There is a famous saying that goes: “If China sneezes, the world catches a cold.” I would rather rephrase it this way: “If China celebrates, the whole world celebrates” and I was referring to the Chinese Lunar New Year and the entry of the Metal Tiger Year. It was an auspicious event and I was lucky to be in the middle of it — right in the heart of Hong Kong.
It was still winter cold in Hong Kong but the festivities were warm enough to curl one’s toes, mine especially. Hong Kong, a special administrative region of China, celebrated a three-day Chinese New Year—from February 14 to 16—which meant a three-day holiday in both government and private institutions. Hong Kong locals have this unique way of celebrating Chinese New Year: The day before the New Year—February 13. Hong Kong locals normally wholesale colthing spend this day by buying gifts and flowers. Streets were so busy and packed with the thick crowd of shoppers in preparation for the Chinese New Year’s Day. Having witnessed how the locals crowded the streets of Fa Hui Park Flower Market, at first, if it’s your first time in Hong Kong, you would probably think they’re buying flowers for Valentine’s Day which coincided with the Chinese New Year this year. But hey, we buy flowers on Valentine’s Day but not as busy and faithful as they do. Flowers rank No. 1 in the long list of their New Year traditions as they symbolize prosperity.The wide array of both imported and locally-grown lovely flowers for the shoppers to choose from included the daffodils, rose cabbages, tulips, peach blossoms, pussy willows, peonies, as well as potted kumquat plants. But the peach blossom plant with lai sees—red packets with candies in it— are the most decorated in every establishment around the city, and it has to be taken out after about two weeks for this plant doesn’t stay long. New Year’s Day—February 14. Most big establishments started the Day by staging the traditional Lion Dance performances. This tradition is performed to ward away evil spirits (in every nook and cranny of the building), and start the year only with good and positive spirits. The lively and spirited performance with the loud beating of the drums at the Langham Hotel was the one the author witnessed together with other foreign media and tourists. Before the Lion Dance ended, the lion (performer) grabbed through its wide mouth the sang choi (lettuce) that was hanging on the ceiling. It symbolizes prosperity because its name sounds like “to bring about wealth and riches.” After the dance, the fortune god distributed lai sees with chocolate gold coins in it. When we received our lai sees, we were told that we were not supposed to eat it but to keep it in our wallet for money luck until possibly the end of the year. Over lunch sponsored by Cathay Pacific and the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB), we were again given another lai see which had HK$20 in it. Next stop: 1881 Heritage. It is Hong Kong’s first declared monument on Canton Road in Tsim Sha Tsui and was the Headquarters of the Hong Kong Marine Police. Now, it stands majestic as a picturesque shopping mall and heritage hotel with its unique Victorian architecture. But the most anticipated Night Parade staged by the Cathay Pacific Airways and co-hosted by the HKTB at the Cultural Centre Piazza in Tsim Sha Tsui was the highlight of New Year’s Day. You wouldn’t mind however bad the weather was as it was so windy and drizzly on an open stadium close to Victoria Harbour, with the spectacular performances and floats of the various replica breitling performers from around the world. The San Diego Girls, Switzerland Tiger Band, Paris Fire Brigade Gymnastics Team, Indian Arts Circle, Russian Dance Ensemble, Notting Hill Carnival were but few
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