"When Pangu created the world and life began to prosper, a mystical canine named Fortune has descended from heaven and befriended mankind ever since. The descendants of Fortune continued to fulfill their ancestor’s role; they accompanied mankind through countless seasons, gave them friendship and joy with great devotion. The heavenly canines had spent the past twelve years collecting all sorts of wealth, fortune and delicacy, and finally it is time for them to come back to Macao. The canine squad is so delight that they decide to join Macao’s Parade for Celebration of the Year of the Dog."
What luck! I just happened to be visiting Hong Kong and Macau, two autonomous districts of China, smack in the middle of their Chinese New Years celebration!
It was indeed by pure coincidence that I just happened to be in that part of the world at the right time. Throughout my four-day journey in HK and Macau, the spirit of the Year of the Dog was everywhere, and the imagery impossible to miss. As part of their special New Years celebration, both cities put on a dazzling fireworks show as well as an eventful parade.
What luck, however, that during my only day in Macau, I would end up spotting some performers exiting some fancy hotel. I was curious, so I followed these performers around the corner, and they led me to a big stage surrounded by grandstands. Following even further, I ended up getting front-row seats to Macau's Chinese New Year parade, an experience I will never forget.
After an hour of waiting, listening to speeches in Cantonese (obviously I didn't understand a word) and enjoying some famous Macanese rap, the show had begun. What better than seeing a dragon streaking in to kick the whole thing off?? The parade was everything you would expect in this part of the world, but with a twist. The Government of Macau invited performers from all over the world to take part, so I got a taste of Macanese/Chinese culture, with a bit of an international blend...
For this, the Year of the Dog, the theme was very obvious. Throughout all of Hong Kong and Macau, there were dogs in gardens, dogs in plazas, dogs on floats, dogs in advertisements and even dogs in the middle of shopping malls.
So it turns out that the Year of the Dog is celebrated every 12 years, and it actually represents the 11th year of the 12-year cycle. The old Chinese legend goes as follows:
"The Dog is the eleventh of all zodiac animals. According to one myth, the Jade Emperor said the order would be decided by the order in which they arrived to his party. Monkey, Rooster and Dog were in another country, helping a god defeat evil spirits. After, they set off to the party together. Because they arrived at the same time, the Jade Emperor went by the order they met the god in the other country. Thus, Dog became eleventh."
The way this tradition works is quite interesting. Individuals' personalities are sort of based on the animal representing the year they were born. Thus, the animal is almost like a zodiac sign. In addition to the rotation of 12 animals, every year is also associated with an element, and the combination of the animal and the element are what ultimately determine your personality.
Now, I've never quite believed that your personality is determined by the year you were born, nor by the moon's position or anything else of the sort, but I couldn't hold back my curiosity about my own birth fortune.
Being born in 1994, turns out I am a Dog myself, and, well, for those of you who know me, perhaps you'd agree that this description kind of fits my personality?
Witnessing and celebration this important holiday with the Hong Kongers and Macanese was definitely a very strong cultural experience, but perhaps something we don't really understand is how important this holiday really is in Asia.
What is so often referred to as "Chinese New Year" is actually part of a greater holiday, celebrated throughout East Asia, more commonly known as "Lunar New Year." Evidently, this means that the lunar year is coordinated based on the cycles of the moon.
For families throughout Asia, this is a cause for celebration. Clearly, it is famously celebrated throughout China, but it also constitutes the most important holiday in Korea. "Seollal," as it is known locally, is a time when most Koreans go and visit their families, eat tons of food, and even exchange gifts. Irrespective of religion, this holiday is celebrated by all Koreans, and is a very important time to be with family.
Outside of Korea and China, this holidays is still widely celebrated in several Asian countries, such as Vietnam, Mongolia (sometimes celebrated a month later), and, to a lesser extent, Japan. Some variants of Lunar New Year are also celebrated in India, Cambodia, Myanmar, Nepal, Laos, and Thailand, among others, all celebrated in unique ways in the different regions and countries.
Being a part of it was certainly incredible, and next time you meet a Hong Konger or a Macanese during the Lunar New Year season, don't forget to wish them a nice "Kung Hay Fat Choy!"
-Daniele
