This weekend will mark the start of celebrations to mark this year’s Lunar New Year. For many millions of Asians and diaspora people around the globe It marks the close of the Zodiac Year of the Tiger. Also, it ushers in the Year of the Rabbit or Cat (if you reside somewhere in Vietnam). For the first couple of days when commercial activity can be reduced or stopped as people return home to their families. Many of the workers who are migrant in China, it is typically their sole chance to travel back home throughout the calendar year. This celebration is deeply rooted in the tradition of Chinese, and focuses on the family bonding.
Daniel Lee Lih Wei is a resident of China-Malaysia who, at the age of the 57th year, has a leadership job at Sunway University’s research. He explains that he wants his children to be able to comprehend and appreciate the many cultures and history we share and the ways they can incorporate them into their future. It’s all about giving their children the same kind of attention as I did when it comes to my family, food, reflection and looking forward.
Lee Lih Wei, a reminder from the days of his childhood, is insistent that the children of his, aged 4 and 1, should share the same goals. They would like to play with fireworks, eat cookies and watching traditional dancing lions. These lavish, colourful spectacles are practiced across every country in the lead-up to New Years. They’re believed to bring luck and wealth. In order to fully immerse himself and his family in the festivities, Lee Lih Wei has taken a full week off of work everyone is dressed in matching shades of red while they get together with family members during two days.
This year, Wen Xu was unable in her attempt to travel back home in the tiniest Anhui county due to Covidlimitations. However, now the -year-old can make her way to Hong Kong, where she has recently relocated to become a journalist. This would not have been an option just two months ago, because of China’s administration ceasing its zero-Covid policy in December, Xu will be one of hundreds of millions of citizens who will trips to China for Lunar New Year. Lee Lih Wei says that his family members have been invited to lunch by Lee Lih Wei and his family for dinner.
Xu could not contain her excitement in the excitement of being able to come back home. She informed that for New Year’s Eve, her uncle, aunt and cousins will be arriving from a town nearby to meet them for a celebration and visit with the traditional dinner for family members, which is steamed pork with rice flour as well as bone broth. It was for a relaxing activities, with studying new books, and meeting on with her sister who was recently back from Canada. Also, Xu intended to record her mom while cooking the classic Chinese healthy food called Ejiao. Having grown up together, Xu and her cousin were eagerly anticipating the upcoming reunion.
The past Year of the Tiger was productive for Xu, professionally; yet less so in relation. To commemorate the Lunar New Year, Xu was able to get together with her cousin and share the traditional meal. Then , they raced upstairs to look over the cash in red envelopes that their relatives who were elderly had given as presents. Even though they’ve aged and are no longer receiving the red envelopes. Xu admits that she feels a feeling of sadness this year due to the fact that her father with Covid- must be left alone and excluded of having the chance to dine with their dinner table. She is hoping for the next one to bring her closer.
Summary
The weekend ended with many trips down the memory lane and discussions regarding the future for Xu along with her family. It was not a problem for the pandemic to stop them from enjoying their customary family reunion. They were able to look through the years and anticipate what was to be. Traditional dishes consisting of bones and rice flour brought back memories of their culinary tradition while Xu’s idea to capture her mother’s voice made it possible to keep an important part of their culture alive for the next generation. In the end, regardless of external influences that were at play, the greatest joy was in reconnecting to family members, both familiar and unfamiliar.
