Chiang Mai (Northern Thailand) Tourist Guide


	S.P. Publishing Group Co., Ltd. 11/1 Soi 3 Bamrungburi Rd., T. Prasingh, A. Muang., Chiang Mai 50200 Tel. 053 - 814 455-6 Fax. 053 - 814 457 E-mail: guidelin@loxinfo.co.th

Chinese New Year:
Getting off to the Best of Starts In the Year of the Tiger

Text : John Cadet
Images : SP.

One of the great things about living in Thailand - and that goes particularly for those of us up here in Chiang Mai - is that we're among people who take their pleasures seriously. "Now what do you mean by that?" you're going to say. "Isn't that a perfect example of - what's the name for it? - oxymoron? How can anyone be serious about pleasure?" Well, the best answer probably comes from joining one of the many cultural celebrations that take place throughout the year here. Look at the meticulous way cultural events are planned beforehand: that's the serious part of it. Then experience for yourself the spontaneity of the enjoyment the events themselves provide. There you have it - taking their pleasures seriously. And what better example can you find than the fact that in Thailand we celebrate not just one New Year Festival, but three of them: The International New Year we're just getting over - The Songkran New Year Festival coming up in April. And the one commencing on the 14th February that will probably go on to the last day of this month - Chinese New Year.

"Aha!" you're going to say. "Chinese New Year. What's that got to do with the Thais?" But there you have it again. While there's hardly an urban Thai without a Chinese grandparent or two, there's also nothing we locals of whatever origins like better than incorporating other folks' festivals, making them our own. And isn't the coincidence that this year wan druet jeen, to give the event its cultural moniker, begins on St.Valentine's Day, also gleefully celebrated here, the best indication of that fact? So hunker down, is my advice. Don't expect much business to be done with the Sino-Thai contingent of this city during the fortnight to come, because although they're going to be painting the town red, so to speak, (it's their lucky colour), a great deal of the enjoyment is going to be behind closed doors, in an extended family occasion recognizing that the Year of the Rat is on the way out, with the Year of the Tiger replacing it. And while we outsiders won't see too much of the family festivities, one of the events that you can hardly avoid will be public performances off the Night Bazaar and in temple courtyards, of the riotously colourful ngiew dramas, with their fabulously-robed and masked heroes and heroines screeching their lines to the rattle of drums and wail of flutes in the age-old dramas.

And what's this about the Year of the Tiger, you're asking.

Well, in these parts time is measured both in its length and as cycles. The cycles are 12 years long, and each has a representative animal - beginning with the Rat and the Ox, and finishing with the Pig. And why are the animals in the order we find them?

This is the legend - or at least, one of the most popular, that explains it:

Long ago, in China, the Jade Emperor decided there should be a way of measuring time. On his birthday he told the animals that there was to be a swimming race. The first twelve animals across the fast-flowing river would be the winners and they would each have a year of the zodiac named after them. All the animals lined up along the river bank. The rat and the cat, who at that time were good friends, were worried because they were poor swimmers. Being clever they asked the strong ox if he would carry them across the river.

'Of course,' said the kind ox. 'Just climb on my back and I'll take you over.' The rat and the cat quickly jumped up and were very excited when the ox took the lead in the race. They had almost reached the other bank when the rat pushed the cat into the river, leaving him to struggle in the water. Then just before the ox was about to win the race the rat leapt onto his head and then onto the bank to finish first. 'Well done,' said the Jade Emperor to the proud rat. 'The first year of the zodiac will be named after you.' The poor ox had been tricked into second place and the second year of the zodiac was named after him. As to the poor cat - he had a hard time getting out of the river at all, and came out last - unlucky thirteenth. He didn't dare present himself to the Jade Emperor in the state he was, and by the time he'd cleaned himself up, the year-naming ceremony was over, and he didn't get a place in the cycle. But don't worry. Cats are nothing if not adaptable. They've snuggled up to humans ever since, making themselves comfortable in our homes and hearts. But not surprisingly, they've been only too glad to revenge themselves ever since. So let rats beware, however much they're honoured in the heavens.

"Never mind about oxen, rats and cats," some of you are going to say. "What about us tigers? Isn't this supposed to be our year? Aren't we entitled to a little attention?"

And you're quite right, so here's the traditional character reading for your sign:

The 3^rd Year of the Chinese Lunar Calendar. Born in the Year of the Tiger, you are strong, passionate and courageous, with a ferocious hunger for life. From your strength come the qualities of sensitivity, tenderness and compassion. Others revere you for your rebellious nature but there are times when this brings you into conflict with your elders or those in authority. Not for you the oppressive drudgery of the daily grind with its inherent faceless anonymity. Your impulsiveness and vivacity are contagious and ensure that you're always the centre of attention. Given your impulsive nature, you sometimes have difficulty in making up your mind, and this can result in poor, hasty decisions, or sound decisions arrived at too late. By dint of your sign you are such a powerful protector that you ward off the three household disasters of fire, thieves and malevolent spirits. You are most compatible with people born in the Years of the Horse, Dragon and Dog.

Others born in your year include: Charles de Gaulle, Ho Chi Minh, Ludvig van Beethoven, Groucho Marx, Stevie Wonder, Alec Guinness, Marilyn Monroe, Isadora Duncan, Rudolf Nureyev, Queen Elizabeth II, Emily Bronte, Marco Polo, Mary Queen of Scots and Dwight D. Eisenhower.

On the day before the actual celebration, Sino-Thai families give their home a thorough cleaning. It's believed the cleaning sweeps away the bad luck of the preceding year and makes their homes ready for good luck. And when the cleaning's finished, brooms and dust pans are put safely away so that luck itself can't accidentally be swept away. Additionally, some people give their homes, doors and window-panes a new coat of red paint, and homes are often decorated with paper cutouts of Chinese auspicious phrases and couplets. Purchasing new clothing, shoes and receiving a hair-cut also symbolize a fresh start.

But wait a minute! We've been talking here about a fourteen-day festival, but we shouldn't overlook the preparations beforehand, without which you can't get off to an auspicious start. So New Year's Eve goes something like this:

In many households where Buddhism or Taoism is prevalent - and this goes for Chiang Mai - home, altars and statues are cleaned thoroughly, and decorations the altars were adorned with in the previous year are also taken down and burned in the days before the new year starts, and replaced with fresh ones. A paper effigy of the Kitchen God, the recorder of family functions, is also burned in order to report to the Jade Emperor on the family household's transgressions and good deeds.

But the biggest event of any Chinese New Year's Eve is the dinner every family arranges. A dish consisting of fish will appear on the family tables for the meal in the evening. This is comparable to Christmas dinner in the West. In northern China, it's customary to make dumplings after dinner and have them around midnight. By contrast, in the South, it's usual to make a New Year cake after dinner and send pieces as gifts to relatives and friends in the coming days of the New Year. After the dinner, some families go to local temples to pray for a prosperous new year; however in modern practice, many households hold parties and even a countdown to the new lunar year. And very popular indeed with the kiddies and teenagers is the present the older relatives will give them at this time, wrapped up in red paper- a solid chunk of money, if the past year's been kind.

All of which will give the customary greeting exchanged on the first day itself - shin je yu ee in one or other of the many dialects - a ring of heartfelt sincerity.

Which is what we wish you too, readers: a Very Happy Chinese New Year.