Chinese New Year is an annual celebration marking the start of the New Year according to the Chinese lunisolar calendar. Chinese New Year always holds in the months of January or February, and each Chinese New Year are represented by 1 of the 12 creatures of the Chinese Zodiac – 2012 is the year of the Dragon. Chinese New Year will be held on February 10, 2013 to February 12, 2013. Chinese New Year is also known as the Spring Festival, and in pre-modern times it would signal to farmers in China that they must begin preparation for the harvesting of their fields.
Qi Dongye and Lu Xianwen
" The Spring Festival was the product of an agrarian society. The people who were farmers would plant in spring, harvest in autumn, relax a little in summer and rest in winter. The seasons thus became a living cycle and the harvests were dependant on nature."
After Christmas each year, the Christmas decorations come down in all the malls, and are quickly replaced with Chinese New Year decorations of lanterns, cherry blossoms, orange-trees and lots of red color. In the lead-up to Chinese New Year distinct classical spring festival music is played in public places, most commonly the bowed stringed instrumental style.
The most important element of Chinese New Year is the reunion dinner which is held on the eve of the New Year. This is the time when all family members will come for a meal together in the parents or eldest brother’s home, or nowadays in restaurants as well. The reunion dinner spread is usually lavish, with multiple courses including dishes of chicken, pork and fish. In Cambodia, a dish called Chab Chhay is the first to be served. Chab Chhay, also known as the Prosperity Toss, is a teochew-style raw fish salad, and everyone at the table will help to mix this salad with their chop sticks – with lots of noise, laughter and smiles. The tradition is that the higher you toss the salad, the more your fortunes will grow in the New Year.
Gift giving is an important component of Chinese New Year in Cambodia, with the most common gift amongst family, colleagues and business contacts being boxes of oranges, or live orange trees. Ang-poh – little red packets with new currency notes inside – is given to children single adults and the elderly, and for children this is often the most exciting part of the celebration. A child with many uncles and aunties can potentially collect a lot of money from their ang-poh gifts.
The Chinese New Year festivities officially last for 15 days, culminating in Chap Goh Mei – meaning the 15th night. Chap Goh Mei is celebrated with a family meal, music, and decorations, similar to the reunion dinner.
In Cambodia, Chinese New Year is not provided into the official Cambodia Public Holiday Calendar, however most of Cambodia cannot be absent for Chinese New Year Celebration. For the working place which belongs to Chinese employer (such as factories, private company, etc...) they usually provide their employee to take the day off on Chinese New Year along with Gift Giving Ang-poh.
Every year Cambodia-Chinese always spend their Chinese New Year to visit Sieam Reap, Sihanouville (Kompong Som), Kirirom, Kbal Chhay, Bok Kor resort, Kampot, Koh Kong, Kep with their family, co-workers, and friends.
Cambodia-Chinese always believe Chinese New Year 2013; Black Snake Year will bring them with property, money, success and happiness in full year. Happy Chinese New Year!
