Mooncake Festival

Though Moon Cake day falls on 14 Sept, the restaurants and bakeries have already started selling them. Every year you will see new design packaging, this year I haven’t seen any that impressed me yet but there will be more coming. As for me I have sunk my teeth on the first Moon Cake already and of course it is the Lotus Paste with Double Yolk by Tai Thong restaurant. To get into the spirit of the celebration, would like to share the story of The Lady on the Moon… enjoy and let me know your comment!

The Story of the Lady on the Moon

One day, the Jade Emperor (who is often busy working on other things) failed to attend to his 10 sons, allowing them to become rambunctious and boastful. They had transformed themselves into 10 suns in the sky to reflect their inner radiance, but in their self-absorption failed to see that they were burning the earth and everyone on it.

The people were desperate, and called for the famous archer, Hou Yi. He took his bow and his best arrows and shot down nine of the suns — sparing the earth, but killing the sons of the Jade Emperor.

As a reward for his service to humanity, the king granted Hou Yi a powerful boon: the elixir of immortality.

Now, there are two versions of what happened next. It might be that Hou Yi became proud and cruel, made himself a new king and would have stayed a cruel and proud king forever unless Chang-Er did something to stop him. Or it may be that Chang-Er became too curious and too vain, refused to wait for her husband to share the elixir — he had gotten two doses, after all — and crept into his room, unlocked the chest where the elixir was kept and stole it all for herself.

Either way, what happened next is clear. She swallowed the elixir. But, alas, it was too strong for one person! She was so filled with the power of life that she began to rise up into the heavens! She rose higher and higher until she eventually landed on the moon. And there she stays to this day.

Some people say she misses her husband terribly and regrets her hasty decision. Those people also say that today, the 15th day of the 8th month on the lunar calendar, is the one day when the Jade Emperor allows her to descend to earth so she and Hou Yi can be together. But other people say she’s glad to be apart from her terrifying husband, but sorry she’s forever imprisoned on the moon with nothing but her mirror for companionship. Those people also say the Jade Emperor took pity on her, and put a Jade Rabbit on the moon to keep her company. The rabbit stays busy up there, working a mortar and pestle to pound out medicines — including fresh doses of the elixir of immortality. Maybe some day, he’ll create an antidote that will allow Chang-Er to descend safely back to earth.

Lucky Charmer Scampers In

By ANDREW SIA

Taken from www.thestar.com.my

Around this time every year, a certain animal zodiac sign gets the spotlight. This year is no different: Ladies and gentlemen, we present the Rat.

THE cunning rat, as folklore tells it, made it to become the first animal of the Chinese horoscope by piggy backing on another animal’s efforts.

What happened was the legendary Jade Emperor invited 12 animals to participate in a race across a river to determine their positions on the Chinese calendar.

A Filipino kissing his pet rat in a Manila church during the annual feast of St Francis. Pets are blessed then to promote love for all living things.

However, the rat used brain rather than brawn – he hitched a ride on what it perceived was the mightiest swimmer. Just before the buffalo reached the other bank, the rat jumped off the buffalo’s back and crossed the finish line ahead of the poor puffing beast.

An interesting footnote here, according to chineseastrologyonline.com, is that the cat was one of the original 12 participants. So why is it missing from the Chinese calendar? Well, that ratty fellow told the cat that the race would be held at another time. When the cat failed to show up for the race, the Jade Emperor sent his official to earth to grab the first animal that he saw – which happened to be a pig being carried to market by a farmer. When the cat eventually realised that it had been tricked out of celestial fame, it swore to go rat hunting forever….

This story also reflects the luck of people born in the Year of the Rat. Dr Christopher Lau, an expert lecturer/author from Global Fengshui Net Sdn Bhd, who accurately predicted that our stock market would hit record highs in 2007, says that a rat has “selfless people” around him to help his career along. Does that sound like the buffalo?

The rat is regarded as a symbol of good luck and wealth in China and Japan. According to chinese.astrology.com, it is respected for its quick wits, stylishness and charming exterior.

“However, behind that sweet smile, a rat is a keen and unapologetic promoter of its own agenda,” notes the website. Ahem… that seems like how that rodent got first place in the Chinese calendar!

Monetary greed can become a problem if the rat isn’t careful. But if it often hoards, a rat can also be very generous to those in their pack, namely friends and family members who have proven their loyalty. It can also be quick-tempered and sharp-tongued, something that people will quickly learn to love or hate.

The rat’s keen mind always seeks out new knowledge, to be stored away for future use. If boredom sets in the rat is no fun at all, but then again, it usually knows how to keep itself entertained.

The website adds, “A valuable lesson for the rat is to learn to consider others above themselves, at least sometimes. (In doing so), the rat might well find true happiness.”

Mouse dolls are the rage in Hong Kong as markets sell all sorts of rodent-themed items and souvenirs for the coming Year of the Rat

Global Fengshui’s Lau has similar views. A rat is sociable, makes friends easily and is highly persistent. However, for the coming year, he is advised to “be sincere” in everything he does so that it will be reciprocated.

Now, doesn’t this all sound exactly like Templeton, the rat in the movie Charlotte’s Web, whose mean spirit is in sharp contrast to Wilbur, the piglet with the heart of gold? Yet, in the end, the rat overcomes his own selfishness for the greater happiness of all.

A fascinating piece of Chinese folklore involving the creature is the “Rats’ Wedding Day”. In his book, Rat, Kwok Man-ho recounts that once upon a time in China, on a peaceful night at the Wah Chiu family home, the father suddenly heard strange noises coming from a room that had been locked for years. When he peered in, he saw an amazing sight – a traditional marriage procession of rats, dressed in fine robes.

A few days later, a Taoist priest came by and told the father that the house had an evil spirit and needed to be cleansed. When the priest was done, he told the father that he must leave out food and drink to thank the household god. However, the father ignored the priest’s advice and the very next day, the house was overrun by rats, driving the family out.

In another book, Chinese Creeds and Customs, by V.R. Burkhardt, it is added that the 19th day of the first month of the lunar calendar is thus observed in some Chinese households as the “Rats’ Wedding Day”. Everyone goes to bed early so as not to disturb the revels of their four-footed tenants. An offering is put out to induce the more benevolent rodents to exercise restraint over their more unruly brothers, and to moderate their appetites during the year.

If a very large rat takes up residence in a house, it is treated as an honoured guest, for this is the Money Rat which will attract wealth, more than compensating for his board and lodging.

Paintings of a rat’s wedding procession were traditionally hung up at home during Chinese New Year, notes the book, Mooncakes and Hungry Ghosts: Festivals of China. These would often feature a charming rat bride and groom accompanied by musicians, lantern-bearers, gong-beaters and palanquin carriers. If the rat’s wedding went undisturbed, it was believed that the grateful rats would leave the humans alone for the rest of the year.

What about rats in real life? Are they in any way associated with their Chinese horoscope characteristics?

Take “single-minded get-ahead instincts”. The brown rat (Rattus norvegicus) is, according to the BBC website, the “most widespread terrestrial mammal” on earth. They originated in the grasslands of China, spread to Europe and eventually, via ships, to the Americas. They are now so common that they are found everywhere from sewers, to laboratories and even homes, where they are kept as pets!

Then there is the Polynesian Rat, or Pacific Rat (Rattus exulans). This fellow is incapable of swimming long distances yet it managed to spread from its home in South-East Asia to as far as Hawaii, Fiji and even Easter Island. They accomplished this by hitching rides, no, not on the back of cosmic Chinese buffaloes, but inside the paddle-driven canoes of Polynesians as they migrated eastwards.

While the celestial rat constantly seeks out knowledge to chew on, the earthly rat incessantly seeks out food. Polynesian rats are omnivorous, eating insects, centipedes, spiders, worms, snails, fruit, seeds, leaves, roots and sometimes even lizards and birds. They are considered as pests in this region, as they feed on sugar cane, coconuts, cocoa and other crops.

The global “success story” of the rats has been due to their extraordinary ability to adapt to different environments, and by riding on hard-working “buffaloes” – humans who conquered the earth while throwing away everything from caveman food scraps to half-eaten mee goreng.

Rats aren’t just good at going forth and multiplying. They are really clever – just as the Chinese horoscope make them out to be.

Lab rats, for example, have proved valuable in psychological studies of learning and other mental processes. The researchers, Foote, Allison and Jonathon, noted last year in the journal Current Biology that rats actually possess “metacognition”, a mental ability previously only found in humans and some primates.

For animals, metacognition is a quantum leap in intellectual capabilities as it involves “thinking about thinking”. This means developing a plan before action (“What should I do?”), monitoring the plan during execution (“Am I on the right track?) and even evaluating the plan after (“How can I improve?”).

So the rat is clever. In fact, it has been brilliant in seeking out profitable alliances. But perhaps it’s not all selfishness? After all, thousands of rats have “sacrificed” their lives for medical research. As for live rats, the Chinese horoscope does point out that it is generous to its friends. And that’s precisely why rat lovers think that it makes an ideal pet.
“Rats are extremely social! What does this mean for you? Love, love, and more love! They will absolutely beg to be with you. The more time you spend with them, the closer your bond will grow with them. You will be showered with affection!” advocates the website, rattyrat.com

And due to their intelligence, they can be taught tricks and they love games. They are also adorable in riding on your shoulder, grooming you, yawning, hopping around, playing tag and more.

What about that plague stuff? And their reputation as vermin?

After all, in the West, the rat is reviled as a filthy disease carrier, the worst of which was the bubonic plague or Black Death which wiped out some 50 million Europeans in the 14th century. An anti-rat bias has entered the English language. For example, a high-powered lawyer might be “ratted upon” by his own brother about allegedly buying houses and handphones for judges. And people watching the whole proceedings may even “smell a rat”.

Despite all that, it’s not really the critters’ fault. For one, the poor rats were merely unwitting carriers of plague-causing fleas, and they themselves also succumbed to the disease. Secondly, who asked us humans to leave all that food lying around? Besides, they can be domesticated, litter trained and end up as extremely clean animals, grooming themselves more frequently than cats.

“Rats love to please. They can easily learn your schedule. Many people feel their personality is like that of a dog, and many people refer to their rats as pocket puppies,” enthuses rattyrat.com

So there we have it: Clever, cunning, charming, ambitious, gluttonous, adorable and loyal. That’s the Rat – whether animal or human!.

Knots of Goodwill

Story and pictures by GRACE CHEN
Taken from www.thestar.com.my

The art of knotting serves to bring across messages of well-being, good luck, longevity and harmony.

 
Abundance: Goldfish indicates bountiful incomings

Knot tying goes beyond the functional aspect and takes an ornamental role in conveying messages of goodwill during Chinese New Year.

The 58-year-old Chinese national, who has 20 years of experience in dealing with Chinese folk arts and crafts, says that he has chosen this ‘knotty’ theme for his sixth trade visit to Malaysia because the art of Chinese knotting holds a special charm.

In explaining the functional and practical importance of knotting in Chinese society, Zhou says that it was once the basis for written and symbolic communication.

The Chinese not only employed the use of knots to fasten and secure but also as a method of record keeping and a symbolic representation of meaningful historical events that occurred over time.

A large knot for example, signifies an important event. A small knot may act as a reminder for a minor errand.

Knots are also used to signify feelings of love and longing. Endless and repetitive knot patterns may symbolise the cyclical nature of all existence and incorporated loops are interpreted to symbolise trouble-free transactions.

Safe passage: The replica jade acts as a safety button while the colourful threads signify a full and interesting life.

In essence, the art of knotting serves to bring across messages of well-being, good luck, health, longevity and harmony.

Giving examples of the types of knots used, Zhou says that in addition to the cross knot, ring hitch and the Chinese lanyard knot, the most popular style is the plum blossom knot which is the most widely used in this art form.

“In the basic art of Chinese knotting, there are 10 basic types of different knots used by the artists to create over 100 patterns ranging from flowers, animals and other auspicious shapes.

“Over time, different artists have come up with their own styles of knotting and this is a reflection of their ingenuity in coming up with new knotting styles to suit modern tastes,” says Zhou.

To make the patterns interesting, other ornaments such as bells and replicas of gold ingots are also incorporated into a piece of knot work. This is to signify wealth and prosperity.

The ones with goldfish motifs carry meanings of a bountiful year, while those with replica jade circles are meant to be safety charms.

Colourful designs also ensure the owners of these knot patterns a rich and interesting year ahead and those imbued with gold threads are thought to represent harmony.

These handicrafts can mostly be seen as decorative items at home or where the safety charms are concerned, hanging from the rear-view mirrors of cars.

Speaking from experience, Zhou says that the art of knotting is an exercise of an artist’s dexterity and precision.

Apt gifts: For those not eligible to give out ang pows, these good luck tassels can make up for it.

“The beginning of a rope pattern will always start with a loop and finish with two open ends which are usually capped with a tassel.

“Mind that for one pattern, only one rope is used. So, let’s say if the series of knot work comes to a length of 15cm, the artist will have to work with two sides of a rope, each reaching up to 1m in length. For larger knot patterns, rope lengths may exceed 1km, depending on how intricate the patterns are.

“So, you can imagine all the pulling involved as the artist is weaving the pattern into shape,” says Zhou.

Ironically, while an artist is working the knots into place, he must also deal with the problem of unwanted knots in the slack parts of the rope.

According to Zhou, this is where skill and experience comes in, especially when it comes to estimating how much of rope is needed for a particular pattern.

Of course, there is always a solution in joining more rope to the work but that will spoil the continuity in the pattern, he surmises.

For the superstitious, running out of rope while making a knot pattern may be seen as a bad omen and this means that the goodwill messages conveyed in the pattern may have lost its edge.

Taken from www.thestar.com.my

In Good Favour

By CHAN LI LEEN
Photo by LEW YONG KAN
Taken from www.thestar.com.my

The traditional method of making nian gao, or kuih bakul, is in some ways like a “silent movie” that stretches over three whole days and nights.

It is believed that those making the sticky cake, customarily offered to the Kitchen God to seal his mouth from giving any unfavourable reports at Chinese New Year, may accidentally utter offending remarks if they spoke during the process.

“It is best not to say anything in case the nian gao feels ‘offended’ and turns out half-cooked or just totally bad,” explains housewife Ng Siew Lan.

Sweet industry: Ng Siew Lan and her husband, Chen Shu You, stacking up tin cans filled with nian gao mixture into a giant wok to steam at their home in Kampung Tawas, Ipoh.

Having experienced it first hand, this third generation maker of nian gao from Kampung Tawas, Ipoh, swears the belief is true.

“I’ve learnt from my lesson and go through the important steps only in the wee hours of the morning,” says Ng, who as a young girl had acquired the skill of making nian gao from her father and later her mother-in-law.

Unlike many who have since sacrificed tradition for modern processes for the sake of convenience, Ng faithfully abides by each step the old-fashioned way.

“The proof of the cake is in its making. It is more aromatic and far better tasting,” the 56-year-old vouches.

Rather than buy ready-to-use flour from the shops, she makes it from scratch using glutinous rice.

“The glutinous rice has to be soaked for over 10 hours before being grounded into a powdery paste and then left with a heavy object pressing on it for an entire day to drain out the water,” she says.

When ready, Ng patiently kneads the lump of dough with only coarse sugar until it eventually turns into a mixture some three gruelling hours later.

The mixture, with its texture like condensed milk, is poured into tin cans that are lined with smoked banana leaves and then transferred into a giant wok.

“I steam it over slow wood fire for 24 hours until its milky white colour turns golden brown.

“Slowly steaming it helps to draw out the aroma and gives it a more sticky texture,” says Ng.

It is then left to cool and harden for two to three hours.

The auspicious-sounding nian gao signifies one’s status rising year by year and is a must-have for the family altar or as gifts during the lunar festival.

Chinese belief has it that the Kitchen God returns to heaven to report on each family’s behaviour in the previous year.

It has, therefore, become customary to serve nian gao to the Kitchen God who, with his mouth full of the sticky cake, would not be able to give an unfavourable report.

Taken from www.thestar.com.my

Limelight on the Rat

 

   

WITH the exception of Mickey Mouse and the adorable Jerry from the Tom & Jerry cartoon, rodents – rats, particularly, – are a rare find on anyone’s favourite list.From the days of old, these animals have been commonly and understandably viewed as pests, no thanks to the trail of domestic and health-related destruction they leave in their wake.While in reality, the rat is looked upon with distaste, literature and the silver screen, ironically, paints a more endearing picture of these animals.Kenneth Grahame’s The Wind in the Willows, Tor Seidler’s A Rat’s Tale and Steven Spielberg’s animation direction of The American Tail are examples of works that more often than not stirred heart-warming feelings.Despite the mixed responses of disgust and affection that they inspire, rodents have been kept as pets from as early as the late 19th century.According to a number of pet storeowners and managers, there is a market out there for rodents, as the animals are sociable, intelligent and easy to keep.“Rodents, particularly those more similar to the rat species, are actually quite well-received especially among teenagers and the younger ones,” Pets Wonderland Mid Valley branch manager Dr Wong Won Hong said.These rodents include the various species of hamsters, guinea pigs and mice, as well as gerbils.And, this being the Year of the Rat, an increased demand for rodents as domestic pets is expected.To meet the expected demand, pet stores are also increasing the quantity and variety of rodents, and giving special discounts and promotions.Pets Wonderland will be giving away a pair of mice with every purchase of a starter kit that comprises food, bedding and cage.“Customers get either a pair of satin mice, Syrian long-haired hamster, dwarf hamster or Roborovskii hamster,” Wong said.He said that the promotional package costs RM108.80 or RM138.80.Petsmore.com will be giving away discounts from 10% to 20% on accessories to its members with every purchase of a rodent, in all its store branches.“We are expecting an increase in the sale of rodents during the two weeks before and after Chinese New Year, because that’s when the youngsters have received their ang pow money,” Petsmore.com retail manager Sean Saw said.This practice of having promotions to coincide with the zodiac year is not a new one.“We always try to have some kind of promotion to mark the new zodiac year whenever possible,” Saw said.According to Jusco Home Centre Pet House manager Daniel Lee, although the store will not be selling imported and more exotic species of rodents this year, there will be a special promotional discount on white mice and various types of hamsters.“Hamsters are going at only RM15 each and white mice cost RM3 each,” Lee said.Although pet stores expect a demand, a chat with a few pet store visitors revealed mixed responses.“I’ve always wanted a winter pearl hamster, but my mother doesn’t agree. I’m giving it more thought this year,” Winnie Lim, 22, said.While his girlfriend is not too keen, Ian Heng, 25, is quite interested in keeping rodents as pets.“They’re quite cute, but I’m not too sure if I can keep them, what with work commitments and all,” he said.David Tong, 29, will never keep a rodent as a pet, Year of the Rat or not.“I don’t like rats, and because the Year of Rat does not really hold a significance for me, I’m not going to change my sentiments,” he said

By VIVIENNE PAL

www.thestar.com.my

Amulets Fashion Accessories for the Chinese New Year

     

Feast your eyes on this auspicious jade bracelets for the Chinese New Year… write-up on the significance coming soon! 

Interesting Chinese New Year Cards

 

I found some interesting Chinese New Year cards. As this year is the year of the rat, the first card had a rat that looks like a computer mouse and a spiralling tail that connects the cover to the inside page. Creative! The second picture features very intricate paper cutting designs of flowers, the rat and red Chinese imperial door complete with gold knockers! 

Gifts for Chinese New Year

      

One of the best gifts to bring to your friends during Chinese New Year is the Mandarin oranges, “Kum” in Cantonese means gold, so it signifies bringing gold to your friends and wishing them prosperity for the year. You can present the Mandarin oranges in attractive traditional hand-painted bamboo basket.  It should always be accompanied by the red packet, the traditional “hong bao” which contains money. More about Chinese New Year in my next blog. 

The first signs of the advent of Chinese New Year

         

Chinese New Year is around the corner, 7 February, which is just 3 weeks away. In Malaysia the first sign of Chinese New Year is when you walk into the shopping malls on 26 December, the day after Christmas and hear the Chinese New Year songs playing in the pipe-in music. It immediately gets you in the mood.

The first place I went was to the flower nursery, to choose the auspicious Chinese New Year plants, before the good ones ran out of stock. Of course it gets cheaper nearing the date but I want the best! You can read all about the plants and the significance in my last blog. I went to my regular nursery in Sungai Buluh, and got myself a dragon pussywillow, which is the latest plant this year. I love this tree because it is alive compared to the standard option which is quite “fake” to me. They made them colourful by soaking the cut stem into coloured liquid, thus the red and yellow pussywillow. I also grabbed the 2 best looking bamboo shoot plant shaped into flower vase. This vase signifies the golden urn where all the prosperity and good luck will be attracted to flow into the urn be kept in. I have to make sure I keep the mouth of the vase open. The next day, I marched back to the next shop to get the must-have plant, the lime plant. The happy colour orange is the colour of gold, thus signifies the tree of gold and prosperity. You can see in the picture the bamboo plant that looks like lotus flower. To quench your curiousity, notice the picture of the sprout growing from the golden egg, it is the lucky egg! You buy the golden egg, chip off the top shell, water it for a few days, and it will sprout. And in anticipation, there will be 4 digit lucky number on the sprout, and for the 4-digit punters out there, they will know what to do!

New plants for Chinese New Year

   

PLANTS are symbols of life and growth. For the Chinese, it is a must to have plants decorating their houses and gardens during the Chinese New Year celebration.  Some of the popular plants are, among others, bamboo shoots, lime trees, cherry blossoms and plum blossoms.   Apart from decorative purposes, each of them carries a special connotation that is usually synonymous with good health, longevity, good fortune, abundance of wealth, business growth and career successes.  Shopping for plants for next month’s Chinese New Year celebration will be more exciting and fun as there are many new choices, some quite out of the ordinary.  At the flower bazaar at the NZX Commercial Centre in Ara Damansara, lime fruit almost as big as pomelos are the big attraction among the shoppers.   “People like to buy these big lime trees as they are very special. Our lime trees are available in different styles. There are the one-tier, three-tier and also eight-tier ones,” Phoenix Ocean marketing director Eric Hong said.   Another newcomer is the dragon pussywillow that comes planted in pots, in contrast to the normal ones that come in vases without soil.  According to Hong, the Chinese love the new pussywillow as it is “alive” and will grow leaves, symbolising growth in many aspects in life.  The Bromeliad (pineapple or “ong lai” flower) in red, purple and yellow is another popular plant since it represents the arrival of fortune. “Ong lai” in Hockkien means “Fortune comes”.  “The plants here are not only suitable for decorating houses and offices; they make great gifts as well,” Hong said.  According to Hong, even non-Chinese purchase the plants because of their vibrancy and uniqueness.  Also available at the bazaar are the bamboo shoots, “change-your-luck” bamboos, bonsai, crystal soil, pussywillows, vases, plastic plants, decorative items and garden fountains.  The bamboo is very popular as a symbol of life, longevity and strength. It stays firmly rooted even in the face of fierce winds. For the Hokkiens, the bamboo plants represent their shelter from the evil demons that terrorised their ancestors during an ancient dark evil era.  The imported plants come from China and Taiwan while the homegrown ones are from Cameron Highlands.  “I will have cherry blossoms, tulips, chrysanthemums and more,” Hong said.   The bazaar, opened since Jan 1, is open from 10am till 11pm daily until the 15th day of Chinese New Year.   For more information, call 016-841 7887 (Jason) or 016-332 2322 (Melvin).  

By THO XIN YI  www.thestar.com.my Saturday January 12, 2008