Bring out the old, bring in the new -送sòng旧jìo迎yíng新xïn
Though we’ve just frantically celebrated the New Year, and sadly returned to our daily usual, the Chinese in the world are getting ready for their major event of the year – the Lunar New Year.
CNY as it is now recognized as, the lunar new year to the Chinese is like the combo of Thanksgiving, Christmas and new year holiday (to the Americans, and the rest of the world, Christmas and new year, well, most of the world). This means people are fighting their way back home by cars, trains and airplanes (Salute to John Hughes, one of my favorite directors that parted in the 2009). Nowadays, stores are opened 7 days a week, and some even with 24 hours a day. But in a decade ago, well, make that two; people needed to stored up food for as long as 5 to 7 days, as the markets, grocery stores, restaurants, or even that little breakfast stand around your corner would be home for the holidays and ‘see you next year’.
Since the Chinese New Year follows the lunar calendar, the period of time actually is a break for the farmers, people who work the land, to rest their hands and enjoy the fruit of their labor. As the Chinese proverb describes “春chün耕gëng夏xìa耘yún秋qïu收shöu冬döng藏cáng”: to plow in the spring, to weed in the summer, to harvest in the autumn, and to store for the winter. A year is perfectly laid out in four terms. Don’t you just love our ever wise ancestors?
送sòng旧jìo : to give away the old/used. 送sòng : to give, 旧jìo: old, used.
迎yíng新xïn : to bring in the new. 迎yíng : to welcome in, 新xïn : new, fresh.
春chün耕gëng : to plow in the spring. 春chün : spring, 耕gëng : to plow
夏xìa耘yún : to weed in the summer. 夏xìa : summer, 耘yún : to weed
秋qïu收shöu : to harvest in the autumn/fall. 秋qïu: autumn, fall; 收shöu : to collect, to put away, here refers to harvest.
冬döng藏cáng : to store for the winter. 冬döng : winter, 藏cáng : to hide, to store away.
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