Ambassador Lee: Look into a Viral and Vibrant Taiwanese-Palauan Relations
While the Lunar New Year of 2024, February 10 is around the corner, Ambassador Jessica Lee of ROC (Taiwan) Embassy in a real time interview with Eco-Paradise FM (EPFM) shares her experiences and the traditions, customs, and legendary story of the Lunar New Year. Set with colorful and cheerful New Year decoration, the interview hosted by Rondy Ronny, is part of a series program of “Formosa in Belau,” focusing on how the Taiwanese and Chinese people around the world celebrate the upcoming Lunar New Year.
Ambassador Lee points out that the Lunar New Year, also called the Chinese New Year is the most important public holiday not only in Taiwan but also in other Asian countries and the Asian diaspora, such as Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, China etc.. The holiday begins with the new moon and ends with the following full moon. It occurs sometime between January 21 to February 20 according to the western calendar. This year, the new year day is the 10th of February. The 15- day celebration is called the Spring Festival, meaning the welcoming of Spring arrival.
There are some traditional activities that people engage during the celebration, including wearing clothes in red, setting off firecrackers. These traditions are intertwined with the legend of Monster “ Nien,” (meaning “ Monster Year”) Ambassador Lee articulated. According to the most popular version, several thousand years ago, a monster named Nien ( “Year’”) would attack villagers at the beginning of each new year. The monster was afraid of loud noises, bright lights, and the color red, so those things were used to chase the beast away. Wearing red clothes, setting-off firecrackers and putting up chuan-lian ( Red color paper with Chinese calligraphy) at the front doors at New Year Eve have become traditional culture practice ever since. The last event, on the 15th day of the month, which marks the final day of the traditional lunar new year celebration, is the Lantern Festival. To celebrate the full moon, people hang glowing lanterns or carry them during a nighttime parade. The Taiwan Lantern Festival is a national exhibition participated by all the cities held by the Tourism Bureau. The Lantern will be presented representing the Zodiac of the Year.
As time goes by, the symbolism of celebrating the Lunar New Year has evolved to usher out the old year and bring forth the luck and prosperity of the new one, Ambassador Lee adds. One of the must- do items on the list is to get rid of any lingering bad luck by thoroughly cleaning one’s home. Of course, we still keep the fun parts like firecrackers, fireworks, and red clothes and decorating the house in red. Kids are given money in red envelopes (Hong-bao) from parents and grandparents, a gesture of new year blessing. The money in the red envelopes has to be in even-numbers for good luck.
Additionally, it is a time to have a feast with family members, and to honor ancestors. The Feast and must have dishes are in even-numbers: all come with good meaning and keep. Dishes of the New year Eve dinner entitle great meanings. We will have fish. “Fish” in Chinese mandarin is pronounced “Yu” which has an implication of ”surplus” or “extra”, this dish means that for the prosperity and surplus in the coming year. Chicken or duck, to have a whole one, meaning family reunion. The steamed sweetened rice cake is also a must, pronounced “Gao,” representing a promotion or blessing- “ Bu Bu Gao Shen.”
As we welcome the Year of the Dragon, which also marks the 25th anniversary of Taiwan-Palau Diplomatic ties, and 30th anniversary of Palauan Independence, symbolizing a viral and vibrant future, Ambassador Lee concludes that we shall look forward to a more dynamic and prosperous relations in every aspect of the “Enduring Friendship” between the people of Taiwan and Palau.(E)