新年快乐 !!

It’s 6 pm. I walk out of my home and onto my busy street. Well, my usually busy street. But it was empty. NO people, no cars, no bicycles. Eerily quiet. Then I hear it- sounds of… explosions?? Then louder- like gun shots. I turn the corner and boom pow lights flashes bang boom kapow! Smoke rising up from the ashes. Piles of burning debris line the sidewalks. Is there a war I missed? What’s going on?

        

Oh wait- it’s just Chinese New Year!!

Last year, I was in Thailand for Chinese New Year, or Spring Festival as it translates from Mandarin. I never experienced a city of 23 million people shutting down completely. It is quite interesting. I mean, I had to eat KFC for dinner because nothing else was open! Nothing! (I’ve never ever had KFC for dinner before- this is how extreme this is).

So Spring Festival is super important in all of Asia, really. It’s the start of the new year, according to the lunar calendar. And this is the year of the rooster.

                     

Even Dunkin Donuts gets into the festivities.

In China, there are certain cultural practices that I have learned. First of all, no haircuts allowed during the entire festival. This means that all the hair dressers and salons were overflowing with customers last week. And, ya know, that guy on the sidewalk who cuts hair too. (yes that is a thing)

Also it is necessary to decorate your house, especially the front door. This means that every street corner was selling red paper cuttings, banners, knots, stuffed roosters, and especially posters with the Chinese word ‘fu’- which must be placed upside down to translate into ‘luck is arriving”. Fortunately, some students gave me all I need.

The city also takes part in the festivities. The temples and parks are heavily decorated and visited, red lanterns hang down main highways, and stores start closing days before (hence KFC). Most people clear out and head home to be with their families. And it feels very peaceful…. Until the explosions started!

              

Because, the number one thing to do for Spring festival? Fireworks!! Fire crackers, noise makers, and giant giant fireworks. All of this done to drive away the evil monster, as the legend goes. He’s scared of light and sound, so at midnight (and before… and after), everyone lights the fireworks outside their homes. And in the street. And along the highway. And everywhere!!  Although there has been push back against the display, because, um, pollution, they are still going strong!

It looks something like… this!!! (Thanks to my friend Ben for the roof access in the hutongs...)

anyway- 新年快乐, have good luck and happiness. I'm off to southeast Asia.... later!