Something Lucky, Something Sweet & the Light on the Last Day of Chinese New Year’s.
This day is celebrated as the Shangsyuan Festival or the Lantern Festival. It is the day when a good-bye is said to winter and the spring festival is celebrated. On this fifteenth night, the entire city is full of colorful lanterns, fireworks in sky, music all around, lions and dragons dancing and many more activities.
And, it is customary on this day to eat rice dumplings— something lucky that represents reunion and luck. Some people also eat tangerines— something sweet that is believed to bring prosperity.
In some Chinese villages in Hong Kong’s New Territories, lanterns are carried outside by both children and adults. But, in the concrete jungle of sky rises, on the ground floor of buildings or in the street alleys most lights exhibited on this evening are ones lit for lion and dragon dances.
And, in the sky, it is customary for the city to have a fireworks show. Hong Kong fireworks are magnificent displays of sparkling color. There is nowhere in the world as beautiful as the Hong Kong skyline during Chinese New Year’s when the firework displays light the sky. It has been said that more money is spent on these displays than anywhere else in the world. I believe this. Hong Kong’s firework shows are the most special I have ever seen. They are long shows of an hour or more and they seem to be more brilliant and magnificent than the moon.
And, on this last day, people travel to the tops of the sky rises to view the show. Every hotel guest, lucky enough to be in the territory at this time, has a picture window of art created for them. The fireworks and the lights that shoot from their beams seem to be close enough to touch.
Even after seeing more firework shows than most people, I still marvel at these New Years displays. They are expected and loved by the people of Hong Kong. They are a fitting way to bring in the year. And, say good-bye to the celebration.
Side Note:
This new year of Chinese is the 4710th New Year and as per the Chinese Zodiac Calendar, this year is of dragon, the 5th sign, indicating power, good luck, success and happiness. The date of the Chinese New Year changes in accordance to the path of New Year. Last year i.e., 2011, the New Year it was on February 3rd, this year i.e., 2012, it is on the January 23rd and in the coming year i.e., 2013, it is on February 10th. The festival is starting on the 22nd of January (Chinese New Year’ Eve) and ending on February 6th (Lantern Festival). Apart from being known as Lantern Festival, the New Year is also called Spring Festival as it marks the end of the winter season.
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