Do You Know? History of Imlek

The origins of Chinese New Year celebrations too old and older to be studied. However, the general said, the Chinese word, "Nian" or the means 'in' in the Malay language, is named for the giant who often prey on the eve of the new year begins.

According to legend, Nian had a very large mouth, and could swallow many people with one bite. Humans at that time to be frightened of this monster Nian. On one day, the bamboo garden near the Chinese village on fire. Pipe that exploded and burned a very strong sound like firecrackers. It was scary Nian and he did not dare to go brdekatan the village. Older people have also advised the villagers hung red paper on the doors and windows of their home on the run every time a new year, will terrorize the Nian feared. The red color is feared by Nian, and able to drive the monster.

That legend is believed by the Chinese. The practice of letting off firecrackers and hang red paper still continues to this day, although some Chinese young people do not know the true purpose of these is charity. They just assume that these practices will only brighten the new year.

Red packet

One reason for the Chinese New Year awaited by the children were of 'red packet' or red envelopes containing money. For those who are not married, they qualify to receive a red packet.

Giving money or a red packet is to say goodbye for the year and hopes to obtain wealth and good fortune for the year. Money can also be used to pay outstanding debts.

Fireworks and lion dance

Fireworks and lion dance is synonymous with Chinese New Year celebrations. Played fireworks to scare the evil creatures that are often very annoying man. However, from one year to another, fireworks are often played to mark the festive season will arrive.

The lion dance is a dance full of art and a remarkable symbol of the Chinese community. Usually it is played by two players, and take a long time to practice before someone is really skilled.

Taboos and treatment during the Chinese New Year

Cleaning house

All of the houses must be cleaned before the new year. On new year's eve, all brooms, mop and wash all the equipment stored in a safe place. Sweeping and updating should not be done on the day of the new year, because of the belief of the Chinese community, the good fortune to be swept along with the garbage-garbage. After the new year, the floor will be swept away houses, starting from the door into the house and placed in a corner. Rubbish, waste and grease that will not be removed until the 5th day festival.

Take a clear, remove the cloudy

Play fireworks on New Year's Eve is a way to say goodbye to a year to be abandoned, and celebrates the arrival of the new year. At one point in the middle of the night the new year, all doors and windows must be opened to allow the old year go.

Activities in the New Year

All debts should be paid at this time. All people need to take care of their treatment at the moment. Forbidden to use dirty words that bring bad luck and bad purposes. Referring to last year was forbidden on the day of the new year because everything must go forward and not look back.

Forbidden to cry in the new year, as worried people will be crying throughout the year.

Personal hygiene

On the day of the new year, hair washing are prohibited, because this treatment will result in the person wash go all the good luck for the new year. Encouraged to wear red clothes. Red is considered bright colors and light, allowing the wearer to obtain a bright future. It is believed that, in a new way of application to determine the fate of a person of the year. Children, close relatives and those who have not been given a red packet for wedding a bright future.

Chinese Lunar Calendar

Chinese lunar calendar is the world's oldest calendar, used since 2600 BC. Use of this calendar was introduced by Emperor Huang Ti. Like the Western calendar, the Chinese lunar calendar is based on annual turnover which initiated the beginning of the turn of the month. Therefore, beginning in the Chinese calendar falls around January and February.

One complete revolution around the earth takes 60 years and consists of 5 rounds each of which lasts 12 years. Chinese lunar calendar each year based naming 12 animals.

The Chinese community believes that every human is born with the influence of personality and attitude on the animal called man is born in the year.

Rat

1924 1936 1948 1960 1972 1984 1996

Ox

1925 1937 1949 1961 1973 1985 1997

Tiger

1926 1938 1950 1962 1974 1986 1998

Rabbit

1927 1939 1951 1963 1975 1987 1999

Dragon

1928 1940 1952 1964 1976 1988 2000

Snake

1929 1941 1953 1965 1977 1989 2001

Horse

1930 1942 1954 1966 1978 1990 2002

Goat

1931 1943 1955 1967 1979 1991 2003

Monkey

1932 1944 1956 1968 1980 1992 2004

Chicken

1933 1945 1957 1969 1981 1993 2005

Dog

1934 1946 1958 1970 1982 1994 2006

Pig

1935 1947 1959 1971 1983 1995 2007

Chinese New Year decorations

Before the Chinese New Year celebration, Chinese families would decorate the house with vases containing flowers are blooming grow, bag-bag containing lime, and also a bag containing eight kinds of dried fruit is sweet. On the walls and doors will be hung with beautiful decorations, such as poetry and greeting the new year painted on red paper.

Orange 

Normally, the Chinese people, they will bring a bag filled with orange and red packet will be provided when visiting friends and family during the two week celebration of Chinese New Year. According to Chinese belief, the orange leaves that still have meaning attached to her relationship with another person will be closely intertwined. While the newly married, the marriage symbolizes the intertwined relationship will bloom until the public gets the child. Orange is the symbol of happiness for the Chinese community.

Candy bag

Bags of candy there is a round or in a variety of candy for the New Year began with 'sweetness'. Each bag represents the sweetness of its own luck:

• Candied melon - symbolize growth and good health
• Kuaci - symbolize happiness, truth and honesty
• Details of lychees - symbolizes the close family ties
• Kumquat (an orange) - wealth
• Coconut candy - intimacy
• Peanut - sustainable living
• Longan - symbolizing a person will get a lot of good boys
• Fruit of the lotus - a lot of kids

Continue Reading →

Do You Know? Hina Matsuri

Hina Matsuri is a festival or a celebration of girls, each year on 3 March is aimed. Although the implementation of this festival different forms, but basically, the celebration of Hina dolls Japanese or the screen, or washed into the River Festival. Princess Roots Festival is one of the fifth season called Joushi (which means serpent or dragon, days) in early March, when the Muromachi period (1392-1532) on 3 March is set. This is the context of ancient Chinese tradition, the celebration of 300 years, to resist in self-cleaning to misfortune or disaster in a way that things are "not good" for far from water flow. Because it is on the premise that at each end of the season or event, the disease can easily fit that brings misfortune or disaster is based. It is said that the story was transmitted in Japan by the Japanese envoy who went to the Tang Dynasty in China.

Japan tntang replace long a rite of purification, cleansing of mind and confidence called Katashiro (confidence in the object to the function as a substitute for the Spirit of God found in the worship) was.

As it relates to the importance Joushi Festival, and finally set joushi festival as the original culture of Japan.

In the Heian period (794-1191), in the days of the festival season joushi people on the hills and mountains, to take an herb that acts like a drug, then the body clean with grass. When I pray for the health and avoid misfortune. The event was then with the "Game Hina" is applied to the merged paper doll clothes. For the doll (which is already of grass or straw, holding the paper), moves on bad things and then washed into the rivers. This custom has "has gained power." In the tradition of the developed

In the Muromachi period (1392-1532), this tradition with the usual display of hina dolls are changed luxurious decorations in the palace and was a festive celebration. This event extends to the palace of the people I represent today samurai and merchant, and became a festival called Hina Matsuri.

Hina festival to celebrate not be considered normal. Just as the celebration of the safety of 7 days after birth with a visit to the temples is the celebration of a ritual to invoke the healthy growth of girls. So in other words, as reprehensible as the patron deity dolls misfortune, calamity or disaster to a replacement, who will remain with the child or baby girl.

Continue Reading →

Do You Know? Reog Ponorogo

Reog is one of the cultural arts are viewed from the East Java and North West Ponorogo Reog as the true birthplace. The gate was gemblak with the number and Warok Ponorogo, two figures, which showed at Reog decorated. Reog is a testament to the local culture in Indonesia is still very strong with mystical things mystical and powerful.

History Reog Ponorogo

Basically there are five versions of the popular story that develops in the community about the origins and Warok Reog, but one of the most famous story is the story of the rebellion Ki Ageng Kutu, a royal servant in Bra Kertabumi, the last king of Majapahit in power in the 15 century. Ki Ageng louse is the wrath of the powerful influence of Chinese colleagues in the government and its king, the king of corrupt behavior, he also saw the power of the Majapahit empire ends.

Then he left the king and founded the College, where he teaches young children martial arts, self-immunity in the science and the science of perfection in the hope that these young children are the seeds of the resurrection of the Majapahit empire will again later. The realization that his forces too weak to fight the royal troops, the political message conveyed by Ki Ageng chips Reog performing arts, which is a "satire" Bra Kertabumi the king and his kingdom. The performance becomes a means of Ki Ageng Kutu, Reog build local resistance with Reog popularity.

In the show, the mask Reog lion-shaped head, as "Singa Barong," King of the Jungle, the symbol of Kertabumi was, and is it plugged in, especially peacock feathers to symbolize such a huge fan Look displayed announced the strong influence his Chinese colleagues that manage most of the movement.

Jatilan by a group played by dancers gemblak a rocking horse is a symbol of the power of the Majapahit Empire troops in comparison with the contrast Warok force behind the red mask of a clown who has become a symbol of Ki Ageng Kutu, one-and maintain the weight that reached more than singa barong masks of only 50 kg with his teeth.

Nevertheless, his art Reog are always allowed, staged, because the show was popular with the public, but the way his story has a new channel, the characters from the Roxburgh added Sewondono Kelono folklore, the goddess Sri Songgolangit and Genthayu.

Official version Reog Ponorogo story is now the story of King, who wish to apply for the daughter of yellow Ponorogo Kediri, Dewi Ragil, but the middle of the journey he was intercepted by the king of Kediri Singabarong. King Singabarong troops, consisting of peacocks and the lion, has during the part of the Kingdom of Roxburgh and his deputy Bujanganom Kelono King, accompanied by Warok (Men in Black dressed in dance) and Warok a deadly black magic. The dance is a dance of a war between the kingdom of Kediri and the Kingdom of Roxburgh, and pitted black magic between them, the dancers are in a state of "trance" during the dance.

Until now, people only follow what Ponorogo in their ancestral heritage as a rich cultural heritage. In his art, the experience is copyright Reog human creations that form to maintain the flow of an existing trust from generation to generation. The ceremony also terms that are not easy for lay people to reach it without a clear line. Kiss the base line of the common law which still applies.

Reog in the Present

Artist Reog Ponorogo graduates of art schools also address the development of dance Reog ponorogo. Students of the Art School of the stage and introduced the art of aesthetic movements coreografis then Reog ponorogo with festivals like the current format. It is a story that shows the sequence of them first, and indeed Warok and Jatilan, Bujangganong, Klana Sewandana and Peacock Barongan or sudden end. If any of these in action, to move other items, or come to dance, but not in the foreground.

A few years ago, the Foundation initiated the founding of the Reog, Ponorogo Reog Society Islands, whose members are composed of groups from various regions in Indonesia Reog who had participated in the National Festival Reog. Reog Ponorogo very open to the enrichment and changes in the movement.

Continue Reading →

Do You Know? Thaipusam

Thaipusam is a festival celebrated by people of Hindu religion in the world to honor the Hindu god, Lord Murugan, also known as Lord Subramaniam. Thaipusam is celebrated in the month of 'Thai' the tenth month in the Tamil calendar. On the day of Thaipusam, a full moon through the bright stars, Matte in Cancer.

For adherents of the religion of Hinduism, Thaipusam is a day of repentance on the sins of the past. Thaipusam festival, celebrated by followers of Hindu religion, the statue of Lord Subramaniam, the youngest son of Lord Shiva, is placed on a silver chariot and paraded to the music. Lord Shiva is the most powerful god of thousands of gods in the Hindu religion.

Before the day of Thaipusam, the Hindu religious devotees will cleanse their souls by fasting during the month. They often visit the shrine, only to eat servings of vegetables a day, and stay away from intimate relationships. Twenty-four hours before bringing kavadi, Hindus fast completely.

The main feature of Thaipusam, the event brings kavadi, metal or wooden frame decorated with colored paper colors, flowers and fruit, fresh as a vow to pay or turn to the Lord Subramaniam. Kavadi is a semi-circular steel frame with girders to be placed on the shoulders and decorated with flowers, and peacock feathers.

Some other Hindus wearing spiked sandals, or wearing a metal rod to penetrate the cheeks, tongue, and their bodies. However they are in bersawai "dazzled" and does not seem to feel pain. In Malaysia, Thaipusam is celebrated every year at the Batu Caves where kavadi carriers will climb 272 stairs to the entrance and placed before the statue of the god.

At the beginning of the Hindu Thaipusam at Batu Caves will gather en masse. The march began at the dawn brings kavadi. Kavadi bearer will be in bersawai "dazzled" and pierced cheeks, tongue, eyebrow, body, and the back and climb the stairs to get to the entrance to Batu Caves to cleanse themselves. In addition to torture yourself to get the blessing of the deity Lord Murugan, honey, milk, and oil will also be offered to the gods.

Continue Reading →

Do You Know? American Culture : Country Music

With the advent of popular stars such as Carrie Underwood and Taylor Swift, many people think that country music is the new genre. The truth is that traditional music has a long tradition in American music history, about tahun1930's. The history of this music is important to understand if someone wanted to know about how the country has become a very popular music genre today.

When country music first to make history as the popular music of the 1930s, this type of music known as the musical "Honky Tonk". The genre is usually identified by using guitars and drums are so popular among the audience. Although Ernest Tubb and Hank Williams is the biggest star at the time, Al Dexter was the one who coined the term "Honky Tonk" and used in one song. Until its development in the 1940s, the country took a new style that is always identified as western music. Gene Autry and Roy Rogers made the style popular with the song that tells of the ups and downs of life as a cowboy. Most of the songs use some kind of wind instruments, like flutes.

Recently, country music has evolved into a much more modern music and in many cases can be distinguished from other popular music is often heard. The country music artists like Kenny Chesney and Gretchen Wilson are the people who contribute to the origin or roots of this music, but they had also been singing contemporary songs. The result of the music that they bring is the country music genre is fast becoming one of the most popular in America today.

If someone loves country music today, they should also familiar with the historical roots of this music. Back to the 1930s, the musicians have created music that will affect all those musicians who are today so many people enjoyed. Although various types of music have evolved rapidly, contemporary musicians owe a lot to country music artist who has been there before them.

Continue Reading →