more polite to them..."Abang tak berayalarrr...." SHould have seen the puppy dog face on both the kids...Well I am too smart to fall for the trick kiddos....
Chinese
Well you can go back to the top of the page and read the bolded paragraphs....
Anyway it has been good to cross into other cultures......Get to learn stuffs and join in the merry....I had a good time, did you????
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My preciousssssssss...........Gong Xi Gong Xi, Ang Pow Nai Lai
Can you hear it....echoes of realmz.....
posted by devilwitattitude at 6:11 PM
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