SYMBOLS
OF ANG PAU IN CHINESE NEW YEAR
Mrs
Hee Ah Sai is giving Ang Pow to her grandchildren’s.
Klang (Bekely): At every Chinese New Year
Mrs Hee will celebrate with all of her family members getting together in the
house and preparing Chinese dishes for her family. Before that she will clean
the house from top to bottom so that all the bad luck to be rid off from the
prior year. Even though her family is mix race she never forgets her Chinese
traditions and always peruses her generation.
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Her house will be decorated with red
banners and lanterns symbolizing New Year messages of good luck. Usually it
will be decorated at the main entrance of the house. Red is a color of luck and
it also symbolizes vitality of life and happiness.
Most exciting in
Chinese New Year is ang pow is when the elder individual will be giving ang pow
to the younger children and non married person. Ang pow is an auspicious symbol
of Chinese culture and normally the color will be red sign of good luck,
prosperity and is supposed to ward off evil spirits. In the red envelope there
will be gift of money which been carry from generation to generation. The illustrations
used on the front of ang pow present blessings and good wishes
of longevity, prosperity and great health.
Through
the years, designers have always found new ways to enhance the message of
good tidings such as three or nine carps swimming amidst flowering
lotuses, the mythical creatures of yin and yang (dragon and phoenix),
Chinese zodiac animals depending on the year it will be used, peonies in
full bloom, the three immortals and golden pineapples.
Chinese culture believes that when
giving money on festive or auspicious occasions, never ever put the money
in a white envelope or you would face the wrath and fury of the recipient!
Money wrapped in white envelopes is given when the occasion is serious, like
during funerals, when a gift of money is given to help with the funeral costs. This is
called 'pak kum' or 'money for the family of the deceased'.
The story of ang pow dates back to the
Sung Dynasty in China. A village called Chang-Chieu was at the time
terrorized by a huge dragon-like demon. No one dared to defeat it, not
even warriors or statesmen. However, a young orphan, armed with a super saber
inherited from his ancestors, fought the evil dragon and eventually
destroyed it. The villagers were overjoyed and the elders presented
the brave young lad an ang pow filled with money for his courage in
saving them. Since then, the ang pow has become a part of traditional
Chinese customs.
Amounts given in the ang pow may take advantage of the Chinese
homophones. For instance, you can give a positive amount ending with eight, as it sounds
like fortune in Chinese, or nine, which sounds like longevity. Doesn't
matter what the amount is, ang pow has always been something exciting to
receive.
The practice of giving ang pow may be
centuries old, but it is still as popular as ever. During Chinese New Year, they are given by married to small
children, teenagers and unmarried adults, these are the lucky ones those who will
continue to receive ang pow until they get married then it’s their turn to give ang pow
to the younger children.
It is traditional and customary to give ang pow
to Chinese parents when their baby celebrates
his/her first month. In return, parents distribute to well wishers gifts
like yellow rice with curry chicken, red eggs. These days, money is given
as birthday gifts for celebrants of all ages, what better way to make them happy than to allow
them to purchase whatever they want. The elderly also distribute gifts of money to the
younger generation when they celebrate, for example, their 80th birthday.
In Malaysia, the giving of ang pow has
cut across cultural lines, and is no longer restricted to the Chinese
only. For example, the Malays/Muslims give
money concealed in a green packet the same size and shape as an ang
pow, decorated with Islamic motifs to young children during Syawal. Similarly, Indians have also gotten into the act of giving cash,
and tuck their legal tender into different coloured packets which are hand
over out to little kids during Deepavali.
ALISSA PRIYA DHARSHINI ( week 8 )
SC - KL - 00032992
