Merry Christmas again.....the 2nd Christmas Day.
To many people, Christmas day was over on 25th December 2012, but not Orthodox Christian. Orthodox Christian celebrate Christmas on January 7th, 2012.
The original date of the celebration in Eastern Christianity was January 6, in connection with Epiphany, and that is still the date of the celebration for the Armenian Apostolic Church and in Armenia, where it is a public holiday. As of 2012, there is a difference of 13 days between the modern Gregorian calendar and the older Julian calendar. Those who continue to use the Julian calendar or its equivalents thus celebrate December 25 and January 6 on what for the majority of the world is January 7 and January 19. For this reason, Ethiopia, Russia, Ukraine, Serbia, the Republic of Macedonia, and the Republic of Moldova celebrate Christmas on what in the Gregorian calendar is January 7; all the Greek Orthodox Churches celebrate Christmas on December 25.
The Orthodox Church, officially called the Orthodox Catholic Church and commonly referred to as the Eastern Orthodox Church, is the second largest Christian denomination in the world,[5] with an estimated 300 million adherents mainly in the countries of Belarus, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Georgia, Greece, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Romania, Russia, Serbia, and Ukraine, all of which are majority Eastern Orthodox. It is said to be the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church established by Jesus Christ and his Apostles almost 2,000 years ago.
Based on the numbers of adherents, Orthodoxy is the second largest Christian communion in the world after the Roman Catholic Church. The most common estimates of the number of Orthodox Christians worldwide is approximately 300 million.
Orthodoxy is the largest single religious faith in Greece (95%) and in Eastern Europe, including Russia (80%), Ukraine (80%), Romania (87%), Belarus (85%), Bulgaria (83%), Serbia (84%), Georgia (89%), Moldova (93%), the Republic of Macedonia (65%), Cyprus (80%) and Montenegro (74%).
The number of Orthodox adherents represents about 36% of the population in Bosnia and Herzegovina (Bosnian Serbs). In Albania, the adherents number around 25% out of a 40% Christian population, the others being Roman Catholic. As the dominant religion in northern Kazakhstan, it represents 40% of Kazakhstan, and 4% of Lithuania and 13% of the Estonian population.
Large Orthodox Christian communities exist in the Mediterranean countries of Lebanon (40% of Christian population, and 10% of the whole Lebanese population), Jordan (80% of Christian population), Israel, the West Bank and Gaza Strip (Palestinian Christians) with some families able to trace their ancestry to the earliest Christians of the Holy Land. Orthodox minorities live in Poland, Slovakia, Hungary (Romanian minority), Turkey and Azerbaijan.
Ancient Eastern Orthodox communities still have large populations in countries such as Lebanon and Israel (Jerusalem and Bethlehem).
The Orthodox Church traces its development back through the Byzantine or Roman empire, to the earliest church established by St. Paul and the Apostles. It practices what it understands to be the original ancient traditions, believing in growth without change. In non-doctrinal matters the church had occasionally shared from local Greek, Slavic and Middle Eastern traditions, among others, in turn shaping the cultural development of these nations.
(source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_Orthodox)
Showing posts with label Events and Festival. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Events and Festival. Show all posts
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Sunday, December 25, 2011
Merry Christmas from Bethlehem
Merry Christmas to all....from the birth place of Jesus Christ, Bethlehem.
Merry Christmas...pray for Palestinian Christians, especially Bethlehem Christian, their population is declining drastically in their own home land.
Bethlehem (or Bet Leḥem, Bayt Lahm) is a city located in the central West Bank and approximately 8 kilometers (5.0 mi) south of Jerusalem, with a population of about 30,000 people. It is the capital of the Bethlehem Governorate of the Palestinian National Authority and a hub of Palestinian culture and tourism. The Hebrew Bible identifies Bethlehem as the city David was from and the location where he was crowned as the king of Israel. The New Testament identifies Bethlehem as the birthplace of Jesus of Nazareth. The town is inhabited by one of the oldest Christian communities in the world, although the size of the community has shrunk due to emigration.
Many of Bethlehem's Christian inhabitants claim ancestry from Arab Christian clans from the Arabian Peninsula, including the city's two largest: al-Farahiyya and an-Najajreh. The former claims to have descended from the Ghassanids who migrated from Yemen to the Wadi Musa area in present-day Jordan and an-Najajreh descend from the Arabs of Najran in the southern Hejaz. Another Bethlehem clan, al-Anantreh, also trace their ancestry to the Arabian Peninsula.The percentage of Christians in the town has been steadily falling, primarily due to emigration. The lower birth rate of Christians also accounts for some of the decline. In 1947, Christians made up 85% of the population, but by 1998 the figure had declined to 40%. In 2005, the mayor of Bethlehem, Victor Batarseh explained that "due to the stress, either physical or psychological, and the bad economic situation, many people are emigrating, either Christians or Muslims, but it is more apparent among Christians, because they already are a minority.
In the center of Bethlehem is its old city. The old city consists of eight quarters, laid out in a mosaic style, forming the area around the Manger Square. The quarters include the Christian al-Najajreh, al-Farahiyeh, al-Anatreh, al-Tarajmeh, al-Qawawsa and Hreizat quarters and al-Fawaghreh — the only Muslim quarter. Most of the Christian quarters are named after the Arab Ghassanid clans that settled there. Al-Qawawsa Quarter was formed by Arab Christian emigrants from the nearby town of Tuqu' in the 18th century.
Bethlehem has a Muslim majority, but is also home to one of the largest Palestinian Christian communities. Bethlehem's chief economic sector is tourism which peaks during the Christmas season when Christian pilgrims throng to the Church of the Nativity.
(source: wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bayt_Lahm)
In 1997, I was visiting Church of the Nativity, and that was the first time I saw the Arabic bible and Arabic Hymn book. The first time my knowledge of Palestine changed. I realized the picture that the mass media and some government media provided were totally not correct. Palestine is not a place for specific religion, there are Palestinian Christian.....there are Arabic Christian. Middle East is not all Arab....I begin to read history of middle east, may not be a good student, but at least I understand middle east better, better than many who still has wrong perception....I know who is Edward Said, I know where is Beit Jala....Middle East history is much more complicated ....Israeli-Arab conflict was wrongly perceived by the world as solely religion conflict, instead of political conflict, the issue is much more complicated with their long history of the land......of Near East, with wars, colonization, Turkification, Arabization, resulted in complication of religious conversion, cultural and language assimilation,and even the loss of ethnic identity, culture and languages. It was the sad story of Near East. from historical times, it was not easy for minority and the weak to survive in the Near East...
Another place to remember is Beit Jala....facing similar problem...
Palestinian Christians are Christians descended from the people of the geographical area of Palestine, the birthplace of Christianity. Within Palestine, there are churches and believers from many Christian denominations, including Oriental Orthodoxy, Eastern Orthodoxy, Catholic (Eastern and Western rites), Protestant, and others. In both the local dialect of Palestinian Arabic and in classical or modern standard Arabic, Christians are called Nasrani (a derivative of the Arabic word for Nazareth, al-Nasira) or Masihi (a derivative of Arabic word Masih, meaning "Messiah"). In Hebrew, they are called Notzri (also spelt Notsri) which means "Nazarene" in Hebrew.
The Palestinian Christian, like other Arabic Christian are living in dilemma, like sandwich between Israel Jews and Muslim Palestinian. The conflict between Jews(Israel) and Muslim Palestinian(Palestine), caused much psychological pressure and physical stress to them, they identify with Palestinian nationalism, many of them are in the front line of their struggle. But they are not able to identify in their religion, they are different and distinct as Christian. Some are not Arab per se, they cannot identify with the Pan-Arabism. This identity crisis created political pressure to their people , properties, and culture. They cannot identify with Jews, they are of different race and religion. The stress is too much to bear, they choose to emigrate to other countries. Their population is declining fast in their own land....
But the world identified them wrongly in the conflict, based on religion, they are wrongly perceived with Jews, based in culture and homeland, they are perceived with Muslim Arabs. (Ironically the three religions have the same root from Abraham, they should have close relationship). But they have their own distinct identity, Palestinian Christian, they are not Jews nor Muslim Arabs,only fact is that Palestine is their home land. Both did not give them a chance, they suffered the most in the Israeli-Arab conflict, but no body care because they are the minority, they have no political power, nor military power. Ultimately, they leave their homeland, and others moved in .... Jew settlement, Palestinian from other place and sooner there may not be any Palestinian Christian in the Bethlehem for Christmas. Bethlehem will lost its living heritage, the people of Palestinian Christian, and remained as a town for tourism only. We hope this will not happen....
......a sad story and yet the world is silence....and happy forever in their celebration of commercial Christmas....forgetting the people from the land of Christ, the land of Christmas, Bethlehem......
The world remember Christmas day, but forget the real story of the Christmas....
Note: The basilica was placed on the 2008 Watch List of the 100 Most Endangered Sites by the World Monuments Fund:
The present state of the church is worrying. Many roof timbers are rotting, and have not been replaced since the 19th century. The rainwater that seeps into the building not only accelerates the rotting of the wood and damages the structural integrity of the building, but also damages the 12th-century wall mosaics and paintings. The influx of water also means that there is an ever-present chance of an electrical fire. If another earthquake were to occur on the scale of the one of 1834, the result would most likely be catastrophic. ... It is hoped that the listing will encourage its preservation, including getting the three custodians of the church - the Greek Orthodox Church, the Armenian Orthodox Church, and the Franciscan order - to work together, which has not happened for hundreds of years. The Israeli government and the Palestinian Authority would also have to work together to protect it.
(source: World Monuments Fund, http://www.wmf.org/project/church-holy-nativity)
Further references:
1. Palestinian Christians, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palestinian_Christian
2. A Visit to Beit Jala, http://www.incommunion.org/2004/10/18/a-visit-to-beit-jala/
3. Arab Christians, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arab_Christians
4. Church of the Nativity, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_of_the_Nativity
5. Christians in the Middle East - 11 May 09 - Part 1 - Riz Khan at Al Jazeera English
6. Christians in the Middle East - 11 May 09 - Part 2 - Riz Khan at Al Jazeera English
7. List of oldest churches, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oldest_churches_in_the_world
Merry Christmas...pray for Palestinian Christians, especially Bethlehem Christian, their population is declining drastically in their own home land.
Bethlehem (or Bet Leḥem, Bayt Lahm) is a city located in the central West Bank and approximately 8 kilometers (5.0 mi) south of Jerusalem, with a population of about 30,000 people. It is the capital of the Bethlehem Governorate of the Palestinian National Authority and a hub of Palestinian culture and tourism. The Hebrew Bible identifies Bethlehem as the city David was from and the location where he was crowned as the king of Israel. The New Testament identifies Bethlehem as the birthplace of Jesus of Nazareth. The town is inhabited by one of the oldest Christian communities in the world, although the size of the community has shrunk due to emigration.
Many of Bethlehem's Christian inhabitants claim ancestry from Arab Christian clans from the Arabian Peninsula, including the city's two largest: al-Farahiyya and an-Najajreh. The former claims to have descended from the Ghassanids who migrated from Yemen to the Wadi Musa area in present-day Jordan and an-Najajreh descend from the Arabs of Najran in the southern Hejaz. Another Bethlehem clan, al-Anantreh, also trace their ancestry to the Arabian Peninsula.The percentage of Christians in the town has been steadily falling, primarily due to emigration. The lower birth rate of Christians also accounts for some of the decline. In 1947, Christians made up 85% of the population, but by 1998 the figure had declined to 40%. In 2005, the mayor of Bethlehem, Victor Batarseh explained that "due to the stress, either physical or psychological, and the bad economic situation, many people are emigrating, either Christians or Muslims, but it is more apparent among Christians, because they already are a minority.
In the center of Bethlehem is its old city. The old city consists of eight quarters, laid out in a mosaic style, forming the area around the Manger Square. The quarters include the Christian al-Najajreh, al-Farahiyeh, al-Anatreh, al-Tarajmeh, al-Qawawsa and Hreizat quarters and al-Fawaghreh — the only Muslim quarter. Most of the Christian quarters are named after the Arab Ghassanid clans that settled there. Al-Qawawsa Quarter was formed by Arab Christian emigrants from the nearby town of Tuqu' in the 18th century.
Bethlehem has a Muslim majority, but is also home to one of the largest Palestinian Christian communities. Bethlehem's chief economic sector is tourism which peaks during the Christmas season when Christian pilgrims throng to the Church of the Nativity.
(source: wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bayt_Lahm)
In 1997, I was visiting Church of the Nativity, and that was the first time I saw the Arabic bible and Arabic Hymn book. The first time my knowledge of Palestine changed. I realized the picture that the mass media and some government media provided were totally not correct. Palestine is not a place for specific religion, there are Palestinian Christian.....there are Arabic Christian. Middle East is not all Arab....I begin to read history of middle east, may not be a good student, but at least I understand middle east better, better than many who still has wrong perception....I know who is Edward Said, I know where is Beit Jala....Middle East history is much more complicated ....Israeli-Arab conflict was wrongly perceived by the world as solely religion conflict, instead of political conflict, the issue is much more complicated with their long history of the land......of Near East, with wars, colonization, Turkification, Arabization, resulted in complication of religious conversion, cultural and language assimilation,and even the loss of ethnic identity, culture and languages. It was the sad story of Near East. from historical times, it was not easy for minority and the weak to survive in the Near East...
Another place to remember is Beit Jala....facing similar problem...
Palestinian Christians are Christians descended from the people of the geographical area of Palestine, the birthplace of Christianity. Within Palestine, there are churches and believers from many Christian denominations, including Oriental Orthodoxy, Eastern Orthodoxy, Catholic (Eastern and Western rites), Protestant, and others. In both the local dialect of Palestinian Arabic and in classical or modern standard Arabic, Christians are called Nasrani (a derivative of the Arabic word for Nazareth, al-Nasira) or Masihi (a derivative of Arabic word Masih, meaning "Messiah"). In Hebrew, they are called Notzri (also spelt Notsri) which means "Nazarene" in Hebrew.
The Palestinian Christian, like other Arabic Christian are living in dilemma, like sandwich between Israel Jews and Muslim Palestinian. The conflict between Jews(Israel) and Muslim Palestinian(Palestine), caused much psychological pressure and physical stress to them, they identify with Palestinian nationalism, many of them are in the front line of their struggle. But they are not able to identify in their religion, they are different and distinct as Christian. Some are not Arab per se, they cannot identify with the Pan-Arabism. This identity crisis created political pressure to their people , properties, and culture. They cannot identify with Jews, they are of different race and religion. The stress is too much to bear, they choose to emigrate to other countries. Their population is declining fast in their own land....
But the world identified them wrongly in the conflict, based on religion, they are wrongly perceived with Jews, based in culture and homeland, they are perceived with Muslim Arabs. (Ironically the three religions have the same root from Abraham, they should have close relationship). But they have their own distinct identity, Palestinian Christian, they are not Jews nor Muslim Arabs,only fact is that Palestine is their home land. Both did not give them a chance, they suffered the most in the Israeli-Arab conflict, but no body care because they are the minority, they have no political power, nor military power. Ultimately, they leave their homeland, and others moved in .... Jew settlement, Palestinian from other place and sooner there may not be any Palestinian Christian in the Bethlehem for Christmas. Bethlehem will lost its living heritage, the people of Palestinian Christian, and remained as a town for tourism only. We hope this will not happen....
......a sad story and yet the world is silence....and happy forever in their celebration of commercial Christmas....forgetting the people from the land of Christ, the land of Christmas, Bethlehem......
The world remember Christmas day, but forget the real story of the Christmas....
Note: The basilica was placed on the 2008 Watch List of the 100 Most Endangered Sites by the World Monuments Fund:
The present state of the church is worrying. Many roof timbers are rotting, and have not been replaced since the 19th century. The rainwater that seeps into the building not only accelerates the rotting of the wood and damages the structural integrity of the building, but also damages the 12th-century wall mosaics and paintings. The influx of water also means that there is an ever-present chance of an electrical fire. If another earthquake were to occur on the scale of the one of 1834, the result would most likely be catastrophic. ... It is hoped that the listing will encourage its preservation, including getting the three custodians of the church - the Greek Orthodox Church, the Armenian Orthodox Church, and the Franciscan order - to work together, which has not happened for hundreds of years. The Israeli government and the Palestinian Authority would also have to work together to protect it.
(source: World Monuments Fund, http://www.wmf.org/project/church-holy-nativity)
Further references:
1. Palestinian Christians, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palestinian_Christian
2. A Visit to Beit Jala, http://www.incommunion.org/2004/10/18/a-visit-to-beit-jala/
3. Arab Christians, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arab_Christians
4. Church of the Nativity, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_of_the_Nativity
5. Christians in the Middle East - 11 May 09 - Part 1 - Riz Khan at Al Jazeera English
6. Christians in the Middle East - 11 May 09 - Part 2 - Riz Khan at Al Jazeera English
7. List of oldest churches, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oldest_churches_in_the_world
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Today is New Year Day for Chinese, Korean & Vietnamese
Today is Chinese New Year, we wish all Chinese Happy Chinese New Year. It is also Korean New Year, Vietnamese New Year. Happy Korean New year, happy Vietnamese new year.
It used to be the new year for Japanese, shōgatsu but they had changed from lunar calendar Gregorian calendar after 1873, five years from the Meiji Restoration.
To all Chinese, Korean and Vietnamese all over the world;
新年快樂; 새해 복 많이 받으세요;Vạn sự như ý
This year is the year of rabbit for Chinese; and the year of cat for Vietnamese
Chinese New Year(春节)
Chinese New Year - often called Chinese Lunar New Year although it actually is lunisolar - is the most important of the traditional Chinese holidays. Despite its winter occurrence, in China it is known as "Spring Festival," the literal translation of the Chinese name 春节 (Pinyin: Chūn Jié), owing to the difference between Western and traditional Chinese methods for computing the seasons. The festival begins on the first day of the first month (Chinese: 正月; pinyin: Zhēng Yuè) in the traditional Chinese calendar and ends with Lantern Festival which is on the 15th day. Chinese New Year's Eve, a day where Chinese families gather for their annual reunion dinner, is known as Chú Xī (除夕) or "Eve of the Passing Year."
Not only in Mainland China, Chinese all over the world celebrate the same Chinese New Year. Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, and all China towns in the world, including London,San Francisco, New York, Los Angeles; Wellington, Sydney, Vancouver....
Wherever you are, I wish all Chinese over the world; 新年快樂
Korean New Year(설날,Seolnal)
Korean New Year, commonly known as Seolnal (Hangul: 설날; RR: Seolnal; MR: Sǒlnal), is the first day of the lunar calendar. It is the most important of the traditional Korean holidays. It consists of a period of celebrations, starting on New Year's Day.
Wish all Korean all over the world;
새해 복 많이 받으세요
Vietnamese New Year(Tết Nguyên Đán or Tet)
This year is the year of cat(mèo/mão) for Vietnamese.
In the Vietnamese zodiac, the "cat" replaces the "rabbit" in the Chinese zodiac. Thus, a child born in the Chinese year of the rabbit was also born in the Vietnamese year of the cat (mèo/mão).
Tết Nguyên Đán, more commonly known by its shortened name Tết or "Vietnamese Lunar New Year", is the most important and popular holiday and festival in Vietnam. It is the Vietnamese New Year marking the arrival of spring based on the Lunar calendar, a lunisolar calendar. The name Tết Nguyên Đán is Sino-Vietnamese for Feast of the First Morning, derived from the Hán nôm characters 節元旦.
Tết is celebrated on the same day as Chinese New Year though exceptions arise due to the one-hour time difference between Hanoi and Beijing resulting in the alternate calculation of the new moon. It takes place from the first day of the first month of the Lunar calendar (around late January or early February) until at least the third day. Many Vietnamese prepare for Tết by cooking special holiday foods and cleaning the house. There are a lot of customs practiced during Tết, such as visiting a person's house on the first day of the new year (xông nhà), ancestral worshipping, wishing New Year's greetings, giving lucky money to children and elderly people, and opening a shop.
Tết is also an occasion for pilgrims and family reunions. During Tết, Vietnamese visit their relatives and temples, forgetting about the troubles of the past year and hoping for a better upcoming year. They consider Tết to be the first day of spring and the festival is often called Hội xuân (spring festival).
Wish all Vietnamese all over the world;
Vạn sự như ý
To all Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese and even Japanese, i wish you all and the world
"歲歲平安"(everlasting peace year after year)
It used to be the new year for Japanese, shōgatsu but they had changed from lunar calendar Gregorian calendar after 1873, five years from the Meiji Restoration.
To all Chinese, Korean and Vietnamese all over the world;
新年快樂; 새해 복 많이 받으세요;Vạn sự như ý
This year is the year of rabbit for Chinese; and the year of cat for Vietnamese
Chinese New Year(春节)
Chinese New Year - often called Chinese Lunar New Year although it actually is lunisolar - is the most important of the traditional Chinese holidays. Despite its winter occurrence, in China it is known as "Spring Festival," the literal translation of the Chinese name 春节 (Pinyin: Chūn Jié), owing to the difference between Western and traditional Chinese methods for computing the seasons. The festival begins on the first day of the first month (Chinese: 正月; pinyin: Zhēng Yuè) in the traditional Chinese calendar and ends with Lantern Festival which is on the 15th day. Chinese New Year's Eve, a day where Chinese families gather for their annual reunion dinner, is known as Chú Xī (除夕) or "Eve of the Passing Year."
Not only in Mainland China, Chinese all over the world celebrate the same Chinese New Year. Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, and all China towns in the world, including London,San Francisco, New York, Los Angeles; Wellington, Sydney, Vancouver....
Wherever you are, I wish all Chinese over the world; 新年快樂
Korean New Year(설날,Seolnal)
Korean New Year, commonly known as Seolnal (Hangul: 설날; RR: Seolnal; MR: Sǒlnal), is the first day of the lunar calendar. It is the most important of the traditional Korean holidays. It consists of a period of celebrations, starting on New Year's Day.
Wish all Korean all over the world;
새해 복 많이 받으세요
Vietnamese New Year(Tết Nguyên Đán or Tet)
This year is the year of cat(mèo/mão) for Vietnamese.
In the Vietnamese zodiac, the "cat" replaces the "rabbit" in the Chinese zodiac. Thus, a child born in the Chinese year of the rabbit was also born in the Vietnamese year of the cat (mèo/mão).
Tết Nguyên Đán, more commonly known by its shortened name Tết or "Vietnamese Lunar New Year", is the most important and popular holiday and festival in Vietnam. It is the Vietnamese New Year marking the arrival of spring based on the Lunar calendar, a lunisolar calendar. The name Tết Nguyên Đán is Sino-Vietnamese for Feast of the First Morning, derived from the Hán nôm characters 節元旦.
Tết is celebrated on the same day as Chinese New Year though exceptions arise due to the one-hour time difference between Hanoi and Beijing resulting in the alternate calculation of the new moon. It takes place from the first day of the first month of the Lunar calendar (around late January or early February) until at least the third day. Many Vietnamese prepare for Tết by cooking special holiday foods and cleaning the house. There are a lot of customs practiced during Tết, such as visiting a person's house on the first day of the new year (xông nhà), ancestral worshipping, wishing New Year's greetings, giving lucky money to children and elderly people, and opening a shop.
Tết is also an occasion for pilgrims and family reunions. During Tết, Vietnamese visit their relatives and temples, forgetting about the troubles of the past year and hoping for a better upcoming year. They consider Tết to be the first day of spring and the festival is often called Hội xuân (spring festival).
Wish all Vietnamese all over the world;
Vạn sự như ý
To all Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese and even Japanese, i wish you all and the world
"歲歲平安"(everlasting peace year after year)
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Today is Reunion dinner!
Even this is a Chinese reunion dinner day, we remember people who had bought laughter, touching moments, and many many good things all the years in the past...
Remember our parents and grandparents,
Remember brothers and sisters,
Remember our friends, especially childhood friends,
Remember people who are not going home for reunion ,due to their respective duties,
Remember Yasmin Ahmad, for the colorful Chinese New Year advertisements; and P Ramli for black and white comedy movie in the 60s .... they are special...
Have a nice reunion dinner.
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Penang Thaipusam 20.01.2011
Thaipusam (Tamil: தைப்பூசம், Taippūcam ?) is a Hindu festival celebrated mostly by the Tamil community on the full moon in the Tamil month of Thai (January/February). It is celebrated not only in countries where the Tamil community constitutes a majority, but also in countries where Tamil communities are smaller, such as Singapore[1] and Malaysia. The festival is also referred to as Thaipooyam or Thaippooyam (Malayalam: തൈപ്പൂയം, Taippūyaṁ ?). The word Thaipusam is derived from the month name Thai and Pusam, which refers to a star that is at its highest point during the festival. The festival commemorates the occasion when Parvati gave Murugan a vel (spear) so he could vanquish the evil demon Soorapadman. There is a misconception among people that Thaipusam marks Murugan's birthday; however, it is believed that Vaikhasi Vishakam, which falls in the Vaikhasi month (May/June), is Murugan's birthday
What is Kavadi?
Kavadi Attam is a dance performed by the devotees during the ceremonial worship of Murugan, the Tamil God of War.It is often performed during the festival of Thaipusam and emphasizes debt bondage. The Kavadi itself is a physical burden through which the devotees implore for help from the God Murugan.
On the day of the festival, devotees will shave their heads and undertake a pilgrimage along a set route while engaging in various acts of devotion, notably carrying various types of kavadi (burdens). At its simplest this may entail carrying a pot of milk, but mortification of the flesh by piercing the skin, tongue or cheeks with vel skewers is also common.
The simplest kavadi is a semicircular decorated canopy supported by a wooden rod that is carried on the shoulders, to the temple. In addition, some have a small spear through their tongue, or a spear through the cheeks. The spear pierced through his tongue or cheeks reminds him constantly of Lord Murugan. It also prevents him from speaking and gives great power of endurance. Other types of kavadi involve hooks stuck into the back and either pulled by another walking behind or being hung from a decorated bullock cart or more recently a tractor, with the point of incisions of the hooks varying the level of pain. The greater the pain the more god-earned merit.
Celebration outside India
The largest Thaipusam celebrations take place in Mauritius, Malaysia and Singapore. It is a public holiday in several states in Malaysia, including Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, Penang, Perak, Johor, Putrajaya and Kuala Lumpur.
The temple at Batu Caves, near Kuala Lumpur, often attracts over one million devotees and tens of thousands of tourists.[8] The procession to the caves starts at the Sri Mahamariamman Temple, Kuala Lumpur in the heart of the city and proceeds for 15 kilometers to the caves, an 8-hour journey culminating in a flight of 272 steps to the top. Thaipusam is also celebrated at another cave site, the Sri Subramaniar Temple in Gunong Cheroh, Ipoh, Perak and at the Nattukottai Chettiar Temple along Jalan Waterfall in Penang. Temple secretary P. Palaiya Sri Subramaniar Temple in Gunong Cheroh reported that about 250,000 devotees participated in the festival 2007, including 300 kavadi bearers, while 15,000 came with milk offerings.
(source: extract from wikipedia)
Celebration in Penang
Thaipusam is celebrated during the full moon of the 10th month in the Hindu calendar. It is normally held in the last week of January or the beginning of February, depending on the alignment of the sun, moon and planets.
A pilgrimage procession takes place to bring the statue of Lord Muruga, who represents virtue, youth and power, on a silver chariot led by more then 60 Kavadis adorned with peacock feathers from Little India to the Nattukottai Chettiar Temple atop the hill of Waterfall Road.
On the day before, old coconuts are smashed along the roads where the Chariot procession will take place.
During Thaipusam in Penang, devotees go through a physical endurance of being skewered and pierced on the back and front of their bodies by hooks with miniature urns as an act of penance. Majority of the devotees who go through this act are Indians but Chinese, Sikh and other visitors can also be seen taking part in this act of faith which leaves many devotees and observers alike, spiritually transformed.
In celebration, more than 100 beautifully-decorated make-shift stalls, are erected along Waterfall Road road where charitable Chinese and Indian families give out bottled water, fruits, sweet, buns and prepared sweetened and sour rice to devotees. Thunderous loud music, singing, dancing and the beating of drums of devotional songs by their supporters can be seen and heard far and wide throughout the entire vicinity of the festival.
Upon reaching the temple, devotees will fulfill their vows, offer thanksgiving prayers and penance to Lord Muruga. The chariot is then scheduled for a return trip to start from the temple on the same evening and reach Kovil Veedu before dawn the following day.
This festival of rich culture and deep tradition is an 'out of this world' experience which draws a massive crowd of tens of thousands to these streets in Penang yearly.
(source: http://www.visitpenang.gov.my/portal3/latest-events/details/67-thaipusam-2011.html)
For further details of the festival, please visit the official website of Penang State Tourism http://www.visitpenang.gov.my/portal3/latest-events/details/67-thaipusam-2011.html
It is too late for the festival now; if you miss it this year, be prepare for next year.
Related articles:
1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thaipusam
What is Kavadi?
Kavadi Attam is a dance performed by the devotees during the ceremonial worship of Murugan, the Tamil God of War.It is often performed during the festival of Thaipusam and emphasizes debt bondage. The Kavadi itself is a physical burden through which the devotees implore for help from the God Murugan.
On the day of the festival, devotees will shave their heads and undertake a pilgrimage along a set route while engaging in various acts of devotion, notably carrying various types of kavadi (burdens). At its simplest this may entail carrying a pot of milk, but mortification of the flesh by piercing the skin, tongue or cheeks with vel skewers is also common.
The simplest kavadi is a semicircular decorated canopy supported by a wooden rod that is carried on the shoulders, to the temple. In addition, some have a small spear through their tongue, or a spear through the cheeks. The spear pierced through his tongue or cheeks reminds him constantly of Lord Murugan. It also prevents him from speaking and gives great power of endurance. Other types of kavadi involve hooks stuck into the back and either pulled by another walking behind or being hung from a decorated bullock cart or more recently a tractor, with the point of incisions of the hooks varying the level of pain. The greater the pain the more god-earned merit.
Celebration outside India
The largest Thaipusam celebrations take place in Mauritius, Malaysia and Singapore. It is a public holiday in several states in Malaysia, including Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, Penang, Perak, Johor, Putrajaya and Kuala Lumpur.
The temple at Batu Caves, near Kuala Lumpur, often attracts over one million devotees and tens of thousands of tourists.[8] The procession to the caves starts at the Sri Mahamariamman Temple, Kuala Lumpur in the heart of the city and proceeds for 15 kilometers to the caves, an 8-hour journey culminating in a flight of 272 steps to the top. Thaipusam is also celebrated at another cave site, the Sri Subramaniar Temple in Gunong Cheroh, Ipoh, Perak and at the Nattukottai Chettiar Temple along Jalan Waterfall in Penang. Temple secretary P. Palaiya Sri Subramaniar Temple in Gunong Cheroh reported that about 250,000 devotees participated in the festival 2007, including 300 kavadi bearers, while 15,000 came with milk offerings.
(source: extract from wikipedia)
Celebration in Penang
Thaipusam is celebrated during the full moon of the 10th month in the Hindu calendar. It is normally held in the last week of January or the beginning of February, depending on the alignment of the sun, moon and planets.
A pilgrimage procession takes place to bring the statue of Lord Muruga, who represents virtue, youth and power, on a silver chariot led by more then 60 Kavadis adorned with peacock feathers from Little India to the Nattukottai Chettiar Temple atop the hill of Waterfall Road.
On the day before, old coconuts are smashed along the roads where the Chariot procession will take place.
During Thaipusam in Penang, devotees go through a physical endurance of being skewered and pierced on the back and front of their bodies by hooks with miniature urns as an act of penance. Majority of the devotees who go through this act are Indians but Chinese, Sikh and other visitors can also be seen taking part in this act of faith which leaves many devotees and observers alike, spiritually transformed.
In celebration, more than 100 beautifully-decorated make-shift stalls, are erected along Waterfall Road road where charitable Chinese and Indian families give out bottled water, fruits, sweet, buns and prepared sweetened and sour rice to devotees. Thunderous loud music, singing, dancing and the beating of drums of devotional songs by their supporters can be seen and heard far and wide throughout the entire vicinity of the festival.
Upon reaching the temple, devotees will fulfill their vows, offer thanksgiving prayers and penance to Lord Muruga. The chariot is then scheduled for a return trip to start from the temple on the same evening and reach Kovil Veedu before dawn the following day.
This festival of rich culture and deep tradition is an 'out of this world' experience which draws a massive crowd of tens of thousands to these streets in Penang yearly.
(source: http://www.visitpenang.gov.my/portal3/latest-events/details/67-thaipusam-2011.html)
For further details of the festival, please visit the official website of Penang State Tourism http://www.visitpenang.gov.my/portal3/latest-events/details/67-thaipusam-2011.html
It is too late for the festival now; if you miss it this year, be prepare for next year.
Related articles:
1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thaipusam
Saturday, December 25, 2010
Merry Christmas 2010
Merry Christmas to all Christian friends round the world
Peace be with you, wherever you are.
Hayyo Ya Mhuyumne, or Come All Ye Faithful, sung in Chaldean Neo-Aramaic. A traditional Christmas hymn. Aramaic is an ancient language spoken during Jesus's time, hearing song in Aramaic in Christmas day will be more meaningful to remember the birth of Jesus Christ. Aramaic was the language spoken by Jesus Christ. In several countries in the Middle East (Iraq, Syria, Armenia) the Catholic faith is practiced by, amongst others, the Chaldean Church and the language they use is Aramaic.
Christmas day is the day to remember the birth of Jesus Christ, is not like an ordinary birthday, it is not Santa Claus day, it is not Christmas tree, it is not Christmas Song, it is not Christmas Turkey dinner, it is not Christmas drama, it is not Christmas gifts; it is just a day to remember Jesus Christ. He is the focus, every second, every hour and the day of Christmas. Many celebrate Christmas,it is a public holiday, but fall short of the knowing what is the meaning of the day. This year, my Christmas is merely walking back to the time when Jesus said in Aramaic language....the time Jesus walk and talk to many...and many come to know him....do you know HIM?....
The Lord's Prayer in Aramaic
The language of Aramaic still remain....
Have a merry Christmas and blessing year for 2011.
Peace be with you, wherever you are.
Hayyo Ya Mhuyumne, or Come All Ye Faithful, sung in Chaldean Neo-Aramaic. A traditional Christmas hymn. Aramaic is an ancient language spoken during Jesus's time, hearing song in Aramaic in Christmas day will be more meaningful to remember the birth of Jesus Christ. Aramaic was the language spoken by Jesus Christ. In several countries in the Middle East (Iraq, Syria, Armenia) the Catholic faith is practiced by, amongst others, the Chaldean Church and the language they use is Aramaic.
Christmas day is the day to remember the birth of Jesus Christ, is not like an ordinary birthday, it is not Santa Claus day, it is not Christmas tree, it is not Christmas Song, it is not Christmas Turkey dinner, it is not Christmas drama, it is not Christmas gifts; it is just a day to remember Jesus Christ. He is the focus, every second, every hour and the day of Christmas. Many celebrate Christmas,it is a public holiday, but fall short of the knowing what is the meaning of the day. This year, my Christmas is merely walking back to the time when Jesus said in Aramaic language....the time Jesus walk and talk to many...and many come to know him....do you know HIM?....
The Lord's Prayer in Aramaic
The language of Aramaic still remain....
Have a merry Christmas and blessing year for 2011.
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Chinese New Year(农历新年)
Today is the Chinese New Year, the 1st day of the lunar calendar for the year of tiger.
Happy Chinese New Year(新年快乐);, Gong Xi Fatt Cai(恭喜发财)
Chinese New Year(农历新年) is know as Spring festival(春节)in mainland China. The celebration of the new year take 15 days. The first day is until the 15th day(Lantern festival)
To prepare for the New Year, the Chinese clean their homes, repay money they owe, get their hair cut and buy new clothes, and offer prayers to their ancestors and to their gods. They decorate their homes with signs that wish peace and luck for the coming year. On the day itself, homes are lighted and families gather for a dinner with special dishes, stay up late, and set off firecrackers to scare away any evil spirits.But the routine may now change for a modern Chinese, depend on the country he is from. Firecrackers are banned in most of the country. But the spirit of the Chinese New Year is the same.
The new year of lunar calendar is not only celebrate by Chinese,all over the world; regardless of religion. It is also celebrate by Japanese, Korean, and Vietnamese. They may called it in different name with their own languages.
First day- Chinese New Year Day
It is public holiday in Malaysia and Singapore, and mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong.
The first day is for the welcoming of the deities of the heavens and earth, officially beginning at midnight. Many people, especially Buddhists, abstain from meat consumption on the first day because it is believed that this will ensure longevity for them. Some consider lighting fires and using knives to be bad luck on New Year's Day, so all food to be consumed is cooked the day before. For Buddhists, the first day is also the birthday of Maitreya Bodhisattva (better known as the more familiar Budai Luohan), the Buddha-to-be. People also abstain from killing animals. Christian Chinese will go to church for the celebration and praying.
Most importantly, the first day of Chinese New Year is a time when families visit the oldest and most senior members of their extended family, usually their parents, grandparents or great-grandparents. The visitation is called Pai Nien(拜年).
This is the time when the elderly relatives, or married relatives will give red packets(红包)to the children or those unmarried young relatives. The red packets is red envelope which contain money. Red packets is call Hong Pau(红包)in Mandarin, 'ang pow' in Hokkien dialect, lai-see(利是, 利市 or 利事)in Cantonese. Red packets are also known as Ya Sui Qian(壓歲錢/压岁钱) , literally means the money used to suppress or put down the evil spirit, the animal called called Sui(歲 or 祟) or Nien(年). The act of requesting for red packets is normally called (Mandarin): 讨紅包, 要利是. (Cantonese):逗利是
Red packets almost always contain money, usually varying from a couple of dollars to several hundred. Per custom, the amount of money in the red packets should be of even numbers, as odd numbers are associated with cash given during funerals (帛金 : Bai Jin). The number 8 is considered lucky (for its homophone for "wealth"), and $8 is commonly found in the red envelopes in the US. The number six is also very lucky due to the reason, in Chinese six[六,liu] can mean smooth, as in having a smooth year. But it is accepted to have single bank notes e.g. 10 or 50 dollars even it is odd number. But in modern time, people are not so particular on the odd or even denomination.
Some families may invite a lion dance troupe as a symbolic ritual to usher in the Lunar New Year as well as to evict bad spirits from the premises. Members of the family who are married also give red packets containing cash to junior members of the family, mostly children and teenagers. Not only the married, Companies and Boss also give red packets to employee for good luck and wealth.
While fireworks and firecrackers are traditionally very popular, some regions have banned them due to concerns over fire hazards, which have resulted in increased number of fires around New Years and challenged municipal fire departments' work capacity. For this reason, various city governments (e.g., Hong Kong, and Beijing, for a number of years) issued bans over fireworks and firecrackers in certain premises of the city. As a substitute, large-scale fireworks have been launched by governments in cities like Hong Kong to offer citizens the experience. It is also banned in Malaysia and Singapore.
The events for 15 days festival are as follow:
1. 1st day(初一) - Chinese New Year. Early morning the Buddhist and Chinese tradition is to pray in the temple. It is also the time to visit(拜年) the oldest and most senior members of their extended family, usually their parents, grandparents or great-grandparents. After giving greeting to the elderly relatives, they will give red packets(壓歲錢/压岁钱)to the unmarried junior relatives and children.
2, 2nd day(初二)- It is the time for married daughters to visit their parents. It is also the time for continue visit friends.
3. 3rd day(初三)- Normally not visiting anybody on the third day. Traditinally, the day is called "chì kǒu" (“赤口”), meaning that it is easy to get into arguments. The day to avoid argument and conflict with other people, so it is not allow to go for visitation. The day is actually a day of rest after the heavy work by the family members for the new year preparation.
4. 4th day(初四) - continue visiting friends after a day's rest. The visitation can be from the 4th day until 15th days.
5. 7th day(初七)- The seventh day, traditionally known as renri (人日), the common man's birthday, the day when everyone grows one year older. It is the day when tossed raw fish salad, yusheng, is eaten. This is a custom primarily among the overseas Chinese in Southeast Asia, such as Malaysia and Singapore. People get together to toss the colourful salad and make wishes for continued wealth and prosperity.
6. 8th day(初八) - The celebration of eve of Jade Emperor on the 8th day. The Hokkien people will start praying at the mid night, with normally there will be roasted pig and cut sugar cane plants, and fire firecrackers.
7. 9th day(初九) - praying time for the Heavenly God or Jade Emperor(玉皇大帝聖誕), It is very important for Hokkien people.
8. 15th day(十五)- The fifteen day of the Chinese New Year celebration is the Lantern festival(元宵節). It is also known as Chinese Valentine Day. In this day the unmarried young girls and boys will go to the esplanade or beach to throw orange,wishing to get a good husband or wife soon. This day mark the end of the Chinese New Year festival.
In Malaysia, the Chinese ministers and political parties, Chinese associations, and clan houses will also celebrate by having open houses or dinners. It is also time for alumni of the school or college to have reunion dinner, as this is the time all the classmates are coming home for the festival.
Happy Chinese New Year(新年快乐);, Gong Xi Fatt Cai(恭喜发财)
Happy Chinese New Year(新年快乐);, Gong Xi Fatt Cai(恭喜发财)
Chinese New Year(农历新年) is know as Spring festival(春节)in mainland China. The celebration of the new year take 15 days. The first day is until the 15th day(Lantern festival)
To prepare for the New Year, the Chinese clean their homes, repay money they owe, get their hair cut and buy new clothes, and offer prayers to their ancestors and to their gods. They decorate their homes with signs that wish peace and luck for the coming year. On the day itself, homes are lighted and families gather for a dinner with special dishes, stay up late, and set off firecrackers to scare away any evil spirits.But the routine may now change for a modern Chinese, depend on the country he is from. Firecrackers are banned in most of the country. But the spirit of the Chinese New Year is the same.
The new year of lunar calendar is not only celebrate by Chinese,all over the world; regardless of religion. It is also celebrate by Japanese, Korean, and Vietnamese. They may called it in different name with their own languages.
First day- Chinese New Year Day
It is public holiday in Malaysia and Singapore, and mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong.
The first day is for the welcoming of the deities of the heavens and earth, officially beginning at midnight. Many people, especially Buddhists, abstain from meat consumption on the first day because it is believed that this will ensure longevity for them. Some consider lighting fires and using knives to be bad luck on New Year's Day, so all food to be consumed is cooked the day before. For Buddhists, the first day is also the birthday of Maitreya Bodhisattva (better known as the more familiar Budai Luohan), the Buddha-to-be. People also abstain from killing animals. Christian Chinese will go to church for the celebration and praying.
Most importantly, the first day of Chinese New Year is a time when families visit the oldest and most senior members of their extended family, usually their parents, grandparents or great-grandparents. The visitation is called Pai Nien(拜年).
This is the time when the elderly relatives, or married relatives will give red packets(红包)to the children or those unmarried young relatives. The red packets is red envelope which contain money. Red packets is call Hong Pau(红包)in Mandarin, 'ang pow' in Hokkien dialect, lai-see(利是, 利市 or 利事)in Cantonese. Red packets are also known as Ya Sui Qian(壓歲錢/压岁钱) , literally means the money used to suppress or put down the evil spirit, the animal called called Sui(歲 or 祟) or Nien(年). The act of requesting for red packets is normally called (Mandarin): 讨紅包, 要利是. (Cantonese):逗利是
Red packets almost always contain money, usually varying from a couple of dollars to several hundred. Per custom, the amount of money in the red packets should be of even numbers, as odd numbers are associated with cash given during funerals (帛金 : Bai Jin). The number 8 is considered lucky (for its homophone for "wealth"), and $8 is commonly found in the red envelopes in the US. The number six is also very lucky due to the reason, in Chinese six[六,liu] can mean smooth, as in having a smooth year. But it is accepted to have single bank notes e.g. 10 or 50 dollars even it is odd number. But in modern time, people are not so particular on the odd or even denomination.
Some families may invite a lion dance troupe as a symbolic ritual to usher in the Lunar New Year as well as to evict bad spirits from the premises. Members of the family who are married also give red packets containing cash to junior members of the family, mostly children and teenagers. Not only the married, Companies and Boss also give red packets to employee for good luck and wealth.
While fireworks and firecrackers are traditionally very popular, some regions have banned them due to concerns over fire hazards, which have resulted in increased number of fires around New Years and challenged municipal fire departments' work capacity. For this reason, various city governments (e.g., Hong Kong, and Beijing, for a number of years) issued bans over fireworks and firecrackers in certain premises of the city. As a substitute, large-scale fireworks have been launched by governments in cities like Hong Kong to offer citizens the experience. It is also banned in Malaysia and Singapore.
The events for 15 days festival are as follow:
1. 1st day(初一) - Chinese New Year. Early morning the Buddhist and Chinese tradition is to pray in the temple. It is also the time to visit(拜年) the oldest and most senior members of their extended family, usually their parents, grandparents or great-grandparents. After giving greeting to the elderly relatives, they will give red packets(壓歲錢/压岁钱)to the unmarried junior relatives and children.
2, 2nd day(初二)- It is the time for married daughters to visit their parents. It is also the time for continue visit friends.
3. 3rd day(初三)- Normally not visiting anybody on the third day. Traditinally, the day is called "chì kǒu" (“赤口”), meaning that it is easy to get into arguments. The day to avoid argument and conflict with other people, so it is not allow to go for visitation. The day is actually a day of rest after the heavy work by the family members for the new year preparation.
4. 4th day(初四) - continue visiting friends after a day's rest. The visitation can be from the 4th day until 15th days.
5. 7th day(初七)- The seventh day, traditionally known as renri (人日), the common man's birthday, the day when everyone grows one year older. It is the day when tossed raw fish salad, yusheng, is eaten. This is a custom primarily among the overseas Chinese in Southeast Asia, such as Malaysia and Singapore. People get together to toss the colourful salad and make wishes for continued wealth and prosperity.
6. 8th day(初八) - The celebration of eve of Jade Emperor on the 8th day. The Hokkien people will start praying at the mid night, with normally there will be roasted pig and cut sugar cane plants, and fire firecrackers.
7. 9th day(初九) - praying time for the Heavenly God or Jade Emperor(玉皇大帝聖誕), It is very important for Hokkien people.
8. 15th day(十五)- The fifteen day of the Chinese New Year celebration is the Lantern festival(元宵節). It is also known as Chinese Valentine Day. In this day the unmarried young girls and boys will go to the esplanade or beach to throw orange,wishing to get a good husband or wife soon. This day mark the end of the Chinese New Year festival.
In Malaysia, the Chinese ministers and political parties, Chinese associations, and clan houses will also celebrate by having open houses or dinners. It is also time for alumni of the school or college to have reunion dinner, as this is the time all the classmates are coming home for the festival.
Happy Chinese New Year(新年快乐);, Gong Xi Fatt Cai(恭喜发财)
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Chinese New Year Eve(除夕)
Today is Chinese New Year Eve(除夕); saying goodbye to the old year,year of monkey. Tomorrow 14-2-2010 will begin the Chinese New Year, the first day of the year of tiger. Chinese New Year(农历新年)or Spring Festival(春节) is the most important of the traditional Chinese holidays. It is sometimes called the "Lunar New Year" by English speakers. The festival traditionally begins on the first day of the first month (正月) in the Chinese calendar and ends on the 15th; this day is called Lantern Festival(元宵節).
Chinese New Year's Eve is known as chú xī(除夕 or 年三十晚). It literally means "Year-pass Eve". It is the 30th day of the Chinese lunar 12th month.
Chinese New Year is the longest and most important festivity in the Lunar Calendar
Shopping for New Year Goods(辦年貨)
Normally one month before the Chinese New Year, all the shops and shopping malls will be starting the Chinese New Year Promotion. This is the time that the Chinese will go for shopping to buy new clothing, new shoes, decoration items, and other Chinese new years good which are durable, but not the food items.
Traveling home or chunyun (春运)
The period around Chinese New Year is also the time of the largest human migration, when migrant workers in China, as well as overseas Chinese around the world travel home to have reunion dinners with their families on Chinese New Year's Eve. More interurban trips are taken in mainland China in this 40-day period than the total population of China. This period is called chunyun (春運 or 春运, Pinyin: chūn yùn).
28th day 12th month of Lunar Calendar- Cleaning day(大掃除)
On the days before the New Year celebration Chinese families give their home a thorough cleaning. There is a Cantonese saying "Wash away the dirt on ninyabaat" (年廿八，洗邋遢), but the practice is not usually restricted on nin'ya'baat (年廿八, the 28th day of month 12). It is believed the cleaning sweeps away the bad luck of the preceding year and makes their homes ready for good luck. Brooms and dust pans are put away on the first day so that luck cannot be swept away. Some people give their homes, doors and window-frames a new coat of red paint. 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.
Preparing for the New Year
Red couplets and red lanterns are displayed on the door frames and light up the atmosphere. The air is filled with strong Chinese emotions. In stores in Beijing, Shanghai, Wuhan, and Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Taipei, Hong Kong and other cities, products of traditional Chinese style have started to lead fashion trend[s]. Buy yourself a Chinese-style coat, get your kids tiger-head hats and shoes, and decorate your home with some beautiful red Chinese knots, then you will have an authentic Chinese-style Spring Festival.
Shopping for food items
The food items specially fresh food items, e.g. vegetables, meats, seafood, will only be purchased one or 2 days before the New Year Eve. Some will be kept at the frozer, as food preparation will start on the morning of 31st day of the lunar 12th month.
Reunion Dinner(30th day 12th month of lunar calendar)吃團年飯
The biggest event of any Chinese New Year's Eve is the dinner every family will have. A dish consisting of fish will appear on the tables of Chinese families. It is for display for the New Year's Eve dinner. This meal is comparable to Christmas dinner in the West. In northern China, it is customary to make dumplings (jiaozi 饺子) after dinner and have it around midnight. Dumplings symbolize wealth because their shape is like a Chinese tael. By contrast, in the South, it is customary to make a new year cake (Niangao, 年糕) after dinner and send pieces of it as gifts to relatives and friends in the coming days of the new year. Niangao literally means increasingly prosperous year in year out. After the dinner, some families go to local temples, hours before the new year begins to pray for a prosperous new year by lighting the first incense of the year; however in modern practice, many households hold parties and even hold a countdown to the new lunar year. Beginning in 1982, in China, the CCTV New Year's Gala was broadcast four hours before the start of the New Year.
A reunion dinner is held on New Year's Eve where members of the family, near and far away, get together for the celebration. The venue will usually be in or near the home of the most senior member of the family. The New Year's Eve dinner is very sumptuous and traditionally includes chicken and fish. In some areas, fish (simplified Chinese: 鱼; traditional Chinese: 魚; pinyin: yú) is included, but not eaten completely (and the remainder is stored overnight), as the Chinese phrase "may there be surpluses every year" (simplified Chinese: 年年有余; traditional Chinese: 年年有餘; pinyin: nián nián yǒu yú) sounds the same as "may there be fish every year."
In Malaysia, a special dish called Yee-sang(鱼生), raw fish salad. Eating this salad is said to bring good luck. This dish is usually eaten on the seventh day of the New Year, but may also be eaten throughout the period. Yee(鱼) means fish, sang(生) means raw, but Yee also having another meaning of abundance(余), and sang have also another meaning of increase(升). So yee-sang is raw fish(鱼生),also means increase in abundance(余升)that means for the new year you will be having increase abundance of good things, including money, luck, businesses,and will be as active as the jumping fish,the higher the better. That is the reason that the salad will pull with chopstick to the highest as possible to denote highest prosperity, highest money returns...good year.
Red packets for the immediate family are sometimes distributed during the reunion dinner. These packets often contain money in certain numbers that reflect good luck and honorability. Several foods are consumed to usher in wealth, happiness, and good fortune. Several of the Chinese food names are homophones for words that also mean good things.
Shou Sui(守岁/守歲)
守岁(守歲) (Shou Sui) occurs when members of the family gather around throughout the night after the reunion dinner and reminisce about the year that has passed while welcoming the year that has arrived. Some believe that children who Shou Sui will increase the longevity of the parents.
一夜连双岁，五更分二年 means that the night of New Year's Eve (which is also the morning of the first day of the New Year) is a night that links two years. 五更 (Wu Geng – the double hour from 0300 to 0500) is the time that separates the two years.
No matter how, it is good for those who are the sons and daughters, to ensure they can come back for reunion dinner, this will make the parent happy.....especially old aged parents.
Happy Chinese New Year(新年快乐);, Gong Xi Fatt Cai(恭喜发财)
Chinese New Year's Eve is known as chú xī(除夕 or 年三十晚). It literally means "Year-pass Eve". It is the 30th day of the Chinese lunar 12th month.
Chinese New Year is the longest and most important festivity in the Lunar Calendar
Shopping for New Year Goods(辦年貨)
Normally one month before the Chinese New Year, all the shops and shopping malls will be starting the Chinese New Year Promotion. This is the time that the Chinese will go for shopping to buy new clothing, new shoes, decoration items, and other Chinese new years good which are durable, but not the food items.
Traveling home or chunyun (春运)
The period around Chinese New Year is also the time of the largest human migration, when migrant workers in China, as well as overseas Chinese around the world travel home to have reunion dinners with their families on Chinese New Year's Eve. More interurban trips are taken in mainland China in this 40-day period than the total population of China. This period is called chunyun (春運 or 春运, Pinyin: chūn yùn).
28th day 12th month of Lunar Calendar- Cleaning day(大掃除)
On the days before the New Year celebration Chinese families give their home a thorough cleaning. There is a Cantonese saying "Wash away the dirt on ninyabaat" (年廿八，洗邋遢), but the practice is not usually restricted on nin'ya'baat (年廿八, the 28th day of month 12). It is believed the cleaning sweeps away the bad luck of the preceding year and makes their homes ready for good luck. Brooms and dust pans are put away on the first day so that luck cannot be swept away. Some people give their homes, doors and window-frames a new coat of red paint. 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.
Preparing for the New Year
Red couplets and red lanterns are displayed on the door frames and light up the atmosphere. The air is filled with strong Chinese emotions. In stores in Beijing, Shanghai, Wuhan, and Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Taipei, Hong Kong and other cities, products of traditional Chinese style have started to lead fashion trend[s]. Buy yourself a Chinese-style coat, get your kids tiger-head hats and shoes, and decorate your home with some beautiful red Chinese knots, then you will have an authentic Chinese-style Spring Festival.
Shopping for food items
The food items specially fresh food items, e.g. vegetables, meats, seafood, will only be purchased one or 2 days before the New Year Eve. Some will be kept at the frozer, as food preparation will start on the morning of 31st day of the lunar 12th month.
Reunion Dinner(30th day 12th month of lunar calendar)吃團年飯
The biggest event of any Chinese New Year's Eve is the dinner every family will have. A dish consisting of fish will appear on the tables of Chinese families. It is for display for the New Year's Eve dinner. This meal is comparable to Christmas dinner in the West. In northern China, it is customary to make dumplings (jiaozi 饺子) after dinner and have it around midnight. Dumplings symbolize wealth because their shape is like a Chinese tael. By contrast, in the South, it is customary to make a new year cake (Niangao, 年糕) after dinner and send pieces of it as gifts to relatives and friends in the coming days of the new year. Niangao literally means increasingly prosperous year in year out. After the dinner, some families go to local temples, hours before the new year begins to pray for a prosperous new year by lighting the first incense of the year; however in modern practice, many households hold parties and even hold a countdown to the new lunar year. Beginning in 1982, in China, the CCTV New Year's Gala was broadcast four hours before the start of the New Year.
A reunion dinner is held on New Year's Eve where members of the family, near and far away, get together for the celebration. The venue will usually be in or near the home of the most senior member of the family. The New Year's Eve dinner is very sumptuous and traditionally includes chicken and fish. In some areas, fish (simplified Chinese: 鱼; traditional Chinese: 魚; pinyin: yú) is included, but not eaten completely (and the remainder is stored overnight), as the Chinese phrase "may there be surpluses every year" (simplified Chinese: 年年有余; traditional Chinese: 年年有餘; pinyin: nián nián yǒu yú) sounds the same as "may there be fish every year."
In Malaysia, a special dish called Yee-sang(鱼生), raw fish salad. Eating this salad is said to bring good luck. This dish is usually eaten on the seventh day of the New Year, but may also be eaten throughout the period. Yee(鱼) means fish, sang(生) means raw, but Yee also having another meaning of abundance(余), and sang have also another meaning of increase(升). So yee-sang is raw fish(鱼生),also means increase in abundance(余升)that means for the new year you will be having increase abundance of good things, including money, luck, businesses,and will be as active as the jumping fish,the higher the better. That is the reason that the salad will pull with chopstick to the highest as possible to denote highest prosperity, highest money returns...good year.
Red packets for the immediate family are sometimes distributed during the reunion dinner. These packets often contain money in certain numbers that reflect good luck and honorability. Several foods are consumed to usher in wealth, happiness, and good fortune. Several of the Chinese food names are homophones for words that also mean good things.
Shou Sui(守岁/守歲)
守岁(守歲) (Shou Sui) occurs when members of the family gather around throughout the night after the reunion dinner and reminisce about the year that has passed while welcoming the year that has arrived. Some believe that children who Shou Sui will increase the longevity of the parents.
一夜连双岁，五更分二年 means that the night of New Year's Eve (which is also the morning of the first day of the New Year) is a night that links two years. 五更 (Wu Geng – the double hour from 0300 to 0500) is the time that separates the two years.
No matter how, it is good for those who are the sons and daughters, to ensure they can come back for reunion dinner, this will make the parent happy.....especially old aged parents.
Happy Chinese New Year(新年快乐);, Gong Xi Fatt Cai(恭喜发财)
Friday, February 5, 2010
Malaysia festival : Thaipusam
Thaipusam (Tamil: தைப்பூசம்) is a Hindu festival celebrated mostly by the Tamil community on the full moon in the Tamil month of Thai (Jan/Feb). It is also referred to as Thaipooyam or Thaippooyam in the Malayalam language. The word Thai-pusam is derived from the month name Thai and Pusam, which refers to a star that is at its highest point during the festival. The festival commemorates both the birthday of Murugan (also Subramaniam), the youngest son of god Shiva and his wife Parvati, and the occasion when Parvati gave Murugan a vel (spear) so he could vanquish the evil demon Soorapadman.
This year's Taipusam festival was celebrated by Malaysian Hindu on 30-1-2010.
Malaysian Hindu
Hinduism was prevalent in Malaysia prior to the arrival of Islam in the 15th century. Traces of Hindu influence remain in the Malay language, literature and art. Ancient Malay Kingdoms like Gangga Negara, Langkasuka. Old Kedah, Srivijaya, Majapahit, Malacca Sultanate, Champa, and many city states and costal states were Hindu kingdoms. But most of the kingdoms later become Islamic sultanates. Since the period of the powerful South India kingdom of the Cholas in the 11th century, Tamils were among the most important trading peoples of maritime Asia.
The overwhelming majority of migrants from India were ethnic Tamil and from British Presidency of Madras. In 1947 they represented approximately 85 per cent of the total Indian population in Malaya and Singapore. Other South Indians, mainly Telugus and Malayalees, formed a further 14 per cent in 1947, and the remainder of the Indian community was accounted for by North Indians, principally Punjabis, Bengalis, Gujaratis, and Sindhis
Indian settlers came to Malaysia from Tamil Nadu in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Many of these came to work as labourers on rubber plantations, while those who were English-educated occupied more professional positions. A minority of Indian immigrants to Malaysia during this time period came from Northern India and Sri Lanka.
Most of the Indian are Hindu, and some are Muslim, Christian, and Buddhist. The practice of Hinduism began to rise during the second wave of people from the Indian subcontinent during British rule. Hinduism is the most practised religion amongst the Tamils comprising of the both the major Hindu and Tamil pantheon of deities. Tamils of both Indian and Sri Lankan backgrounds practice Hinduism. Telugus predominantly belong to the Vaisnavite branch of Hinduism, with a minority among them belonging to Christianity and Islam. Amongst the North Indians are the Gujarati, Sindhi, Bengali, and Punjabi Hindus
The Thaipusam Festival
Kavadi Attam is a dance performed by the devotees during the ceremonial worship of Murugan, the Tamil God of War. It is often performed during the festival of Thaipusam and emphasizes debt bondage. The Kavadi itself is a physical burden through which the devotees implore for help from the God Murugan.
Generally, Hindus take a vow to offer a kavadi to idol for the purpose of tiding over or averting a great calamity.
Preparation for festival
Devotees prepare for the celebration by cleansing themselves through prayer and fasting. Kavadi-bearers have to perform elaborate ceremonies at the time of assuming the kavadi and at the time of offering it to Murugan. The kavadi-bearer observes celibacy and take only pure, Satvik food, once a day, while continuously thinking of God.
On the day of the festival, devotees will shave their heads undertake a pilgrimage along a set route while engaging in various acts of devotion, notably carrying various types of kavadi (burdens). At its simplest this may entail carrying a pot of milk, but mortification of the flesh by piercing the skin, tongue or cheeks with vel skewers is also common.
The simplest kavadi is a semi circular decorated canopy supported by a wooden rod that is carried on the shoulders, to the temple. In addition, some have a small spear through their tongue, or a spear through the cheeks. The spear pierced through his tongue or cheeks reminds him constantly of Lord Murugan. It also prevents him from speaking and gives great power of endurance. Other types of kavadi involve hooks stuck into the back and either pulled by another walking behind or being hung from a decorated bullock cart or more recently a tractor, with the point of incisions of the hooks varying the level of pain. The greater the pain the more god-earned merit.
The celebration
The largest Thaipusam celebrations take place is India, Singapore, Mauritius and Malaysia. It is a public holiday in several states in Malaysia, including Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, Penang, Perak, Johor, Putrajaya and Kuala Lumpur. The Taipusam is celebrated in grand scale at Kuala Lunpur(procession from Sri Mahamariamman Temple, Kuala Lumpur), Penang(Nattukottai Chettiar Temple along Jalan Waterfall), Ipoh(Sri Subramaniar Temple in Gunong Cheroh, Ipoh, Perak).
Recently there are many ethic Chinese in Malaysia participated in Thaipusam celebration.
The following are some of the video uploaded from youtube...
Penang at ARULMIGU SRI BALATHANDAYUTHABANI
Kuala Lumpur
Related articles:
1. Thaipusam, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thaipusam
2. Hinduism in Malaysia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hinduism_in_Malaysia
3. Malaysian Indian, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malaysian_Indian
4. Thaipusam joy around the country, http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/1/30/nation/20100130144947&sec=nation
This year's Taipusam festival was celebrated by Malaysian Hindu on 30-1-2010.
Malaysian Hindu
Hinduism was prevalent in Malaysia prior to the arrival of Islam in the 15th century. Traces of Hindu influence remain in the Malay language, literature and art. Ancient Malay Kingdoms like Gangga Negara, Langkasuka. Old Kedah, Srivijaya, Majapahit, Malacca Sultanate, Champa, and many city states and costal states were Hindu kingdoms. But most of the kingdoms later become Islamic sultanates. Since the period of the powerful South India kingdom of the Cholas in the 11th century, Tamils were among the most important trading peoples of maritime Asia.
The overwhelming majority of migrants from India were ethnic Tamil and from British Presidency of Madras. In 1947 they represented approximately 85 per cent of the total Indian population in Malaya and Singapore. Other South Indians, mainly Telugus and Malayalees, formed a further 14 per cent in 1947, and the remainder of the Indian community was accounted for by North Indians, principally Punjabis, Bengalis, Gujaratis, and Sindhis
Indian settlers came to Malaysia from Tamil Nadu in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Many of these came to work as labourers on rubber plantations, while those who were English-educated occupied more professional positions. A minority of Indian immigrants to Malaysia during this time period came from Northern India and Sri Lanka.
Most of the Indian are Hindu, and some are Muslim, Christian, and Buddhist. The practice of Hinduism began to rise during the second wave of people from the Indian subcontinent during British rule. Hinduism is the most practised religion amongst the Tamils comprising of the both the major Hindu and Tamil pantheon of deities. Tamils of both Indian and Sri Lankan backgrounds practice Hinduism. Telugus predominantly belong to the Vaisnavite branch of Hinduism, with a minority among them belonging to Christianity and Islam. Amongst the North Indians are the Gujarati, Sindhi, Bengali, and Punjabi Hindus
The Thaipusam Festival
Kavadi Attam is a dance performed by the devotees during the ceremonial worship of Murugan, the Tamil God of War. It is often performed during the festival of Thaipusam and emphasizes debt bondage. The Kavadi itself is a physical burden through which the devotees implore for help from the God Murugan.
Generally, Hindus take a vow to offer a kavadi to idol for the purpose of tiding over or averting a great calamity.
Preparation for festival
Devotees prepare for the celebration by cleansing themselves through prayer and fasting. Kavadi-bearers have to perform elaborate ceremonies at the time of assuming the kavadi and at the time of offering it to Murugan. The kavadi-bearer observes celibacy and take only pure, Satvik food, once a day, while continuously thinking of God.
On the day of the festival, devotees will shave their heads undertake a pilgrimage along a set route while engaging in various acts of devotion, notably carrying various types of kavadi (burdens). At its simplest this may entail carrying a pot of milk, but mortification of the flesh by piercing the skin, tongue or cheeks with vel skewers is also common.
The simplest kavadi is a semi circular decorated canopy supported by a wooden rod that is carried on the shoulders, to the temple. In addition, some have a small spear through their tongue, or a spear through the cheeks. The spear pierced through his tongue or cheeks reminds him constantly of Lord Murugan. It also prevents him from speaking and gives great power of endurance. Other types of kavadi involve hooks stuck into the back and either pulled by another walking behind or being hung from a decorated bullock cart or more recently a tractor, with the point of incisions of the hooks varying the level of pain. The greater the pain the more god-earned merit.
The celebration
The largest Thaipusam celebrations take place is India, Singapore, Mauritius and Malaysia. It is a public holiday in several states in Malaysia, including Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, Penang, Perak, Johor, Putrajaya and Kuala Lumpur. The Taipusam is celebrated in grand scale at Kuala Lunpur(procession from Sri Mahamariamman Temple, Kuala Lumpur), Penang(Nattukottai Chettiar Temple along Jalan Waterfall), Ipoh(Sri Subramaniar Temple in Gunong Cheroh, Ipoh, Perak).
Recently there are many ethic Chinese in Malaysia participated in Thaipusam celebration.
The following are some of the video uploaded from youtube...
Penang at ARULMIGU SRI BALATHANDAYUTHABANI
Kuala Lumpur
Related articles:
1. Thaipusam, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thaipusam
2. Hinduism in Malaysia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hinduism_in_Malaysia
3. Malaysian Indian, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malaysian_Indian
4. Thaipusam joy around the country, http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/1/30/nation/20100130144947&sec=nation
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Karbala & The Day of Ashura
Ashura
The Day of Ashura (عاشوراء (ʻĀshūrā’, Ashura, Ashoura, and other spellings) is on the 10th day of Muharram in the Islamic calendar and marks the climax of the Remembrance of Muharram. Muharram (Arabic: محرم) is the first month of the Islamic calendar. It is one of the four sacred months of the year in which fighting is prohibited. Tasua is the 9th Night of Muharram (Tasua) Ceremonies.
It is commemorated by Shia Muslims as a day of mourning for the martyrdom of Husayn ibn Ali, the grandson of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad at the Battle of Karbala on 10 Muharram in the year 61 AH (October 10, 680 AD). Imam Husayn was killed by Yazid ibn Muawiyah, the Sunnis' 6th Khalif. Ashurah is a day of deep mourning for Shia Muslims, which occurs on the 10th of Muharram. Ashura is a time for Shi’ites to re-live and express extreme grief and mourning for Hussein and his family. They have passion plays, they march, they chant and they beat their chests. They flail themselves until they bleed. Their actions sometimes reach a trance-like fervor.
Sunnis also commemorate Ashurah, but give it a different meaning. Not a celebration, but a remembrance, According to Sunni Muslim tradition, the Prophet Muhammad fasted on this day and asked other people to fast. Sunni Muslims also celebrate the day claiming that Moses fasted on that day to express gratitude to God for liberating the Israelites from Egypt.
Karbala City, Iraq
Map of Karbala
View Larger Map
Karbala (Arabic: كربلاء; BGN: Al-Karbalā’; also spelled Karbala al-Muqaddasah) is a city in Iraq, located about 100 km (60 mi) southwest of Baghdad. In the time of Husayn ibn Alī's life, the place was also known as al-Ghadiriyah, Naynawa, and Shathi'ul-Furaat. The estimated population in 2003 was 572,300 people. It is the capital of Karbala Governorate.
City of Karbala, a holy city for Shi'ite Muslims; it houses the shrine of Imam Hussein, a heavily revered figure in Shi'ite Islam. Shi'ite Muslim pilgrims from Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan and India flood into the city to visit the shrine. Shi'a Muslims consider Karbala to be one of their holiest cities after Mecca, Medina, Jerusalem and Najaf. The city is best known as the location of the Battle of Karbala. Karbala is also called City of Martyrs.
The city is one of Iraq's wealthiest, profiting both from religious visitors and agricultural produce, especially dates. It is made up of two districts, "Old Karbala," the religious centre, and "New Karbala," the residential district containing Islamic schools and government buildings.
At the centre of the old city is the Masjid al-Husayn, the tomb of Husayn ibn ‘Ali, grandson of Muhammad by his daughter Fatima tuz-Zahra and ‘Alī ibn Abu Tālib. Hussein's tomb is a place of pilgrimage for many Shī‘ī Muslims, especially on the anniversary of the battle, the Day of ‘Āshūrā. Many elderly pilgrims travel there to await death, as they believe the tomb to be one of the gates to paradise. Another focal point of the Shī‘ī pilgrimage to Karbala is al-Makhayam, traditionally believed to be the location of Husayn's camp, where the martyrdom of Husayn and his followers is publicly commemorated.
The city's association with Shī‘a Islām have made it a centre of religious instruction as well as worship; it has more than 100 mosques and 23 religious schools, of which possibly the most famous is that of Ibn Fahid, constructed some 440 years ago.
(source: wikipedia)
Etymology of Ashura
The word ashura means simply tenth in Arabic language; hence the name of the remembrance, literally translated, means "the tenth day". The day is indeed the tenth day of the month, although some Islamic scholars offer up different etymologies. In his book Ghuniyatut Talibin, Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani writes that the Islamic scholars have a difference of opinion as to why this day is known as Ashura, with some scholars suggesting that this day is the tenth most important day that God has blessed Muslims with.
(source: wikipedia)
Shi'a Islam
Shia Islam (Arabic: شيعة Shī‘ah, sometimes spelled Shi'a), is the second largest denomination of Islam, after Sunni Islam. The followers of Shia Islam are called Shi'as but are also know as Shiites or Shi'ites.
Shia Islam is based on the teachings of the Islamic holy book, the Qur'an and the message of the final prophet of Islam, Muhammad. In contrast to other schools of thought, Shia Islam holds that Muhammad's family, the Ahl al-Bayt ("the People of the House"), and certain individuals among his descendants, who are known as Imams, have special spiritual and political rule over the community. Shia Muslims further believe that Ali, Muhammad's cousin and son-in-law, was the first of these Imams and was the rightful successor to Muhammad and thus reject the legitimacy of the first three Rashidun caliphs. Shīʿites have come to account for roughly one-tenth of the Muslim population worldwide. In some Shia countries and regions such as Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, Lebanon, Bahrain, Commemoration of Husayn ibn Ali has become a national holiday and most ethnic and religious communities participate in it. Even in India, Ashura (often called Moharram) is a public holiday.
The Shi'a faith throughout its history split over the issue of imamate, with each branch supporting different imams. The largest branch are the Twelvers, to which over 85% of Shi'a belong. The only other surviving branches are the Zaidi and Ismaili. All three groups follow a different line of Imamate.
(source:wikipedia)
This year, Tasua is the 9th day of Muharram, it fall on 26-12-2009, and Ashura fall on 27-12-2009.
Ashura Procession
The most visible and evocative sign of Ashura is the procession by men and boys, stripped to the waist or wearing black robes, and flailing or scourging themselves with sticks, whips, chains, and swords until their backs and foreheads bleed. Some cut themselves with knives and razors. While in other countries these displays are much more ritualized, one observing Ashura rites in Iraq should expect to see men – and even young boys — drenched in their own blood.
Then, on the eleventh day, the faithful return to their homes for a period of mourning lasting 40 days. The mourning period ends with the observance of Arba’een, when many Shi’a gather in Karbala to assert their Shi’a identity.
(source: http://www.theredbulls.org/article00535)
Past Ashura events
1. Iraq:
19-1-2008
On January 19, 2008, 2 million Iraqi Shia pilgrims marched through Karbala city, Iraq to commemorate Ashura. 20,000 Iraqi troops and police guarded the event amid tensions due to clashes between Iraqi troops and the population which left 263 people dead (in Basra and Nasiriya).
27-12-2009
The Shi'ite Muslim religious festival of Ashura passed without major violence in Iraq on Sunday, after tight security was deployed to safeguard millions from the bloody attacks that marred past pilgrimages. Some 20,000 members of Iraq's security forces formed cordons around Kerbala, vehicles were banned and 1,000 snipers were perched on the roofs of buildings. Troops stood watch with bomb-sniffing dogs and the wands used to detect explosives. At the climax of the 10-day Ashura event, vast crowds beat their chests and heads in mourning, chanting accounts of Hussein's death on the battlefield at Kerbala, where he and his followers made a desperate last stand against the armies of the Caliph Yazid, whom Shi'ites view as an oppressor.
(source: http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE5BP1MD20091227)
2. Iran:
Iran was plunged into crises on the holy day of Ashura yesterday as the intense clashes and protests in Iranian cities ranging from Tehran and Isfahan to Shiraz broke out. In Tehran, large protest groups objecting the growing intolerance and suppression of the current government for political dissidents chanted "death to Khamenei" and did not abide by the official warnings. According to various opposition Web sites, security forces opened fire on crowd, killing at least 10 protesters and wounding a hundred ones. A thick smoke from fire and tear gas covered most parts of Tehran. "We were on Kolaj bridge and people started attacking. The security forces began shooting at people," said one witness, Muhammad, an economics student.
(From Monday, 28 December 2009 http://www.turkishweekly.net/news)
Related articles:
1. Shia Islam, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shia
2. Day of Ashura, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Day_of_Ashura
3. http://www.theredbulls.org/article00535, where you can see some pictures.
4. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jTfjFZcrugI
5. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49J6eh7kJMA - To mark the final day of the Shiite Muslim festival of Ashura, boys and men in Kabul flayed their backs with chains and razor blades.
6. Karbala, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karbala
7. "Karbala - When Skies Wept Blood", a documentary film by www.redtears. co.uk; a trailer of the film can be seen from youtube.
8. The lesson of Karbala , by Murtaza Razvi, http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/news/art-culture/18-the-lesson-of-karbala-am-05.
Note to readers:
Please read the blog article with an open mind, the article is for knowledge on global events and understanding of other people and their lives. The article is to be neutral and non-political, non-religion bias. Let this knowledge enrich our life and understanding more about fellow human being. Thank you.
The Day of Ashura (عاشوراء (ʻĀshūrā’, Ashura, Ashoura, and other spellings) is on the 10th day of Muharram in the Islamic calendar and marks the climax of the Remembrance of Muharram. Muharram (Arabic: محرم) is the first month of the Islamic calendar. It is one of the four sacred months of the year in which fighting is prohibited. Tasua is the 9th Night of Muharram (Tasua) Ceremonies.
It is commemorated by Shia Muslims as a day of mourning for the martyrdom of Husayn ibn Ali, the grandson of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad at the Battle of Karbala on 10 Muharram in the year 61 AH (October 10, 680 AD). Imam Husayn was killed by Yazid ibn Muawiyah, the Sunnis' 6th Khalif. Ashurah is a day of deep mourning for Shia Muslims, which occurs on the 10th of Muharram. Ashura is a time for Shi’ites to re-live and express extreme grief and mourning for Hussein and his family. They have passion plays, they march, they chant and they beat their chests. They flail themselves until they bleed. Their actions sometimes reach a trance-like fervor.
Sunnis also commemorate Ashurah, but give it a different meaning. Not a celebration, but a remembrance, According to Sunni Muslim tradition, the Prophet Muhammad fasted on this day and asked other people to fast. Sunni Muslims also celebrate the day claiming that Moses fasted on that day to express gratitude to God for liberating the Israelites from Egypt.
Karbala City, Iraq
Map of Karbala
View Larger Map
Karbala (Arabic: كربلاء; BGN: Al-Karbalā’; also spelled Karbala al-Muqaddasah) is a city in Iraq, located about 100 km (60 mi) southwest of Baghdad. In the time of Husayn ibn Alī's life, the place was also known as al-Ghadiriyah, Naynawa, and Shathi'ul-Furaat. The estimated population in 2003 was 572,300 people. It is the capital of Karbala Governorate.
City of Karbala, a holy city for Shi'ite Muslims; it houses the shrine of Imam Hussein, a heavily revered figure in Shi'ite Islam. Shi'ite Muslim pilgrims from Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan and India flood into the city to visit the shrine. Shi'a Muslims consider Karbala to be one of their holiest cities after Mecca, Medina, Jerusalem and Najaf. The city is best known as the location of the Battle of Karbala. Karbala is also called City of Martyrs.
The city is one of Iraq's wealthiest, profiting both from religious visitors and agricultural produce, especially dates. It is made up of two districts, "Old Karbala," the religious centre, and "New Karbala," the residential district containing Islamic schools and government buildings.
At the centre of the old city is the Masjid al-Husayn, the tomb of Husayn ibn ‘Ali, grandson of Muhammad by his daughter Fatima tuz-Zahra and ‘Alī ibn Abu Tālib. Hussein's tomb is a place of pilgrimage for many Shī‘ī Muslims, especially on the anniversary of the battle, the Day of ‘Āshūrā. Many elderly pilgrims travel there to await death, as they believe the tomb to be one of the gates to paradise. Another focal point of the Shī‘ī pilgrimage to Karbala is al-Makhayam, traditionally believed to be the location of Husayn's camp, where the martyrdom of Husayn and his followers is publicly commemorated.
The city's association with Shī‘a Islām have made it a centre of religious instruction as well as worship; it has more than 100 mosques and 23 religious schools, of which possibly the most famous is that of Ibn Fahid, constructed some 440 years ago.
(source: wikipedia)
Etymology of Ashura
The word ashura means simply tenth in Arabic language; hence the name of the remembrance, literally translated, means "the tenth day". The day is indeed the tenth day of the month, although some Islamic scholars offer up different etymologies. In his book Ghuniyatut Talibin, Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani writes that the Islamic scholars have a difference of opinion as to why this day is known as Ashura, with some scholars suggesting that this day is the tenth most important day that God has blessed Muslims with.
(source: wikipedia)
Shi'a Islam
Shia Islam (Arabic: شيعة Shī‘ah, sometimes spelled Shi'a), is the second largest denomination of Islam, after Sunni Islam. The followers of Shia Islam are called Shi'as but are also know as Shiites or Shi'ites.
Shia Islam is based on the teachings of the Islamic holy book, the Qur'an and the message of the final prophet of Islam, Muhammad. In contrast to other schools of thought, Shia Islam holds that Muhammad's family, the Ahl al-Bayt ("the People of the House"), and certain individuals among his descendants, who are known as Imams, have special spiritual and political rule over the community. Shia Muslims further believe that Ali, Muhammad's cousin and son-in-law, was the first of these Imams and was the rightful successor to Muhammad and thus reject the legitimacy of the first three Rashidun caliphs. Shīʿites have come to account for roughly one-tenth of the Muslim population worldwide. In some Shia countries and regions such as Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, Lebanon, Bahrain, Commemoration of Husayn ibn Ali has become a national holiday and most ethnic and religious communities participate in it. Even in India, Ashura (often called Moharram) is a public holiday.
The Shi'a faith throughout its history split over the issue of imamate, with each branch supporting different imams. The largest branch are the Twelvers, to which over 85% of Shi'a belong. The only other surviving branches are the Zaidi and Ismaili. All three groups follow a different line of Imamate.
(source:wikipedia)
This year, Tasua is the 9th day of Muharram, it fall on 26-12-2009, and Ashura fall on 27-12-2009.
Ashura Procession
The most visible and evocative sign of Ashura is the procession by men and boys, stripped to the waist or wearing black robes, and flailing or scourging themselves with sticks, whips, chains, and swords until their backs and foreheads bleed. Some cut themselves with knives and razors. While in other countries these displays are much more ritualized, one observing Ashura rites in Iraq should expect to see men – and even young boys — drenched in their own blood.
Then, on the eleventh day, the faithful return to their homes for a period of mourning lasting 40 days. The mourning period ends with the observance of Arba’een, when many Shi’a gather in Karbala to assert their Shi’a identity.
(source: http://www.theredbulls.org/article00535)
Past Ashura events
1. Iraq:
19-1-2008
On January 19, 2008, 2 million Iraqi Shia pilgrims marched through Karbala city, Iraq to commemorate Ashura. 20,000 Iraqi troops and police guarded the event amid tensions due to clashes between Iraqi troops and the population which left 263 people dead (in Basra and Nasiriya).
27-12-2009
The Shi'ite Muslim religious festival of Ashura passed without major violence in Iraq on Sunday, after tight security was deployed to safeguard millions from the bloody attacks that marred past pilgrimages. Some 20,000 members of Iraq's security forces formed cordons around Kerbala, vehicles were banned and 1,000 snipers were perched on the roofs of buildings. Troops stood watch with bomb-sniffing dogs and the wands used to detect explosives. At the climax of the 10-day Ashura event, vast crowds beat their chests and heads in mourning, chanting accounts of Hussein's death on the battlefield at Kerbala, where he and his followers made a desperate last stand against the armies of the Caliph Yazid, whom Shi'ites view as an oppressor.
(source: http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE5BP1MD20091227)
2. Iran:
Iran was plunged into crises on the holy day of Ashura yesterday as the intense clashes and protests in Iranian cities ranging from Tehran and Isfahan to Shiraz broke out. In Tehran, large protest groups objecting the growing intolerance and suppression of the current government for political dissidents chanted "death to Khamenei" and did not abide by the official warnings. According to various opposition Web sites, security forces opened fire on crowd, killing at least 10 protesters and wounding a hundred ones. A thick smoke from fire and tear gas covered most parts of Tehran. "We were on Kolaj bridge and people started attacking. The security forces began shooting at people," said one witness, Muhammad, an economics student.
(From Monday, 28 December 2009 http://www.turkishweekly.net/news)
Related articles:
1. Shia Islam, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shia
2. Day of Ashura, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Day_of_Ashura
3. http://www.theredbulls.org/article00535, where you can see some pictures.
4. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jTfjFZcrugI
5. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49J6eh7kJMA - To mark the final day of the Shiite Muslim festival of Ashura, boys and men in Kabul flayed their backs with chains and razor blades.
6. Karbala, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karbala
7. "Karbala - When Skies Wept Blood", a documentary film by www.redtears. co.uk; a trailer of the film can be seen from youtube.
8. The lesson of Karbala , by Murtaza Razvi, http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/news/art-culture/18-the-lesson-of-karbala-am-05.
Note to readers:
Please read the blog article with an open mind, the article is for knowledge on global events and understanding of other people and their lives. The article is to be neutral and non-political, non-religion bias. Let this knowledge enrich our life and understanding more about fellow human being. Thank you.
Friday, December 25, 2009
Christmas
Today is Christmas Day. Merry Christmas......
Christmas is the day, the birthday of Jesus Christ.
It is celebrated on December 25, but this date is not known to be Jesus' actual birthday, and may have initially been chosen to correspond with either the day exactly nine months after some early Christians believed Jesus had been conceived, a historical Roman festival, or the date of the northern hemisphere's winter solstice. Christmas is central to the Christmas and holiday season, and in Christianity marks the beginning of the larger season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days
Although traditionally a Christian holiday, Christmas is also widely celebrated by many non-Christians, and some of its popular celebratory customs have pre-Christian or secular themes and origins, including Christmas trees, lights, garlands, mistletoe, nativity scenes, and holly. In addition, Father Christmas (known as Santa Claus in some areas, including North America, Australia and Ireland) is a popular mythological figure in many countries, associated with the bringing of gifts for children
Because gift-giving and many other aspects of the Christmas festival involve heightened economic activity among both Christians and non-Christians, the holiday has become a significant event and a key sales period for retailers and businesses. Christmas has lost its true meaning, that is the celebration of the birthday of Jesus. It has become a very commercialized festival, where the true meaning was unknown or ignore by many who celebrate Christmas. It is more a festival of Santa Claus and Christmas Tree......
The word Christmas originated as a compound meaning "Christ's Mass". It is derived from the Middle English Christemasse and Old English Cristes mæsse, a phrase first recorded in 1038. "Cristes" is from Greek Christos and "mæsse" is from Latin missa (the holy mass). In Greek, the letter Χ (chi), is the first letter of Christ, and it, or the similar Roman letter X, has been used as an abbreviation for Christ since the mid-16th century.Hence, Xmas is sometimes used as an abbreviation for Christmas. So, the people replace "Christ" with "X", as more people celebrate Christmas are non-Christian, a process to "de-christian" the festival. Christian still use " Christmas" as the centre of the festival is Jesus Christ.
The true meaning of Christmas
In Christianity, Christmas is the festival celebrating the Nativity of Jesus, the Christian belief that the Messiah foretold in the Old Testament's Messianic prophecies was born to the Virgin Mary. The story of Christmas is based on the biblical accounts given in the Gospel of Matthew, namely Matthew 1:18-Matthew 2:12 and the Gospel of Luke, specifically Luke 1:26-Luke 2:40. According to these accounts, Jesus was born to Mary, assisted by her husband Joseph, in the city of Bethlehem. According to popular tradition, the birth took place in a stable, surrounded by farm animals, though neither the stable nor the animals are specifically mentioned in the Biblical accounts. However, a manger is mentioned in Luke 2:7, where it states, "She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn." Early iconographic representations of the nativity placed the animals and manger within a cave (located, according to tradition, under the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem). Shepherds from the fields surrounding Bethlehem were told of the birth by an angel, and were the first to see the child.
Many Christians believe that the birth of Jesus fulfilled messianic prophecies from the Old Testament. The Gospel of Matthew also describes a visit by several Magi, or astrologers, who bring gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh to the infant. The visitors were said to be following a mysterious star, commonly known as the Star of Bethlehem, believing it to announce the birth of a king of the Jews.The commemoration of this visit, the Feast of Epiphany celebrated on January 6, is the formal end of the Christmas season in some churches.
The spirit of Christmas
Christians celebrate Christmas in many ways. In addition to this day being one of the most important and popular for the attendance of church services, there are numerous other devotions and popular traditions. Prior to Christmas Day, the Eastern Orthodox Church practises the Nativity Fast in anticipation of the birth of Jesus, while much of Western Christianity celebrates Advent. The final preparations for Christmas are made on Christmas Eve.
Over the Christmas period, people decorate their homes and exchange gifts. In some Christian denominations, children perform plays re-telling the events of the Nativity, or sing carols that reference the event. Some Christians also display a small re-creation of the Nativity, known as a Nativity scene or crib, in their homes, using figurines to portray the key characters of the event. Live Nativity scenes and tableaux vivants are also performed, using actors and animals to portray the event with more realism.
A long artistic tradition has grown of producing painted depictions of the nativity in art. Nativity scenes are traditionally set in a barn or stable and include Mary, Joseph, the child Jesus, angels, shepherds and the Three Wise Men: Balthazar, Melchior, and Caspar, who are said to have followed a star, known as the Star of Bethlehem, and arrived after his birth
Christmas Song
1. The popular Cristmas song O Come O Come Emmanuel originated in the 12th century as a Latin chant during Advent season in the Catholic church. It was translated into English by John Mason Neale in the 1800's and has since that time become a favorite among church hymns. It has been recorded by such notable artists as Steven Curtis Chapman, Mormon Tabernacle Choir, Rebecca St James, Neil Diamond, Clay Aiken, Whitney Houston and others. We hope you enjoy our performance of this beautiful Christmas song. Lark & Spur.
2. Heart of Worship
3.CHRIST IS BORN (Christmas Carol sung in Aramaic: the language of Christ)
4.An Arabic Christmas Carol (Byzantine Hymn of the Nativity)
This is in the old Arabic , the written form a relatively hard dialect the hardest of all the Arabic dialects.
4. Come All Ye Faithful(Hayyo Ya Mhuyumne) , Chaldean Neo-Aramaic Christmas Song
The Place Jesus was born - Bethlehem
Bethlehem (Arabic: بَيْتِ لَحْمٍ, About this sound Bayt Laḥm (help·info), lit "House of Meat"; Greek: Βηθλεέμ Bethleém; Hebrew: בֵּית לֶחֶם, Beit Lehem, lit "House of Bread") is a city in the central West Bank, approximately 10 kilometers (6 mi) south of Jerusalem, with a population of about 30,000 people. It is the capital of the Bethlehem Governorate of the Palestinian National Authority and a hub of Palestinian culture and tourism. Bethlehem is the birthplace of Jesus of Nazareth. The town is inhabited by one of the oldest Christian communities in the world, though the size of the community has shrunk in recent years due to emigration.
Bethlehem has now a Muslim majority, but is also home to one of the largest Palestinian Christian communities. The Bethlehem agglomeration includes the towns of Beit Jala and Beit Sahour, as well as the refugee camps of 'Aida and Azza. Bethlehem's chief economic sector is tourism which peaks during the Christmas season when Christian pilgrims throng to the Church of the Nativity. Bethlehem has over thirty hotels and three hundred handicraft work shops. Rachel's Tomb, an important Jewish holy site, is located at the entrance of Bethlehem. The only mosque in the Old City is the Mosque of Omar, located in the Manger Square
In 1948, the religious makeup of the city was 85% Christian, mostly of the Greek Orthodox and Roman Catholic denominations, and 13% Sunni Muslim. By 2005, the proportion of Christian residents had decreased dramatically, to about 20%. The 85% Christian Palestine population has declined to 20% due to emigration, and influx of Palestine from other places during the war.
The majority of Bethlehem's Christian inhabitants claim ancestry from Arab Christian clans from the Arabian Peninsula, including the city's two largest: al-Farahiyya and an-Najajreh. The former claims to have descended from the Ghassanids who migrated from Yemen to the Wadi Musa area in present-day Jordan and an-Najajreh descend from the Arabs of Najran in the southern Hejaz. Another Bethlehem clan, al-Anantreh, also trace their ancestry to the Arabian Peninsula.
The percentage of Christians in Bethlehem has been steadily falling, primarily due to continuous emigration. The lower birth rate among Christians as compared to Muslims also accounts for some of the decline. In 1947, Christians made up 75% of the population, but by 1998 this figure had declined to 23%. The current mayor of Bethlehem, Victor Batarseh told the Voice of America that, "due to the stress, either physical or psychological, and the bad economic situation, many people are emigrating, either Christians or Muslims, but it is more apparent among Christians, because they already are a minority."
Nazareth - the childhood home of Jesus
Nazareth (pronounced /ˈnæzərəθ/; Hebrew: נָצְרַת, Natzrat or Natzeret, Arabic: الناصرة an-Nāṣira or an-Naseriyye) is the capital and largest city in the North District of Israel. Known as "the Arab capital of Israel," the population is made up predominantly of Palestinian Arab citizens of Israel. In the New Testament, the city is described as the childhood home of Jesus, and as such is a center of Christian pilgrimage, with many shrines commemorating biblical events.
So, you now understand Christmas....Christmas is not an ordinary holiday; it is not Christmas tree, it is not Santa Claus. It is about peace ,it is about love and it is the birthday of Jesus. Happy Birthday Jesus. Jesus was born in Bethlehem, not in any western or oriental countries, but the western influence on Christmas celebration is excessive. Jesus was born in Asia Minor, a central place between Asia, Europe, and Africa. The location is in today's Palestine, grow up in Nazareth, died and risen in Jerusalem(both now in Israel). There should be Date Palms, not Christmas tree; should be Shepperd not Santa Claus; no snow but wild grassland and sand dunes; no reindeer but camel....
.....anyhow Christmas is not only the celebration of ordinary birthday, it is the remembrance of Jesus in spirit and joy....whatever way you celebrate, remember the celebration is for Jesus Christ, his birthday, it must be celebrate in joy, love and peace.
The meaning of Christmas is JOY;
J for Jesus, it is Jesus's birthday, you put HIM first in all celebration;
O for others, it is the day for love, you put others before you; love thy neighbor.
Y for you, you put self last, but have self love and be thankful for the goodness you have enjoyed over the year, prepare with hope for the coming days...coming of Jesus.
Joy is God's peace to the world, peace to yourself; if you understand the real meaning of Christmas, it is Joy, love, peace and hope.
Merry Christmas....., Merry Christmas....
Peace to the world......
Christmas is the day, the birthday of Jesus Christ.
It is celebrated on December 25, but this date is not known to be Jesus' actual birthday, and may have initially been chosen to correspond with either the day exactly nine months after some early Christians believed Jesus had been conceived, a historical Roman festival, or the date of the northern hemisphere's winter solstice. Christmas is central to the Christmas and holiday season, and in Christianity marks the beginning of the larger season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days
Although traditionally a Christian holiday, Christmas is also widely celebrated by many non-Christians, and some of its popular celebratory customs have pre-Christian or secular themes and origins, including Christmas trees, lights, garlands, mistletoe, nativity scenes, and holly. In addition, Father Christmas (known as Santa Claus in some areas, including North America, Australia and Ireland) is a popular mythological figure in many countries, associated with the bringing of gifts for children
Because gift-giving and many other aspects of the Christmas festival involve heightened economic activity among both Christians and non-Christians, the holiday has become a significant event and a key sales period for retailers and businesses. Christmas has lost its true meaning, that is the celebration of the birthday of Jesus. It has become a very commercialized festival, where the true meaning was unknown or ignore by many who celebrate Christmas. It is more a festival of Santa Claus and Christmas Tree......
The word Christmas originated as a compound meaning "Christ's Mass". It is derived from the Middle English Christemasse and Old English Cristes mæsse, a phrase first recorded in 1038. "Cristes" is from Greek Christos and "mæsse" is from Latin missa (the holy mass). In Greek, the letter Χ (chi), is the first letter of Christ, and it, or the similar Roman letter X, has been used as an abbreviation for Christ since the mid-16th century.Hence, Xmas is sometimes used as an abbreviation for Christmas. So, the people replace "Christ" with "X", as more people celebrate Christmas are non-Christian, a process to "de-christian" the festival. Christian still use " Christmas" as the centre of the festival is Jesus Christ.
The true meaning of Christmas
In Christianity, Christmas is the festival celebrating the Nativity of Jesus, the Christian belief that the Messiah foretold in the Old Testament's Messianic prophecies was born to the Virgin Mary. The story of Christmas is based on the biblical accounts given in the Gospel of Matthew, namely Matthew 1:18-Matthew 2:12 and the Gospel of Luke, specifically Luke 1:26-Luke 2:40. According to these accounts, Jesus was born to Mary, assisted by her husband Joseph, in the city of Bethlehem. According to popular tradition, the birth took place in a stable, surrounded by farm animals, though neither the stable nor the animals are specifically mentioned in the Biblical accounts. However, a manger is mentioned in Luke 2:7, where it states, "She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn." Early iconographic representations of the nativity placed the animals and manger within a cave (located, according to tradition, under the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem). Shepherds from the fields surrounding Bethlehem were told of the birth by an angel, and were the first to see the child.
Many Christians believe that the birth of Jesus fulfilled messianic prophecies from the Old Testament. The Gospel of Matthew also describes a visit by several Magi, or astrologers, who bring gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh to the infant. The visitors were said to be following a mysterious star, commonly known as the Star of Bethlehem, believing it to announce the birth of a king of the Jews.The commemoration of this visit, the Feast of Epiphany celebrated on January 6, is the formal end of the Christmas season in some churches.
The spirit of Christmas
Christians celebrate Christmas in many ways. In addition to this day being one of the most important and popular for the attendance of church services, there are numerous other devotions and popular traditions. Prior to Christmas Day, the Eastern Orthodox Church practises the Nativity Fast in anticipation of the birth of Jesus, while much of Western Christianity celebrates Advent. The final preparations for Christmas are made on Christmas Eve.
Over the Christmas period, people decorate their homes and exchange gifts. In some Christian denominations, children perform plays re-telling the events of the Nativity, or sing carols that reference the event. Some Christians also display a small re-creation of the Nativity, known as a Nativity scene or crib, in their homes, using figurines to portray the key characters of the event. Live Nativity scenes and tableaux vivants are also performed, using actors and animals to portray the event with more realism.
A long artistic tradition has grown of producing painted depictions of the nativity in art. Nativity scenes are traditionally set in a barn or stable and include Mary, Joseph, the child Jesus, angels, shepherds and the Three Wise Men: Balthazar, Melchior, and Caspar, who are said to have followed a star, known as the Star of Bethlehem, and arrived after his birth
Christmas Song
1. The popular Cristmas song O Come O Come Emmanuel originated in the 12th century as a Latin chant during Advent season in the Catholic church. It was translated into English by John Mason Neale in the 1800's and has since that time become a favorite among church hymns. It has been recorded by such notable artists as Steven Curtis Chapman, Mormon Tabernacle Choir, Rebecca St James, Neil Diamond, Clay Aiken, Whitney Houston and others. We hope you enjoy our performance of this beautiful Christmas song. Lark & Spur.
2. Heart of Worship
3.CHRIST IS BORN (Christmas Carol sung in Aramaic: the language of Christ)
4.An Arabic Christmas Carol (Byzantine Hymn of the Nativity)
This is in the old Arabic , the written form a relatively hard dialect the hardest of all the Arabic dialects.
4. Come All Ye Faithful(Hayyo Ya Mhuyumne) , Chaldean Neo-Aramaic Christmas Song
The Place Jesus was born - Bethlehem
Bethlehem (Arabic: بَيْتِ لَحْمٍ, About this sound Bayt Laḥm (help·info), lit "House of Meat"; Greek: Βηθλεέμ Bethleém; Hebrew: בֵּית לֶחֶם, Beit Lehem, lit "House of Bread") is a city in the central West Bank, approximately 10 kilometers (6 mi) south of Jerusalem, with a population of about 30,000 people. It is the capital of the Bethlehem Governorate of the Palestinian National Authority and a hub of Palestinian culture and tourism. Bethlehem is the birthplace of Jesus of Nazareth. The town is inhabited by one of the oldest Christian communities in the world, though the size of the community has shrunk in recent years due to emigration.
Bethlehem has now a Muslim majority, but is also home to one of the largest Palestinian Christian communities. The Bethlehem agglomeration includes the towns of Beit Jala and Beit Sahour, as well as the refugee camps of 'Aida and Azza. Bethlehem's chief economic sector is tourism which peaks during the Christmas season when Christian pilgrims throng to the Church of the Nativity. Bethlehem has over thirty hotels and three hundred handicraft work shops. Rachel's Tomb, an important Jewish holy site, is located at the entrance of Bethlehem. The only mosque in the Old City is the Mosque of Omar, located in the Manger Square
In 1948, the religious makeup of the city was 85% Christian, mostly of the Greek Orthodox and Roman Catholic denominations, and 13% Sunni Muslim. By 2005, the proportion of Christian residents had decreased dramatically, to about 20%. The 85% Christian Palestine population has declined to 20% due to emigration, and influx of Palestine from other places during the war.
The majority of Bethlehem's Christian inhabitants claim ancestry from Arab Christian clans from the Arabian Peninsula, including the city's two largest: al-Farahiyya and an-Najajreh. The former claims to have descended from the Ghassanids who migrated from Yemen to the Wadi Musa area in present-day Jordan and an-Najajreh descend from the Arabs of Najran in the southern Hejaz. Another Bethlehem clan, al-Anantreh, also trace their ancestry to the Arabian Peninsula.
The percentage of Christians in Bethlehem has been steadily falling, primarily due to continuous emigration. The lower birth rate among Christians as compared to Muslims also accounts for some of the decline. In 1947, Christians made up 75% of the population, but by 1998 this figure had declined to 23%. The current mayor of Bethlehem, Victor Batarseh told the Voice of America that, "due to the stress, either physical or psychological, and the bad economic situation, many people are emigrating, either Christians or Muslims, but it is more apparent among Christians, because they already are a minority."
Nazareth - the childhood home of Jesus
Nazareth (pronounced /ˈnæzərəθ/; Hebrew: נָצְרַת, Natzrat or Natzeret, Arabic: الناصرة an-Nāṣira or an-Naseriyye) is the capital and largest city in the North District of Israel. Known as "the Arab capital of Israel," the population is made up predominantly of Palestinian Arab citizens of Israel. In the New Testament, the city is described as the childhood home of Jesus, and as such is a center of Christian pilgrimage, with many shrines commemorating biblical events.
So, you now understand Christmas....Christmas is not an ordinary holiday; it is not Christmas tree, it is not Santa Claus. It is about peace ,it is about love and it is the birthday of Jesus. Happy Birthday Jesus. Jesus was born in Bethlehem, not in any western or oriental countries, but the western influence on Christmas celebration is excessive. Jesus was born in Asia Minor, a central place between Asia, Europe, and Africa. The location is in today's Palestine, grow up in Nazareth, died and risen in Jerusalem(both now in Israel). There should be Date Palms, not Christmas tree; should be Shepperd not Santa Claus; no snow but wild grassland and sand dunes; no reindeer but camel....
.....anyhow Christmas is not only the celebration of ordinary birthday, it is the remembrance of Jesus in spirit and joy....whatever way you celebrate, remember the celebration is for Jesus Christ, his birthday, it must be celebrate in joy, love and peace.
The meaning of Christmas is JOY;
J for Jesus, it is Jesus's birthday, you put HIM first in all celebration;
O for others, it is the day for love, you put others before you; love thy neighbor.
Y for you, you put self last, but have self love and be thankful for the goodness you have enjoyed over the year, prepare with hope for the coming days...coming of Jesus.
Joy is God's peace to the world, peace to yourself; if you understand the real meaning of Christmas, it is Joy, love, peace and hope.
Merry Christmas....., Merry Christmas....
Peace to the world......
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Dancing Badly Around the World
About Matt, Dancing Matt
Matt is a 32-year-old deadbeat from Connecticut who used to think that all he ever wanted to do in life was make and play videogames. Matt achieved this goal pretty early and enjoyed it for a while, but eventually realized there might be other stuff he was missing out on. In February of 2003, he quit his job in Brisbane, Australia and used the money he'd saved to wander around Asia until it ran out. He made this site so he could keep his family and friends updated about where he is.
A few months into his trip, a travel buddy gave Matt an idea. They were standing around taking pictures in Hanoi, and his friend said "Hey, why don't you stand over there and do that dance. I'll record it." He was referring to a particular dance Matt does. It's actually the only dance Matt does. He does it badly. Anyway, this turned out to be a very good idea.
A couple years later, someone found the video online and passed it to someone else, who passed it to someone else, and so on. Now Matt is quasi-famous as "That guy who dances on the internet. No, not that guy. The other one. No, not him either. I'll send you the link. It's funny."
The response to the first video brought Matt to the attention of the nice people at Stride gum. They asked Matt if he'd be interested in taking another trip around the world to make a new video. Matt asked if they'd be paying for it. They said yes. Matt thought this sounded like another very good idea.
In 2006, Matt took a 6 month trip through 39 countries on all 7 continents. In that time, he danced a great deal.
The second video made Matt even more quasi-famous. In fact, for a brief period in July, he was semi-famous.
Things settled down again, and then in 2007 Matt went back to Stride with another idea. He realized his bad dancing wasn't actually all that interesting, and that other people were much better at being bad at it. He showed them his inbox, which, as a result of his semi-famousness, was overflowing with emails from all over the planet. He told them he wanted to travel around the world one more time and invite the people who'd written him to come out and dance too.
The Stride people thought that sounded like yet another very good idea, so they let him do it. And he did. And now it's done. And he hopes you like it.
(source: extract from http://www.wherethehellismatt.com/about.shtml)
14 months in the making, 42 countries, and a cast of thousands.Make sure to click "watch in HD" right underneath the video.
http://www.wherethehellismatt.com
http://www.stridegum.comhttp://www.wherethehellisma...
I hope he too will dance for the world, peace....
Matt is a 32-year-old deadbeat from Connecticut who used to think that all he ever wanted to do in life was make and play videogames. Matt achieved this goal pretty early and enjoyed it for a while, but eventually realized there might be other stuff he was missing out on. In February of 2003, he quit his job in Brisbane, Australia and used the money he'd saved to wander around Asia until it ran out. He made this site so he could keep his family and friends updated about where he is.
A few months into his trip, a travel buddy gave Matt an idea. They were standing around taking pictures in Hanoi, and his friend said "Hey, why don't you stand over there and do that dance. I'll record it." He was referring to a particular dance Matt does. It's actually the only dance Matt does. He does it badly. Anyway, this turned out to be a very good idea.
A couple years later, someone found the video online and passed it to someone else, who passed it to someone else, and so on. Now Matt is quasi-famous as "That guy who dances on the internet. No, not that guy. The other one. No, not him either. I'll send you the link. It's funny."
The response to the first video brought Matt to the attention of the nice people at Stride gum. They asked Matt if he'd be interested in taking another trip around the world to make a new video. Matt asked if they'd be paying for it. They said yes. Matt thought this sounded like another very good idea.
In 2006, Matt took a 6 month trip through 39 countries on all 7 continents. In that time, he danced a great deal.
The second video made Matt even more quasi-famous. In fact, for a brief period in July, he was semi-famous.
Things settled down again, and then in 2007 Matt went back to Stride with another idea. He realized his bad dancing wasn't actually all that interesting, and that other people were much better at being bad at it. He showed them his inbox, which, as a result of his semi-famousness, was overflowing with emails from all over the planet. He told them he wanted to travel around the world one more time and invite the people who'd written him to come out and dance too.
The Stride people thought that sounded like yet another very good idea, so they let him do it. And he did. And now it's done. And he hopes you like it.
(source: extract from http://www.wherethehellismatt.com/about.shtml)
14 months in the making, 42 countries, and a cast of thousands.Make sure to click "watch in HD" right underneath the video.
http://www.wherethehellismatt.com
http://www.stridegum.comhttp://www.wherethehellisma...
I hope he too will dance for the world, peace....
Saturday, October 3, 2009
Moon Cake Festival(中秋节)
Today is moon cake festival, which is also called lantern festival or mid-autumn festival(中秋节). It is a traditional festival not only for Chinese all over the world, but also Japanese, Korea, and Vietnamese. Chinese of all religion, Buddhists, Christian, Muslim celebrate Mooncake festival. In Malaysia, Mooncake Festival has slowly become a festival for all. The festival fall on every 15th of 8th month of lunar calendar(or Chinese calendar).
Before the festival day, the restaurants in town begin to sell mooncakes. The colorful lanterns are also start to hang outside the shops, ready for buyers. The festival on 15th of 8th month, where the moon suppose to be roundest, compared to other time of the year.
Mid Autumn festival is the 2nd most important festival, after Chinese New Year for Chinese community. It is the time for family members and friends to gather together, watching and admire the full moon(中秋賞月) and eating moon cakes(吃月餅). The children will have their joyful time to parade their lanterns(提燈籠).
The food for mid-autumn festival not only mooncakes, also include pomeloes fruits(柚子), mini yams(小芋頭), water caltrops(菱角), groundnuts, and sipping Chinese tea. The mooncake is round like the moon, it signify family unity.
In Kuantan,Malaysia, the family members will go to the Teluk Cempeda Beach, and light the candles on the sandy beach, some wait until sun rise the next morning.
Mini Yam or taro roots(小芋頭)
Water caltrop or water chestnut(菱角)
Cantonese moon cakes(credited to atlaslin/misbehave,wikipedia/Flickr)
The Moon Cake(月餅)
Moon cake (月餅) is the traditional pastry taken by Chinese during Mid-autumn festival (Zhongqiu Festival,中秋节).
Traditionally, moon cake is made of soft thin pastry with filling of sweeten bean paste. The habit of eating mooncakes started during the Tang Dynasty. Each cake is about the size of our palm and is round to represent the shape of the full moon. The top of the cake is embossed with Chinese characters that signify good omen. Some moon cakes have one or even two salted egg yolk(蛋黃)in the centre to signify the moon. Each box usually consists of four cakes.
Many types of fillings can be found in traditional mooncakes according to the region's culture:
* Lotus seed paste (蓮蓉, lían róng): Considered by some to be the original and most luxurious mooncake filling, lotus paste filling is found in all types of mooncakes. Due to the high price of lotus paste, white kidney bean paste is sometimes used as a filler.
* Sweet bean paste (豆沙, dòu shā): A number of pastes are common fillings found in Chinese desserts. Although red bean paste, made from azuki beans, is the most common worldwide, there are regional and original preferences for bean paste made from Mung bean as well as black bean known throughout history.
* Jujube paste (棗泥, zǎo ní): A sweet paste made from the ripe fruits of the jujube (date) plant. The paste is dark red in colour, a little fruity/smoky in flavour and slightly sour in taste. Depending on the quality of the paste, jujube paste may be confused with red bean paste, which is sometimes used as a filler.
* Five kernel (五仁, wǔ rén): A filling consisting of 5 types of nuts and seeds, coarsely chopped and held together with maltose syrup. Commonly used nuts and seeds include: walnuts, pumpkin seeds, watermelon seeds, peanuts, sesame, or almonds. In addition, the mixture will usually contain candied winter melon, jinhua ham, or pieces of rock sugar as additional flavouring.
* Taro Paste (芋泥, yù ní): A sweet paste made from taro, a tuber grown in many part of tropical Asia. The colour of the paste in the mooncake is purple and is most commonly used in Teochew crusty mooncakes.
* Salt and pepper (椒鹽, jiāoyán): Filling made from roasted black sesame. Commonly found in flaky Suzhou-style mooncakes.
(source: wikipedia)
Some new innovation are:
* Durian: Filling commonly found in South East Asia (mainly Indonesia,Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore) made of mashed durian paste.
* Coconut: This is also common in Malaysia.
* Coffee
* Chocolate
* Dragon fruits
* Green Tea
* Pandan
* Cheese
* Green apple paste
* Fruits and nuts
* Vegetables
* Ham
* Mixed
Pomeloes fruits(柚子)
Types of Mooncakes
There are many regional variants of the mooncake. Types of traditional mooncakes include:
* Cantonese-style moon-cake (廣式月餅): The Cantonese style mooncake is the most commonly seen throughout China and overseas. Originating from Guangdong province, the Cantonese style mooncake has many variations. The ingredients used for the fillings are various: lotus seed paste, melon seed paste, ham, chicken, duck, roast pork, mushrooms, egg yolks, etc. More elaborate versions contain four egg yolks, representing the four phases of the moon. Recent contemporary forms sold in Hong Kong are even made from chocolate, ice-cream or jelly.
* Suzhou-style moon-cake(蘇式月餅):: This style began more than a thousand years ago, and is known for its layers of flaky dough and generous allotment of sugar and lard. Within this regional type, there are more than a dozen variations. It is also smaller than most other regional varieties. Suzhou-style mooncakes feature both sweet and savory types, the latter served hot and usually filled with pork mince.
* Beijing-style moon-cake(京式月餅): This style has two variations. One is called "di qiang," which was influenced by the Suzhou-style mooncake. It has a light foamy dough as opposed to a flaky one. The other variation is called "fan mao" and has a flaky white dough. The two most popular fillings are the mountain hawthorn and wisteria blossom flavor. The Beijing-style mooncake is often meticulously decorated.
* Chaoshan (Teochew)-style moon-cake(潮汕月餅): This is another flaky crust variety, but is larger in size than the Suzhou variety. It is close in diameter to the Cantonese style, but thinner in thickness. A variety of fillings are used, but the aroma of lard after roasting is emphasised.
* Ningbo-style moon-cake(宁波月餅): This style is also inspired by the Suzhou-style. It is prevalent in Zhejiang province and has a compact covering. The fillings are either seaweed or ham; it is also known for its spicy and salty flavour.
* Yunnan-style moon-cake(雲南月餅): Also known as "t'o" to the residents, its distinctive feature is the combination of various flours for the dough and includes rice flour, wheat flour, buckwheat flour, and more. Most of the variations within this style are sweet.
* Muslim moon-cake(清真月餅): It is mooncake with the filling of chicken floss(雞絲). It is halal moon-cake(can be taken by Muslim). Currently most of moon cakes sold in Malaysian hotel are halal,otherwise it will be make known.
(source: some extract from wikipedia)
Piglet Biscuits(豬仔餅) - The dough used for crusts in traditional mooncakes is also baked into fish or piglet shapes (Cantonese: "Jue Zai Bang"; 豬仔餅); which literally means "Piglet Biscuits".
Ice skin mooncakes(冰皮月餅) - Mooncakes with crust make from glutinous rice: A crust with texture similar to that of a mochi. These moon cakes are known as "snowskin mooncakes" or "ice-skin mooncakes" (冰皮 or 冰皮月餅).
Ice cream moon cake - Ice cream parlours have come out with ice cream moon cake
Jelly Mooncakes - health food centre has the fruit jelly moon cake for the health conscious customers.
Miniature mooncakes- Modern bakeries offer miniature moon cakes with low fat and less sugar while the traditional ones still make moon cakes in the shape of lovable animals and those extra large in diameter.
The moon cakes are purchased as a gift for for relatives and friends during the festival. The Pameloes fruit(柚子)is also an important gift to go along with the moon cake because in Cantonese, the name for this auspicious fruit is “yaw(柚)” which has the same vocal speech as “have(有)”.
The packaging of mooncakes become more expensive and classy, but pricing is also on increasing trend. Consumers should fight against over-packaging(過度包裝), Hong Kong consumers & Friends of the Earth (HK) Charity Limited(香港地球之友), has started the movement called "常哦行動" against over-packaging of mooncakes, this will result in more environmental friendly and cost saving. We should boycott the manufacturer who over do it.
The Lantern(燈籠)
The lanterns continued to play an important part in this festival. Children still carry colourful lanterns which are candle-lighted or electrically lighted in various design, traditional animal designs, to the modern design of cartoon or movie characters.
For the creative adults, there will be lantern making competition whereby the most creative and beautiful lantern stands to win a prize. There are also games on the guessing the answer of wording on lanterns(猜燈謎), and some scholars may want to read poems or make poetic songs.
There is one festival activities that we should promoted, that is the planting of trees on mid-autumn festival, which is more meaningful celebration.
The legends
(i)Mid-Autumn Festival commemorates an uprising in China against the Mongol rulers of the Yuan Dynasty (1280–1368) in the 14th century. As group gatherings were banned, it was impossible to make plans for a rebellion. Noting that the Mongols did not eat mooncakes, Liu Bowen (劉伯溫) of Zhejiang Province, advisor to the Chinese rebel leader Zhu Yuanzhang(朱元璋), came up with the idea of timing the rebellion to coincide with the Mid-Autumn Festival. He sought permission to distribute thousands of moon cakes to the Chinese residents in the city to bless the longevity of the Mongol emperor. Inside each cake, however, was inserted a piece of paper with the message: "Kill the Mongols on the 15th day of the 8th month" (八月十五殺韃子). On the night of the Moon Festival, the rebels successfully attacked and overthrew the government. What followed was the establishment of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), under Zhu. Henceforth, the Mid-Autumn Festival was celebrated with moon cakes on a national level.
(ii) The story of Chang'e ascension to moon(嫦娥奔月). There are many stories on Chang'e with different versions, but all related to her and the moon. For more details on the different stories,please visit websites, www.wikipedia.org
《水調歌頭·明月幾時有》
宋朝詞人蘇軾
明月幾時有？把酒問青天。不知天上宮闕，今夕是何年。我欲乘風歸去，又恐瓊樓玉宇，高處不勝寒。起舞弄清影，何似在人間！
轉朱閣，低綺戶，照無眠。不應有恨，何事長向別時圓？人有悲歡離合，月有陰晴圓缺，此事古難全。但願人長久，千里共嬋娟。
Happy Mid Autumn Festival! 中秋节快乐！
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