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Post by douglaslam on Feb 18, 2015 10:04:44 GMT -5
恭喜發財, 農暦乙未年肖羊大年初一, 三羊啓泰 一元復始 萬象更新 祝各友好 身壯力徤 萬事勝意
It is New Year's Day, I wish all friends, members and visitors all the best for the Year of The Goat.
This is a piece of Cantonese music called ''Going Up Step by Step.'' On this most joyous of all occasions, I wish everyone to advance steadily step by step be it your career advancement, your studies, sporting prowess, business endeavours, whatever your pursuit, and the best of health and happiness for this Year of the Ram.
My favourite version of this tune is taken off youtube by the copyright owners. I hope this, my second choice meets your approval.
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Post by lachinatown on Feb 19, 2015 10:30:04 GMT -5
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Post by lachinatown on Feb 19, 2015 10:52:16 GMT -5
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Post by FayChee on Feb 19, 2015 11:05:06 GMT -5
Lachinatown,
Is this something good to print out and hang on the wall for the New Year?
It's beautiful!
Fay Chee
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Post by lachinatown on Feb 19, 2015 11:23:05 GMT -5
Yes, this is beautifully done by the artist/calligrapher. It is the character Yang (sheep) for this year's animal. It would be nice to own an original or a reprint.
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Post by chansomvia on Feb 24, 2015 23:55:30 GMT -5
A happy New year to all from New Zealand, where sheep outnumber humans by a ratio of 7 to 1. Is it the year of the sheep? See attached.
Is It the Year of the Sheep, Goat, or Ram?
Actually, Chinese people are also not quite sure about that. In Chinese the word 羊 (yáng) is a generic term, and can refer to a sheep (绵羊), goat (山羊), ram/buck (公羊 male sheep or goat), 羚羊 (antelope), etc. There is a lack of clear definition on the zodiac "Goat" in Chinese history.
However, most Chinese people and experts on folklore believe that the Chinese zodiac animal is the Goat, not the Sheep, and they have some evidence to support their idea...
Firstly, the Chinese zodiac is an invention of the Han Nationality, and goats were widely raised by the Han people (unlike sheep), so the zodiac animal is more likely to refer to a goat.
Secondly, a Goat image often appears on Chinese zodiac stamps, New Year paper cuttings, and New Year paintings (not a sheep).
Thirdly, the Goat was one of the 12 bronze statues of the Chinese zodiac at the Old Summer Palace. Although its head was lost, its present reproduction according to historical records is the image of a goat.
Enjoy the fables, we have enough sheep in New Zealand to try to claim it is the year of the sheep!!
Joe
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Post by helen on Feb 25, 2015 2:47:45 GMT -5
Happy New Year from Auckland - This weekend is the lantern festival at Albert Park.
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Post by chansomvia on Feb 25, 2015 23:11:10 GMT -5
Happy New Year to you and family Helen, unfortunately the Chinese Lantern Festival has been cancelled for Christchurch this year as the original venue was damaged by the earthquake just before the event, and subsequent years no suitable venue is ready yet to hold such a big event. Anyways my son is holding a Chinese Lion Dance Parade for the Riccarton Sunday Market this weekend. Joe
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Post by helen on Feb 26, 2015 2:20:59 GMT -5
Hi Joe
Did you have a great Chinese New Year? I hope your son's Lion Dance goes well this weekend.
Have you and Ann Chin made a connection yet?
Happy New Year to you and your family
Helen
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Post by LJ on Feb 27, 2015 1:35:26 GMT -5
A happy New year to all from New Zealand, where sheep outnumber humans by a ratio of 7 to 1. Is it the year of the sheep? See attached. Is It the Year of the Sheep, Goat, or Ram?
Actually, Chinese people are also not quite sure about that. In Chinese the word 羊 (yáng) is a generic term, and can refer to a sheep (绵羊), goat (山羊), ram/buck (公羊 male sheep or goat), 羚羊 (antelope), etc. There is a lack of clear definition on the zodiac "Goat" in Chinese history.
However, most Chinese people and experts on folklore believe that the Chinese zodiac animal is the Goat, not the Sheep, and they have some evidence to support their idea...
Firstly, the Chinese zodiac is an invention of the Han Nationality, and goats were widely raised by the Han people (unlike sheep), so the zodiac animal is more likely to refer to a goat.
Secondly, a Goat image often appears on Chinese zodiac stamps, New Year paper cuttings, and New Year paintings (not a sheep).
Thirdly, the Goat was one of the 12 bronze statues of the Chinese zodiac at the Old Summer Palace. Although its head was lost, its present reproduction according to historical records is the image of a goat.Enjoy the fables, we have enough sheep in New Zealand to try to claim it is the year of the sheep!! Joe Hi Joe, Happy New Year! English actually has a term as generic as 羊. That word is "caprid". So, Happy Year of the Caprid! LJeung
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Post by chansomvia on Feb 27, 2015 5:37:48 GMT -5
Hi Lawrence
A Happy New Year to you and glad to have the added comments on the year of the Caprid, which we all intend to enjoy to the fullest. I am enjoying this forum as the offshoots from the forum is more knowledge of Chinese culture, more tales of the Siyip exodus, hearing of real life stories of those who found their roots, seeing the unselfish assistance given to those searching for their root, and much more. All the more special to an overseas born who never had the opportunity to learn Chinese and never went back until in his sixties. And found his village with the assistance of this board, particularly with the encouragement of Henry Tom. Joe
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Post by chansomvia on Feb 27, 2015 5:49:13 GMT -5
Hi Helen
Thank you for your good wishes which we reciprocate. We follow the Chinese New Year celebrations every year to the full particularly with six grand-children and the increasing made and born Chinese children in Christchurch, mostly my children's university mates and the in-law families who stayed on in Christchurch. Add to that my wife's Chinese birthday falls on the 7th Day "Yue Sang dish" of Chinese New Year (yan Yat the universal birthday)after celebrating the English one on Waitangi Day (Feb 6th every year. This will be followed up by "Chap Goh Mei" which is Hokkien for the 15th Day celebration.
I have not forgotten Ann Chin and will make contact as there are so many Foochow Sibu folks here who may know her.
Joe
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Post by chansomvia on Feb 27, 2015 6:01:34 GMT -5
Helen
As an aside, most Chinese New Zealand early migrants and New Zealand born Chinese do not know the significance of Chinese New Year and how it is celebrated traditionally. I too am guilty of cherry picking the more enjoyable pieces and ignore some of the onerous superstitions of what not to do during Chinese New Year. My son's Quai Yi Lion Dance Troupe had a very busy time performing for the Singapore Airlines function, the Casino, schools and associations, restaurants, and finally today at the New Zealand Ladies Golf Open. They missed opening the Christchurch Chinese Lantern Festival (which they usually do) this year as it was cancelled.
Joe
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Post by douglaslam on Feb 27, 2015 7:54:01 GMT -5
A few things I did in the last few days to celebrate our New Year. This is the dragon, which is always a favourite. I attended the Chinese New Year Parade in the evening of Sunday Feb. 22. This may well have been the last parade because the route will be turned over to a new light rail ( trams to you and me.) Nothing about a new route has been planned. I am sure I have other posts on the parade of past years. But I could not find them. Here is one I did manage to dig up. siyigenealogy.proboards.com/thread/1547/chinese-year-celebration-taishan-cityThe Koreans are really making their presence felt. They have a big group, and are embracing the Lunar New Year in a big way. Falun Gong is always there and has by far the largest number of musicians. The Chinese New Year celebrations go on for much of the first month of the New Year. One such activity is 團拜 in Cantonese Tuen Bye, which means gathering in a group to wish each other well in the New Year. The group could be any special interest group, sporting, hobbies, musical, fellow workers, in fact anything at all. Then , there is Chuen Ming 春茗. It literally means Spring Tea. It is a luncheon or dinner celebration which is especially important for the business houses. The business people would entertain their clients, suppliers, bankers, associates etc. If you're a business man in the Chinese speaking world, you'd be flat out hosting and attending to the many functions. Of course special interest groups may also organise parties to welcome in the New Year, Our Chungshan Society Spring Banquet was a Spring Tea or Dinner occasion on Monday Feb. 23. We had several hundred attendees, just about everyone was from my home county except for the guests. It is a good feeling to circulate among the many people I know, mostly casual, over many, many years. This is Dr. Norman Hing. He, at 97 years of age, is a medico, Norman Hing and I actually have the same family name for his father was from my village. The Chinese always have the family name first, thus the misunderstanding. Norman Hing's father came out in the 19th. century. I first learnt of Norman was two or three years ago on a Chinese web site. He was accompanied to China by a well known Sydney Chinatown identity to seek out his ancestral village, my village. I always wanted to meet my fellow villager who was a trend setter in a way. I was pointed to him on the night. At 97 years of age, he has more teeth than me, and walks without an aid. faob.zsnews.cn/2012/04/28/1992775.shtml For my Chinese literate friends, this is the web page which attracted my attention. The building is the ancestral hall which has been through a major rebuild. I'll have a report on it one day More on Dr. Hing, seen here second from right. The trailblazer was born in Sydney 97 years ago. He is the first doctor of Chinese descend to graduate from the University of Sydney ( or was it Australia?). Other firsts include Dux of Fort Street Public School. first Chinese member of a prestige golf club and others I did not quite remember. He is my fellow villager and clan member though he barely knows our village or speaks the dialect at all. A fellow villager nevertheless. Norman Hing is with other major donors who established the Annual HSC ( Higher School Certificate) Youth Award. The award recognises young achievers in academic excellence, and 2015 is the inaugural year. Applicants for the generous prize and trophy must have one or both parents hailed or descended from our county. The winner for 2014 has one parent who is from our county Chungshan. I arrived a little late and missed a chance to buy raffle tickets. So, I sought the ticket seller out, and pulled out three tickets at random for $10. There were lots of prizes, I was quite happy to sit back and wait for the lesser prizes to be won. Then the big one was drawn while I was circulating among other guests. It was my wife who realised we have cracked the big one. It is return air ticket for two to Hong Kong or China. Yippee. The photo says in Chinese return ticket to Hong Kong, one in each envelope. It is for airfare only, we still have to meet the taxes and charges. Not a bad night out. Good thing I looked for the ticket seller.
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Post by lachinatown on Feb 27, 2015 13:04:18 GMT -5
You did good Douglas Lam. That's what you mean by 恭喜發財.
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