It’s party time in the Middle Kingdom. Well, er, no actually. May 28 brings the calendar around to the yearly Dragon Boat Festival, or duānwǔ jié (端午節).

Many cities in North America celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival, or the Tuen Ng Festival, as it’s known in Cantonese. My former Canadian city held dragon boat races each June, in which drunken and out-of-shape businessmen raced big boats on a local river. None of them knew what the races represented, except a reason to be publicly intoxicated, and risk drowning hoping to win a trophy.

Like most folk festivals, the roots of the Dragon Boat Festival are not particularly pleasant. In the days of yor (or China’s Warring States Period), lived Qu Yuan, a government minister with the Chu regime. He was a good man that wanted to maintain Chu’s sovereignty in the face of the Qin dynasty’s advances (Did you see Hero, with Jet Li? Same time period.)

Qu Yuan was cast out of court by jealous and corrupt ministers. Depressed by thinking about the future, he wandered the countryside composing poems from folktales. His works are still considered classics in Chinese literature.

After the Chu capital was captured by Qin forces in 278 BC, Qu Yuan grabbed a rock and walked into a local river to commit suicide, a protest against the excesses and corruption of the new Qin Kingdom.

There a few different stories as to what happened next.

The more heroic version has local villagers racing across the river in their boats, attempting to rescue Qu Yuan. Today’s dragon boat races commemorate the villagers efforts to save the poet.

In an alternate version, the villagers take to their boats, bang drums and throw food into the water to keep the fish from eating Qu Yuan’s body. The zongzi, a reed-wrapped rice dumpling, was the food used to prevent aquatic creatures from consuming Qu Yuan’s remains. Zongzi, the traditional festival food, is eaten each year during the celebrations.

Of course, just like Christian holidays (Christmas and Easter’s pagan roots), there is yet a third explanation. Scholars have discovered other festivals in China, celebrating the harvest of winter wheat, held about the same time each year as Qu Yuan’s protest. These agrarian festivals were held in areas that knew nothing of Qu Yuan or his final swim. Researchers speculate that the harvest festivals and Qu Yuan’s legacy merged.

This historic day was made a national holiday a 2008  government revamp of holidays. International Labor Day (May 1) used to be a three day holiday, which was usually extended to five days to stimulate tourism. It was a dandy break, exactly half-way through the school term. This was nixed, and three long weekends, one in April, May, and June were substituted. It’s a lot like Canada and her summer long weekends.

I’m always happy to have a day off, especially when it involves eating dumplings and listening to sad yet heroic old tales.
qu yuan image from: biografiasyvidas.com
dragonboatimage from: chinatownconnection.com
zongzi image from: china.org.cn

The rat, of the Chinese Zodiac

Happy Chinese New Year (almost)! Kung Hei Fat Choi!

or, Gongxi Facai! or, Xin Nian Kuai Le!

The Year of the Ox will begin January 26. Chinese people, and the Chinese diaspora will celebrate Lunar New Year, or Spring Festival, by returning home, eating lavish dinners, buying new clothes, and giving lucky money to children, parents, and unmarried friends.

Where does the Ox fit into this? What about the rest of the Chinese zodiac animals? As the Year of the Rat ends and the Year of the Ox begins do you wonder: Why is there a rat, a creature abhorred by most of civilization, in the Chinese zodiac? An ox? Hmmm…Let’s take a look.

Grab a cup of cocoa, put up your feet, and we’ll journey back to the days of yore. It started with a race, called by an immortal…

Once upon a time, the Jade Emperor (the Ruler of Heaven in the Taoist pantheon) held a race, calling all the animals to compete. The winners would be granted prestigious places in the Chinese zodiac. Many animals accepted the Emperor’s invitation, and as the racing commentators say, they were off!

The final obstacle in the race was a wide river. The ox, cat, and rat, the vanguard, arrived on the river bank. The cat and rat knew they couldn’t cross the river, they were the worst swimmers in the animal world.  They jumped on the back of the ox as he waded across. The ox, being a lovable lug (and somewhat naïve) agreed.

A traditional Chinese cat.

The cat and rat had a long-standing rivalry. The rat started to worry as they crossed the river on their bovine conveyance. He didn’t want to lose to his long time rival. In a fit of competitiveness, the rat pushed the cat off the ox, and into the river. The cat was swept away. (This explains two things: Why cats hate water, and why cats hate rats/mice. The cat never forgave the rat, and all cats still bear a grudge.)

The rat leapt off the ox as he struggled up the river bank, and finished the race. The Jade Emperor named him the first animal of the Chinese zodiac. The ox, a lovable lummox, finished second, and was granted second place in the zodiac.

Next, the tiger crossed the finish line. He apologized to the Jade Emperor. The current had been strong, and it was only his brute strength that allowed him to finish. Mr. Tiger was named the third animal.

A wet rabbit was fourth to cross the finish line. He thought he would win the race, he told the green God, but had fallen in the river while jumping from stone to stone. A piece of wood had saved him from drowning, and a gust of wind had brought him to shore.

Next: A Dragon. The Jade Emperor was mystified. How could a powerful flying creature finish fifth? He could fly across the river. The dragon explained that he had to stop along the way to make rain for a village in need. As he approached the finish line he spotted a rabbit in the river, clinging to a piece of wood. He helped the struggling rabbit to shore with his mighty breath. The Emperor was happy with the dragon’s benevolence, and he was named the fifth animal in the Chinese zodiac.

A horse arrived next, in a lather from his charging leap across the river. As he neared the finish line the snake, who had covertly hitched a ride on the horse’s leg, uncoiled. The horse, frightened by the serpent, reared and backed away. The snake crossed the finish line, the sixth animal. The horse, after recovering his wits, was the seventh animal to finish and be added to the zodiac.

A ram, a monkey and a rooster arrived at the far bank of the river. They couldn’t think of a way to get across. The rooster spotted a raft hidden along the river bank, and with the help of the monkey and the ram, cleared it of weeds and sailed across the river. The Jade Emperor was happy with the animals’ team work and named the ram the eighth animal, the monkey the ninth, and the rooster the tenth, in the zodiac cycle.

The dog of the Chinese Zodiac

Next came a wet dog (probably smelling like a typical wet dog, that odor being a constant since the beginning of time). He needed a bath, he explained to the Jade Emperor, and the river was the perfect opportunity to get clean. The clean canine was named the eleventh animal in the cycle.

The menagerie waited. And waited. And waited.

The Jade Emperor was about to call an end to the race and proceed with the eleven animals he had. The ensemble heard a shuffle and an oink. A pig crossed the finish line. He apologized. During the race he had become hungry and stopped to eat. After his meal he had fallen asleep.  Upon waking he finished the race. The pig was named the twelfth and last Chinese zodiac animal.

The cat, having struggled from the river after the rat’s skullduggery, finally arrived, too late to be included. He swore eternal revenge on the rat (and all rats) that had queered his chance to become part of the Chinese zodiac.

… and they lived happily ever after.

Of course, as with any myth, there is more than one story. The above tale is told with the Buddha substituted for the Jade Emperor. In an alternate version the Buddha called all the animals on his last day on earth, to say goodbye. Only twelve animals came, and he named a year after each of them.

In another version there is no race. The rat is given the task of inviting all the animasl to a banquet held by the Jade Emperor. The rat, given his long-standing feud with the cat, told the cat to arrive a day after the dinner. The cat, being tricked, swore revenge through the ages on rats.

Stories and fables: Behind every Chinese holiday is a fascinating myth to explain the festivities. Chinese Lunar New Year stories are no different those of Mid-Autumn Festival or the Dragon Boat Festival.

As you celebrate the arrival of the Year of the Ox keep in mind how the dim-witted creature, number two in the Chinese Zodiac, helped the Rat cross the finish line.

Happy Chinese New Year, almost. Kung Hei Fat Choi!

s

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Caught up in my own little reality, I forgot that November 11 was Remembrance Day in Canada. The day commemorates the end of The Great War, and is used to remember Canada’s men and women that died serving their country in times of war or as part of peacekeeping operations. At 11 am, two minutes of silence are observed to commemorate those that made the ultimate sacrifice.

When I was a reporter I spent time with veterans, at the cenotaphs as they remembered their fallen comrades. Listening to The Last Post played on the bagpipes while standing under overcast skies on a cold November morning has the power to gut you. It’s haunting and visceral: Melodic sorrow that cuts right to the bone.

I was perusing the images of Randall J. van der Woning, who has has photographically documented many of the Hong Kong battlefields of World War II. On seeing his work, I realized I had forgotten Remembrance Day, something I once told myself I would never do.

Two hundred and ninety Canadians, ill-equipped and trained, their ranks marred with illness, died in December 1942, attempting to defend Hong Kong from the Japanese (a further 254 died while PoWs). The Battle of Hong Kong saw the first Canadians to fight and die in World War II. Most are buried the Sai Wan War Cemetery in Chai Wan, on Hong Kong Island.

The quote on the monument is from Ecclesiasticus: Their name liveth for evermore. Their names still live - the Sai Wan War Cemetery isn’t a place many people visit, but the visitors book lists a name or two for each day. Visitors have to be determined, the cemetery is up a twisted mountain road, accessible by minibus or foot (if you are a semi-crazy former journalist.)

As long as there are visitors, as long as someone remembers, Their name liveth for evermore.

Flag waving in Tiananmen Square during the 2006 National Day celebrations. Photo by: People's Daily Online.

China’s National Day is upon us. October 1st will see the nation celebrate the founding of the People’s Republic of China. It’s a week-long holiday, the last of the year, with parades, gala television specials, and flags-a-waving.

Guóqìngjié (guo: country, qing: celebration, jie: day) or National Day turns Chinese cities and towns into a sea of red and yellow flags. Like the Spring Festival holiday (Chinese New Year) many people use the time off to travel home. My town will likely see 10 of the 12 million residents fly, bus, and train their way back to Hunan, Guangxi, Hubei, and Sichuan provinces. Like North America, businesses will offer sales ‘o plenty. Big box electronic stores will have more deals than you can shake a stick at.

China fought a 23 year civil war, much of it while trying to repel Japanese invaders during the second world war. The Kuomintang (KMT) and Communists forces battled across the nation in a conflict that left millions dead. After the Japanese surrender, the People’s Liberation Army was able to turn the tide against the nationalists, and push the remaining KMT forces into south China.

Mao Zedong proclaimed the People’s Republic of China on October 1, 1949 in Beijing. The KMT forces retreated to Taiwan, continuing the Republic of China and claiming the entire nation, in exile. There was no clear-cut resolution; no armistice has ever been signed in the conflict. Tensions have (and still do) flare over the issue. One KMT division, based in Burma (Myanmar) continued with a guerrilla campaign that lasted into the 1960s. (The Division eventually settled in northern Thailand. There is a Thai village, full of Chinese houses. The residents speak Yunanese, a Chinese dialect. It’s is on my list of places to visit when I return to Thailand.)

China’s National Day, Guóqìngjié, celebrates the birth of a nation.

Canada celebrates its independence, Canada Day, on July 1st. There’s flag waving in traditional understated Canadian style. If Canada had a Hockey Day there might be more intensity in the celebrations.

I’ll say that nations that fought for their freedom are more patriotic than those that have not. Example: America or China. They wave their flags and hold the deep-seated beliefs about their countries and lineage. Canada? I think the Dominion of Canada was created after a polite request to Queen Victoria. If it had been turned down there would not have been a revolt: No, not from reserved Canadians. They would have sent the Queen a thank you note, some beaver pelts, and tried again a few years later.

Happy Birthday China. Guóqìngjié kuai le.

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Asians around the world are preparing to celebrate Mid-Autumn Festival aka the Moon Festival. September 14 will be the date for the 2008 festivities. The festival is popular in China, Vietnam, Korea, and other east-Asia nations.

I’ve talked about other Chinese holidays (Seven-Seven and the Dragon Boat Festival). The Mid-Autumn Festival originates from a folktale about a rabbit, an archer and his beautiful wife, immortality, and celestial bodies.

This is no simple holiday, like Christmas. There’s no man in a red suit giving you presents. It’s complicated stuff; you need Cliff’s Notes to keep the characters straight. Luckily, dear reader, you have an intrepid journalist deep in the heart of (south) China, willing to go to any length to get the skinny on this fête.

…there was an immortal named Houyi, part of the court of the Jade Emperor, the King of Heaven. Before they wed, Houyi’s lovely wife Chang’e, had been an attendant to the Queen Mother of the West (the Emperor’s wife).

Houyi the archer and Chang'e the lady on the moon.

The immortals, probably because they had little else to do (and bowling had yet to be invented) liked to squabble. Houyi somehow aroused the other immortals’ jealousy. Being petty, they slandered Houyi before the Jade Emperor. He and Chang’e were banished from heaven. The couple lived upon the earth and hunted to survive. Houyi became a famous archer.

In the days of yor, 10 suns circled the earth, a different one each day. Then: Catastrophe. All 10 suns appeared in the sky the same day. The earth was a mess. Crops were scorched, people received nasty burns (SPF ratings, like bowling, had not been invented yet) and without the invention of electricity there wasn’t a cold Coke in sight.

China’s Emperor Yao commanded Houyi to shoot down nine of the 10 suns, lest The Middle Kingdom be destroyed. Houyi, skilled bow-and-arrow dude that he was, complied and shot the fiery balls of gas from the heavens. The Emperor was pleased and gave Houyi a pill that granted eternal life, but warned the archer to fast and reflect for one year before taking it.

At home, Houyi hid the pill in the rafters and started to prepare himself as instructed. Enter Chang’e. She noticed a beam of light from the rafters and discovered the pill. Houyi returned and she swallowed the pill to mask her discovery. He wasn’t pleased, and berated her for her transgression. The pill had given her the power to fly, and that she did, into the sky. Her husband chased her until a strong wind forced him to return to earth.

Chang’e ended up on the moon. her flying powers spent. She coughed and half the pill fell from her mouth. She lived with the Jade Rabbit, that according to Chinese mythology, resides on the moon.  The rabbit, an apothecary to the immortals, was put to work trying to replicate the second half of the pill so she could return to earth.

The Jade Rabbit, resident of the moon.

Aside: There are many explanations for the rabbit on the moon. Some versions say Chang’e took the rabbit with her, another says the rabbit was already in residence, having been given a place in the moon palace after sacrificing himself for three hungry sages.

Somehow, Houyi built himself a palace on the sun. Once a year, on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month - Mid-Autumn Festival - he visits his wife, thus explaining the moon’s brightness on this day. Houyi was the yang (male symbol) and Chang’e, the ying (female symbol).

Trying to decipher this tale is difficult. In one version Houyi is a tyrant that saves the world from the suns and then takes the throne. He has his court wizards prepare a elixir of immortality so he can be king forever. Chang’e doesn’t like her husband’s despotic rule and steals the elixir so he can’t lord over his subjects for eternity. Another tale is similar to the story of Pandora’s Box.

Mid-Autumn festival is the second most important Chinese Holiday (Spring Festival, or Chinese New Year being the first). It’s a time for family reunions and a celebration of the harvest.

The food of the festival is the Moon Cake: Lotus seed paste wrapped in a thin pastry. Egg yolks or salted eggs are often the center of the cakes. It is a heavy delicacy, often eaten in small portions with tea.

From Wikipedia:
Traditional mooncakes have an imprint on top consisting of the Chinese characters for “longevity” or “harmony” as well as the name of the bakery and filling in the moon cake. Imprints of a moon, a woman on the moon, flowers, vines, or a rabbit may surround the characters for additional decoration.

Mooncakes are expensive and considered a delicacy, and production is labor-intensive and few people make them at home. Most mooncakes are bought at Asian markets and bakeries. The price of mooncakes range from $10 to $50 (in US money).

The holiday can be traced back to 1060 BCE, to the Chinese Xia and Shang Dynasties. It was during the Tang Dynasty (5th to 8th centuries) that it became very popular. With the recent change in national holidays, Mid-Autumn festival is now a day off. Previously it was celebrated but not granted “day off” status.

What do people for Mid-Autumn festival? Simple: Go to a restaurant or someone’s home. Eat a big meal, drink, and consume moon cakes. A less-than-reliable website has a different idea, it lists the following as the activities engaged in:

A mooncake - the food of Mid-Autumn Festival.

• Eating moon cakes outside under the moon
• Putting pomelo rinds on one’s head
• Carrying brightly lit lanterns
• Burning incense in reverence to deities including Chang’e
• Planting Mid-Autumn trees
• Lighting lanterns on towers
• Fire Dragon Dances

I should be Wiki’s man on the ground. That list is not entirely correct.

Happy Mid-Autumn Festival. I’ll be thinking of you while eating moon cakes.

s

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What do I like about China? (other than low taxes, cheap beer, and the availability of fried chicken.)

The stories.

In a country with 5000 years of recorded history there’s a tale or two to be told. While the Europeans were living in caves, a movie character once memorably said, the Chinese were building cities and sailing the oceans.

I mentioned double happiness in a previous post and promised the whole story. Let us look back to the days of the Tang Dynasty (618 – 907 CE). The Tang Dynasty is considered a renaissance of sorts, the golden age of Chinese painting, poetry and architecture. So, without further adieu:

Once upon a time…

…there was a young man, a student, on his way to the capital to complete his final examinations. The best and brightest, the students with the most outstanding exam results, would become ministers in the emperor’s court. The young man fell ill while making his journey and was taken in by a family in a mountain village. Lucky for the lad, the head of the household was a doctor. The physician and his pretty daughter treated the ill scholar and he soon recovered.

The doctor’s daughter fell in love with the ill young man as she tended to him. He, likewise, fell for his pretty, young nurse. After regaining his strength, it was hard to say goodbye. The girl wrote the right hand portion of a Chinese couplet for the student to match.

Green trees against the sky in the spring rain while the sky set off the spring trees in the obscuration.

The boy was stymied and told the girl it would take time for him to write the second part of the couplet. He promised to do so after his examination.

The formerly-ill student set out again for the capital, wrote the examination, and won top spot. While being interviewed by the emperor the lad was tested again. Finish this couplet, the king told the scholar:

Red flowers dot the land in the breeze’s chase while the land colored up in red after the kiss.

The student realized the matching part of the emperor’s couplet, the right side, had been given to him by his love. He wrote it down and gave it to the ruler.

The emperor was pleased and appointed the young man as a minister in his court. He was given leave to visit his hometown before taking up his post. Love-struck as he was, the lad returned to the girl’s village and told her of the emperor, the couplet, and his new job.

The pair was married. Using red paper, they doubled the Chinese character, xi, and hung it on their wall to celebrate two events, double happiness for their wedding and the young man’s new job.

They probably lived happily ever after.

The Chinese character 喜 (xi, pronounced she) translates to: happy. The Double Happiness, symbol often used in calligraphy, is a pairing of the character xi (see images). It is commonly used at weddings, and in the homes of newlyweds as a decoration. (There are three still hanging in my apartment. The one on the door is useful in giving directions. ‘Look for the door with the big red thing on it,’ I say to would-be visitors).

The hong bao, the red envelopes containing money, given at weddings, often feature the double happiness symbol. The symbol is most often red, but sometimes black. It is never white, as that is the color of death, and used at funerals.

The inspiration for this came from Carrie at My Several Worlds and her great post on the Chinese Cinderella.