Sunday, the day before the start of Chinese New Year, Joe, Alex and I headed out to various parts of Hong Kong Island to find some last minute items we needed to help us participate in the festivities and traditions of this holiday. I was loving all the beautiful and abundant flowers and plants and wanted to have some in our house so we ended up in Causeway Bay and stumbled upon the Lunar New Year Fair in Victoria Park. It was an unexpected find but offered a wonderful glimpse of the toys, ornaments, foods, and plants to be found. Stalls and stalls of Chinese New Year novelty items were ready for consideration by huge crowds of visitors and we were quickly swept up into the sea of people. It was my wish to find the flowers but there were aisles and rows of any kind of decoration you would need, including and especially DRAGONS! It was difficult to take it all in while being jostled along in the mass of people but I was glad to be seeing it in person and I was fascinated!
We slowly made our way through the crowds until BINGO! The sea of people led us to a sea of flowers, plants and trees. The promises these displays were said to symbolize were plentiful as were the number of options you had to choose from. If every hope represented here came true, 2012 was going to be a remarkable, properous year! The tangerine trees that I had been seeing and admiring throughout the city, businesses, and homes were there to now become part of your own decor.
Peach blossom trees (or plum blossom) of varying sizes were also a choice. I was determined to bring home a branch of this because I love what it is said to represent. The blossoms burst forth at the end of the winter season on what seems to be a lifeless branch. These pink flowers symbolize "courage and hope" and I'm a fan of both! You could buy large trees, medium, or small but I was on the hunt for the individual branches I'd seen people carrying. I tried convincing Joe we could manage to get a smaller tree home on the bus but even I wasn't believing it. A branch it was and after I observed several purchases by locals I knew what price I should expect to pay. I've learned that often you will be charged more if you are "white" or "gweilo" because they don't think you will know any better. I am learning. My purchase was completed and even though we didn't speak the same language, charades and a smile closed the transaction.
You could also find bamboo in abundance and I later learned that these particular displays are known as "Lucky Bamboo" and it invites good fortune or "Kai Yun Zhu." Representing the natural 5 elements of water, earth, wood, metal, and fire, Lucky Bamboo is said to balance the "chi" in the house. As if all that isn't enough, the number of stalks and the layers have meaning as well! Honestly, I don't know how people remember all the symbolism and meaning tied to everything. Then again, I am sure these traditions have been passed from generation to generation and families create the depth of meaning behind these symbols. Now that I KNOW, I'm getting some bamboo to help balance my chi!!!
Yet another option to bring into your home or give if you are visiting someone during this festive time is the narcissus. It is one of the main flowers most associated with Lunar New Year because it blossoms about this time and is thought to bring good luck and fortune. You could also find chrysanthemums, gladiolus, pussy willow, orchids, and many more colorful blooms. We finished up and then got to fight our way, with purchases, through the huge crowds coming and going from the fair.
These pictures try to give you a sense of what it is like walking on the sidewalks of Hong Kong. We headed home on the Green Mini Bus and I got to put up my small but heartfelt displays to honor our first Chinese New Year in our home!
I placed my peach blossom branch on our dining room table with traditional red decor and a traditional candy dish or tray full of fruits, sweets, and foods to welcome guests who drop by (we basically ate it all on our own). Called a chuen-hop or "tray of togetherness" it traditionally consists of eight symbolic foods. The number eight is considered extremely lucky to the Chinese and each food has a significant meaning. We were lucky enough to be given some items by the parent of a friend of Alex's after he attended a traditional Chinese New Year Dinner at their house. There are many different types of food offerings but ours consisted of sweetened shaved coconut (promoting togetherness), white rabbit candies, gold (chocolate) coins, small fried dumplings with a sweet, crunchy filling that tasted almost like toffee, and fried squares of dough covered in sesame seeds. By next year I hope to know and understand more about the foods.
Fresh flowers (just cause I like them and the red goes with the holiday) and a display of firecrackers hanging. The firecrackers are thought to scare off the evil spirits as well as wake up the dragon!
The Chinese couplet that was made for us at Bel-Air. It says "wishing you prosperity" and it is my wish for all of us! May the Year of the Dragon bring us all prosperity in areas of health, love, happiness, peace, and good fortune! Tune in next time for the scoop on the lai-see and red envelopes.
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