According to the Canberra Times, the bell of the Chinese Lunar New year is about to ring, and many Asian-American background families across Australia will gather here on this occasion of farewell to the past and welcome the new year, offering prayers to their ancestors, handing out red envelopes to each other, and going to a New year's Eve dinner together in a foreign country. Still maintain the traditional custom of holding the New year to welcome the New year. Canberra some Chinese families and Chinese early education centers are no exception.
"Spring Festival, don't miss big things."
Kong Yanmeng (first right in the front row) and his family. (photo by Canberra Times)
For Kong Yanmeng (Yen Meng Kong, who runs a Malaysian-style Chinese restaurant in Canberra, celebrating the Lunar New year is an important event. "We will clean up every place before the Spring Festival and prepare for the new year ahead of time. (New Year's Eve) on this day, we must not scold people, think about things in a good direction, do not quarrel with children, and be tolerant to others. "
Kong Yan dream family diaspora in Malaysia and Australia Canberra, Sydney, gold coast. However, during the Spring Festival, "the family will gather together for a reunion dinner to celebrate." "it's important that parents and elders hide red envelopes and gifts with lucky money under their pillows."
Kong Yanmeng also revealed that she and her family have travelled to China in recent years to "identify their ancestors and relegate" to explore their ancestral home and understand their way of life.
However, she admits that "in China, Spring Festival is the busiest day of the year." if you don't book a train ticket a month in advance, you won't be able to buy a ticket, and so will the ticket, "she said.
Hong Kong youth "holding a group" to celebrate the Spring Festival
Andy he, John Zhou and Arthur Choi will greet the year of the Pig together. (photo by the Canberra Times)
Andy (Andy Ho, (from Hong Kong), John Zhou (John Chow,) and Arthur Choi (Arthur Tsui, (from Hong Kong) will spend the Spring Festival in a foreign country this year.
"when we are in Hong Kong, we will have a reunion dinner with our loved ones, and we will sit around and enjoy traditional food." John, manager of Canberra's Chairman and Yip Restaurant, said: "at home, I make Chinese cakes-radish cakes or taro cakes-with my grandmother. It's a tradition in my family."
Although many colleagues take holidays during the Spring Festival, John, Andy and Arthur remain in the restaurant. The three young people from Hong Kong met at university.
"since I went to (ANU) at Australian National University, I haven't been able to go home for the New year. But I will bring all my friends and classmates together to play mahjong and sing karaoke OK. No one wants to spend the Spring Festival alone. " John said, "at the restaurant, we also get together to chat and have an employee meal." There will be some specialties, but (the number of dishes) must be even. "
"at the New year's dinner, we must have fish and chicken, especially fish. 'fish' stands for 'more than one year' in Chinese, and it brings good luck." Arthur said.
"Spring Festival, a link to the country of origin."
The Ixiao family. (photo by Canberra Times)
(Xiao Yi, 55, will greet the year of the Pig in Canberra with her children and parents. For Yi Xiao, there is no doubt that the family is the first, which is the common value of many Chinese Australians.
"during the Spring Festival, we will have dinner together, buy new clothes, clean the house and write Chinese poetry."
Although Yi Xiao moved to Canberra as early as 1994, she still looks forward to the Spring Festival, which she sees as a link to the past and to her ancestral country.
Chinese early Education Center welcomes the Spring Festival
Amy Mao (Amy Mao) is with the child. (Canberra Times photo)
At a Chinese early education center in (Mawson), three months to five-year-olds sing traditional songs and participate in dumplings and other activities during the Spring Festival.
Bao Qin (Qin Bao, director of the Center for early Education, said it was important to teach children a long tradition in China from an early age. "Spring Festival is one of our central (inherited) cultures, we will teach children the origin of the story of the New year, and will teach them to make traditional dumplings in recipes that have been inherited for thousands of years. Parents will come and pack with them. "
Family-oriented Bao Qin, every year very happy to witness this moment. In China, Spring Festival is very important. Even if people are far from home, they have to go home. They have to join their families for a reunion dinner when they say goodbye to the old and welcome the new. "
"many of us are away from our families or busy at work. This is a good time for us to visit our grandparents and now it's time for us to thank our elders."