Chinese New Year Celebrations: Ideas & Traditions

[doglover9754]

Hello! So I’m not totally sure if this is where I post this but what do you do for Chinese New Year? I usually march in the town parade but it got canceled this year so instead I went to Ala Moana to go eat some good food with my family. I saw a lion dance. So, what do you guys do?

 

[jedishrfu]

Some of us hope for Hung Bao and dream of what we might use our lucky money for.

Gung hsi fa dzai, hung bao na lai.

 

[doglover9754]

That’s the lion dance. I didn’t get to post it earlier because I didn’t have WiFi. Heh heh.

 

[jedishrfu]

I got to learn the dragon dance. Our sifu made everything of the dragon, the head, body and tail of bamboo and cloth. I was part of the body section. You had to follow the person front with a slight delay. He would wave to the fight so I would too and then the person behind would follow me. The dragon head would follow the pearl and would even loop under its own body as part of the dance. It was awesome to see and be a part of.

 

[doglover9754]

I got to learn the dragon dance. Our sifu made everything of the dragon, the head, body and tail of bamboo and cloth. I was part of the body section. You had to follow the person front with a slight delay. He would wave to the fight so I would too and then the person behind would follow me. The dragon head would follow the pearl and would even loop under its own body as part of the dance. It was awesome to see and be a part of.

My “uncle” taught me how to dance it when I was 5. He’s technically my neighbor who helped marry my parents so I call him my uncle, but long story short, it’s complicated :P

 

[fresh_42]

Rooster to Dog? Sounds as if we're still and Old McDonald's farm.

 

[jedishrfu]

My “uncle” taught me how to dance it when I was 5. He’s technically my neighbor who helped marry my parents so I call him my uncle, but long story short, it’s complicated :P

I understand the custom. The younger generation calls the older generation aunts and uncles when they are friends of your parents.

 

[jedishrfu]

Did they mention the historical aspect of the Dragon dance. It was once used to smuggle rebels into the city. The pearl was a bomb and the within the dragon body were swords (chien) and sabers (dao). I don't have a definitive reference. It was told to us by our sifu who taught shaolin martial arts in the 1980's in NYC.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dragon_dance

I was born in the year of the Water Dragon.

And for other readers of this thread lion vs dragon:

https://www.tripsavvy.com/chinese-lion-dance-or-dragon-dance-1458310

 

[doglover9754]

Did they mention the historical aspect of the Dragon dance. It was once used to smuggle rebels into the city. The pearl was a bomb and the within the dragon body were swords (chien) and sabers (dao). I don't have a definitive reference. It was told to us by our sifu who taught shaolin martial arts in the 1980's in NYC.

I’ve heard about it... I don’t totally remember it. I haven’t danced for about 7 years.

 

[doglover9754]

I understand the custom. The younger generation calls the older generation aunts and uncles when they are friends of your parents.

Yep