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Monday, January 23

The dragon lady

Momma loves Chinese New Year - especially when it's The Year of the Dragon.

Yu Chia Hui
She got to spend part of a Chinese New Year in Honolulu's Chinatown in 1997. (And while not on Chinese New Year, she was in Taipei, Taiwan on Dec. 31, 1988 which she says was amazing.)

Chinese New Year is the longest and most important of the traditional Chinese holidays. In China it is known as "Spring Festival" or the "Lunar New Year" because the Chinese calendar is lunisolar.

Chinese New Year is celebrated in countries and territories with significant Chinese populations.

Sadly, Chinese New Year is not an official holiday in the United States -- although the U.S. Postal Service does issue New Year's themed stamps.

Did you know that saying "Happy New Year" is considered rude since it is so short? The best greetings consist of four characters such as:
  • Jinyu mangtang: May your wealth come to fill a hall.
  • Dazhan hongtu: May you realize your ambitions.
  • Yingchun jiefu: Greet the New Year and encounter happiness.
  • Wanshi ruyi: May all your wishes be fulfilled.
  • Jiqing youyu: May your happiness be without limit.
  • Zhubao pingan: May you hear that all is well.
  • Yiban wanli: May a small investment bring ten-thousandfold profits.
  • Fushou shuangquan: May your happiness and longevity be complete.
  • Zhaocai jinbao: When wealth is acquired, precious objects follow.


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