Traditional Chinese New Year practices (2)

(Continuing from yesterday...)

4) The eating of yee sang: A raw fish (preferably salmon these days) dish whose ingredients is meant to be tossed in the air and mixed up, yee sang (which literally translates as "fish toss"!) appears to be one of those Chinese dishes -- another of these is the simply delicious pork bone "tea" or soup known by its Hokkien name of bak kut teh -- that actually is indigeneous to Malaysia rather than China.

Although it's officially meant to be eaten only on the seventh day of Chinese New Year, Malaysians are likely to eat it any time during or even in the few weeks preceding the Chinese New Year period. Also, the use of the term Malaysians in the previous sentence is not accidental, as yee sang (a particularly large example of which can be seen here) is a halal dish that's enjoyed by many Malaysians who are not ethnic Chinese as well as those that are. :)

5) The eating of "steamboat" (AKA "hot pot"): Strictly speaking, this is a tradition that's observed on Chinese New Year eve rather than Chinese New Year itself. But, especially since my return to Malaysia, I've come to think of the gathering together of family -- and, in some cases, friends -- to eat this piping hot dish that has been described as the Chinese equivalent of fondue as the event that starts of each year's Chinese New Year celebrations.

At the same time, like the Singaporean blogger of Foodie Paradise, I have to admit to failing to understand the rationale behind eating "steamboat" in tropical or equatorial climes. (And this especially when my ancestors hail from a southern -- and consequently warm -- region of China.) Still, I can't help but find this culinary concoction which looks to have origins in a colder part of the world to be very tasty and thus worth sweating copiously for! ;)

6) The giving or receiving of lucky red packets (of money!): The traditional Chinese New Year practice that's dreaded by married folks -- especially those who are childless -- since tradition dictates that they are the givers, and looked forward to by young children and similarly unmarried individuals on account of their being the designated receivers! Re the former: This is so much so that some married couples have been known to go away and holiday in far away places where they're unlikely to meet their relatives, friends and/or other Chinese in order to avoid -- or at least minimize -- their festive ang pow giving! ;)

On a more serious note, the practice of giving ang pow (which literally translates as "red packets") in Hokkien -- and the similar sounding hong bao or lai see in Cantonese -- is fraught with superstition. For example, it's a major no-no to use old bank notes as well as to give odd numbered amounts of money. Consequently, it's not just the giver having given insufficient monetary sum that can be responsible for their incurring an ang pow receiver's ire during Chinese New Year!

7) Watching a Chinese New Year movie (Yes, really!): As many a Hong Kong film fan knows, certain movies are made which are not only timed to be screened during the Chinese New Year period but, also, adhere to certain Chinese New Year movie conventions. With regard to the latter: Suffice to say that Chinese New Year movies tend to be on the light(-hearted) , rib-tickling and star-studded side. ;)

In 2007, there appear to be three (made for) Chinese New Year movies jostling for attention and business. Twins Mission is an action-adventure-comedy starring -- you guessed it -- da Twins (i.e., Gillian Chung and Charlene Choi to the uninitated) along with Sammo Hung, Wu Jing and Yuen Wah.

And although it appears to be on the dark side for a bona fide Chinese New Year movie, Protege, a star-studded thriller directed by Derek Yee and starring Andy Lau, Louis Koo, Daniel Wu and -- yes, really! -- Anita Yuen, is scheduled for release during this Chinese New Year period. Still, the one film which actually will open in Malaysian cinemas on the first day of Chinese New Year itself is Lady Iron Chef, a cooking adventure movie(?) starring Charmaine Sheh and Hacken Lee.

As for those Hong Kong movie fans dwelling in territories with zero chance of these movies appearing in your local theatre: Please don't despair and gnash your teeth too much! Rather, should you wish to get into the Chinese New Year (movie-viewing) spirit, here's going ahead and letting you know that the following are festive cinematic gems of years past which I think are worth hunting down and viewing (and should you already have, re-viewing): Fantasia; Fat Choi Spirit; The Chinese Feast; Stephen Chow's King of Comedy; Now You See Love...Now You Don't; Wu Yen; and, last but by no means least, The Eagle Shooting Heroes! :)