Went looking online for something in Qingdao similar to Beijing’s Spring Festival temple fairs. Yesterday we ended up at the Temple of the Empress of Heaven 天后宫 on 太平路。 It’s not the same kind of thing as the temple fair we experienced in Beijing’s Ditan Park, but it was interesting.
If I’d had the time (we had two little ones with us and their clocks were ticking), I would have loved to talk with some of the red-coated employees who were instructing people how to offer their incense. I thought it was interesting that the majority of people we observed who were offering incense didn’t actually know how to do it and needed directions. I’d love to find out more about what kind of beliefs they have and why, and how similar it is to what we occasionally find in taxis. How people decide their opinions interests me in general.
Anyway, click a thumbnail to begin.
According to taxi drivers the real action is at the Haiyun nunnery 海云庵 on the Lantern Festival 元宵节。 They apparently have a candy festival (Google image search this: 海云庵 糖球会) — hopefully we can hit it. One guy compared the scene to a pilgrimage to Mecca. Not looking forward to huge crowds, but something festive would be fun with friends.
Peace is not an association anyone has with Chinese New Year in China. Insane amounts of fireworks for days and nights on end is what people associate with Spring Festival in China. And forget that stereotype of the quiet, mild-mannered Chinaman. China is loud. Chinese are loud. But let me explain.
Fireworks aside (I know, it’s a big ‘aside’), our neighbourhood was silent until today. Because so many people were gone back to their hometowns. They say 9.5 million people left Beijing for the holidays. Our neighbourhood was like a miniature version of that. The place felt virtually empty. All week there’ve been no cars honking. No people yelling outside our windows. Almost like Canada.
But our napping daughters were just woken up by both honking and people yelling. And then I remembered: today is the day most people go back to work. The neighbours have returned. All the extra fireworks this morning were businesses opening. Spring Festival continues but the holiday is over. And so is naptime, at least for today.
初五, the fifth day of Spring Festival, has all kinds of traditions. For foreigners in China it mostly means one thing: another incredible barrage of fireworks. After the Chinese New Year’s Eve Armageddon (除夕), the fireworks gradually slow down over the next four days. It’s all a plot to lull you into relaxing and create false hope involving sleep. Don’t try to watch a movie after dinner on the fifth day because you won’t be able to hear it. Chū wǔ is here!
We were in Chiang Mai, Thailand for Chinese New Year and hit Chinatown on New Year’s Day. So here are some dragon photos and a video! Click a thumbnail to begin.
Over four years in China (five if you count Taiwan), but we’ve only ever seen lion or dragon dances in Canada, Thailand and old Jackie Chan movies.
咚咚咚锵 咚咚咚锵 / dōng dōng dōng qiāng dōng dōng dōng qiāng [drumming sounds]
恭喜恭喜恭喜你 / gōngxǐ gōngxǐ gōngxǐ nǐ Congratulations congratulations congratulations to you
咚咚咚锵 咚咚咚锵 / dōng dōng dōng qiāng dōng dōng dōng qiāng [drumming sounds]
恭喜恭喜新年快乐 万事如意 / gōngxǐ gōngxǐ xīnnián kuàilè, wànshì rúyì Congratulations, congratulations, Happy New Year!
May everything go according to your wishes.
一元复始呀春风得意 / yī yuán fù shǐ ya, chūn fēng déyì A year begins again, the spring wind is happy
万象更新呀大吉大利 / wànxiàng gèng xīn ya, dà jí dà lì All of nature is renewed, very auspicious and prosperous
[Chorus 2x]
招财进宝呀金银满堂 / zhāo cái jìn bǎo ya, jīn yǐn mǎn táng Inviting weath and riches, gold and silver fill the hall
风调雨顺呀年年有余 / fēng tiáo yǔ shùn ya, niánnián yǒu yú The weather is favourable, year and year has abundance
This is another one of the Chinese New Year songs we hear these days, whenever we’re out anywhere that plays music (like shopping centers). I guess it’s the Chinese equivalent of the kind of Christmas music you hear in malls in December. Many of my students and coworkers recognize songs like this, but not well enough to sing the words.
每条大街小巷 / měi tiáo dàjiē xiǎoxiàng In every street and alley
每个人的嘴里 / měi ge rén de zuǐlǐ From every person’s mouth
见面第一句话 / jiànmiàn dìyī jùhuà The first sentence when meeting
就是恭喜恭喜 / jiùshì gōngxǐ gōngxǐ Is “Congratulations!”
恭喜恭喜恭喜你呀 / gōngxǐ gōngxǐ gōngxǐ nǐ ya Congratulations congratulations congratulations to you
恭喜恭喜恭喜你 / gōngxǐ gōngxǐ gōngxǐ nǐ Congratulations congratulations congratulations to you
冬天已到尽头 / dōngtiān yǐ dào jìntóu Winter has come to its end
真是好的消息 / zhēn shì hǎode xiāoxi It’s really good news
温暖的春风 / wēnnuǎnde chūn fēng Warm spring breezes
就要吹醒大地 / jiù yào chuī xǐng dàdì will blow the earth awake
[Chorus]
浩浩冰雪融解 / hàohào bīng xué róngjiě Expanse of ice and snow melts
眼看梅花吐蕊 / yǎnkàn méihuā tǔ ruǐ Soon the plum blossoms will begin to bloom
慢慢长夜过去 / mànmàn cháng yè guòqù Slowly the long night passes
听到一声鸡啼 / tīngdào yī shēng jī tí Hear a rooster’s crow</p>
[Chorus]
经过多少困难 / jīngguò duōshǎo kùnnan Went through so much difficulty
历经多少磨练 / lìjīng duōshǎo móliàn Experienced so much discipline
多少心儿盼望 / duōshǎo xīnr pànwàng So many hearts are longing for
春天的消息 / chūntiān dexiāoxi The news of spring
[Chorus]
冬天已到尽头 / dōngtiān yǐ dào jìntóu Winter has come to its end
真是好的消息 / zhēn shì hǎode xiāoxi Its really good news
温暖的春风 / wēnnuǎnde chūn fēng Warm spring breezes
就要吹醒大地 / jiù yào chuī xǐng dàdì will blow the earth awake
There are a handful of songs we hear around as Chinese New Year approaches. This Andy Lau (刘德华) song is the one we notice the most. And it’s fun. Especially if you jump around and sing along with your three-year-old. Overly literal translation below (also fun).
The main Chinese New Year’s greeting is literally, “Congratulations! Get rich!” (恭喜发财), meaning: “May you have a prosperous New Year!” The ‘congratulations’ apparently comes from the ancient New Year’s story, where a monster comes on New Year’s Eve to devour people, so everyone who survives to the next year congratulates one another on their survival. For more about that see:
耶咿耶咿耶咿耶哦哦 / ye yi ye yi ye yi ye o o
耶咿耶咿耶咿耶哦哦 / ye yi ye yi ye yi ye o o
我恭喜你发财 我恭喜你精彩 / wǒ gōngxǐ nǐ fācái, wo gōngxǐ nǐ jīngcǎi I congratulate you, get rich! I congratulate you, wonderfulness!
最好的请过来 不好的请走开 / zuìhǎode qǐng guòlái, bùhàode qǐng zǒukāi (I) invite the best to come over, and the bad to go away
礼多人不怪 / lǐ duō rén bù guài (When there’s) Much propriety, people aren’t quarrelsome
我祝满天下的女孩 / wǒ zhù mǎn tiānxiàde nǚhái I wish every girl under heaven
嫁一个好男孩 / jià yīgè hǎo nánhái will marry a good boy
两小口永远在一块 / liǎng xiǎo kǒu yǒngyuǎn zài yīqǐ The two will forever be together
我祝满天下的小孩 / wǒ zhù mǎn tiānxiàde xiǎohái I wish all the children under heaven
聪明胜过秀才 / cōngming shèngguò xiùcai intelligence to pass the exam to become a scholar
智商充满你脑袋 / zhìshāng chōngmǎn nǐ nǎodài Your heads filled with IQ
我祝尊敬的姑奶奶 / wǒ zhù zūnjìng de gūnǎinai I wish revered Great Aunt
三十六圈的比赛 / sānshíliù quān de bǐsài in a 36-lap race
气不喘面容不改 / qì bù chuǎn miànróng bù gǎi won’t be out of breath and face won’t flush
我祝三叔公的买卖 / wǒ zhù sān shūgōngde mǎimài I wish 3rd Great Uncle’s business
生意扬名四海 / shēngyì yángmíngsìhǎi will become world-famous
财运亨通住豪宅 / cáiyùn hēngtōng zhù háozhái Your money-making luck will go smoothly and you’ll live in a mansion
大摇大摆 老天替你消灾 / dà yáo dà bǎi, lǎotiān tì nǐ xiāozāi Swagger about, heaven will help you avoid calamities
恭喜 发财 要喊得够豪迈 / gōngxī fācái, yào hǎnde gòu háomài Congratulations! Get Rich! (We) will shout it boldly!
恭喜发财! / gōngxǐ fācái Congratulations! Get rich!
我恭喜你发财 我恭喜你精彩 / wǒ gōngxǐ nǐ fācái, wo gōngxǐ nǐ jīngcǎi I congratulate you, get rich! I congratulate you, wonderfulness!
最好的请过来 不好的请走开 / zuìhǎode qǐng guòlái, bùhàode qǐng zǒukāi (I) invite the best to come over, and the bad to go away
礼多人不怪 / lǐ duō rén bù guài (When there’s) Much propriety, people aren’t quarrelsome
耶咿耶咿耶咿耶哦哦 / ye yi ye yi ye yi ye o o
耶咿耶咿耶咿耶哦哦 / ye yi ye yi ye yi ye o o
我祝大家笑口常开 / wǒ zhù dàjiā xiào kǒu cháng kāi I wish everyone always has a smiling mouth
用心把爱去灌溉 / yòng xīn bǎ ài qù guàngài use our hearts to irrigate with love
明天拿我们更厉害 / míngtiān ná wǒmen gèng lìhai Tomorrow will take us even greater
我祝全世界的无奈 / wǒ zhù quán shìjiède wúnài I wish all the hopeless matters in the world
跑得比那黑人更快 / pǎode bǐ nà hēi rén gèng kuài (will) run away faster than a black man
岁岁年年出人才 / suìsuìniánnián chū réncái Each and every year will produce talented people
大摇大摆 老天替你消灾 / dà yáo dà bǎi, lǎotiān tì nǐ Swagger about, heaven will help you avoid calamities
恭喜 发财 要喊得够豪迈 / gōngxī fācái, yào hǎnde gòu háomài Congratulations! Get rich! (We) will shout it boldly!
我恭喜你发财 我恭喜你精彩 / wǒ gōngxǐ nǐ fācái, wo gōngxǐ nǐ jīngcǎi I congratulate you, get rich! I congratulate you, wonderfulness!
最好的请过来 不好的请走开 / zuìhǎode qǐng guòlái, bùhàode qǐng zǒukāi (I) invite the best to come over, and the bad to go away
礼多人不怪 / lǐ duō rén bù guài (When there’s) Much propriety, people aren’t quarrelsome
啊再来 / ā zài lái Again!
我恭喜你发财 我恭喜你精彩 / wǒ gōngxǐ nǐ fācái, wo gōngxǐ nǐ jīngcǎi I congratulate you, get rich! I congratulate you, wonderfulness!
最好的请过来 不好的请走开 / zuìhǎode qǐng guòlái, bùhàode qǐng zǒukāi (I) invite the best to come over, and the bad to go away
礼多人不怪 / lǐ duō rén bù guài (When there’s) Much propriety, people aren’t quarrelsome
恭喜发财 / gōngxǐ fācái Congratulations! Get rich!
Peace is not an association anyone has with Chinese New Year in China. Insane amounts of fireworks for days and nights on end is what people associate with Spring Festival in China. And forget that stereotype of the quiet, mild-mannered Chinaman. China is loud. Chinese are loud. But let me explain. 
For more about Chinese fireworks, see:
