San Francisco...Chinatown street festival attracts thousands! Year of Hare blossoms!

On the heels of the jubilant celebrations at the annual Chinese Parade in the streets of San Francisco last evening, throngs of locals - and tourists alike - trotted down to Grant Street in Chinatown to participate in the Community Fair today.

The rains let up - and the sun shone through - fortunately for optimistic merchants who offered up samples of exotic Asian cuisine, chances to win prizes at roulette wheels, and bargain-basement prices on goods and services under a flurry of sprightly-colored canvas tents erected at the curb.

I made out like a bandit!

During the course of my joyous trek along the narrow picturesque street - packed a few people deep - I managed to scoff up a beautiful decorative Chinese fan, a pretty oversize calendar for my office, eye-catching key-chain, and an assortment of nifty pens that'll undoubtedly come in handy.

If you stumble on this post early enough in the day, you may be able to hot-foot it down there and take in the festive event first-hand.

May your "Year of the Hare" blossom, eh?

www.thetattler.biz



San Francisco...annual Chinese Parade! Streams to viewers in China!



When the annual Chinese Parade zig-zags through the downtown Streets of San Francisco tomorrow (Saturday February 19th) locals and tourists alike will feast their eyes on a dazzling twenty-five festively decorated floats, captivating Lion Dances, inspiring marching bands, and upwards of 5,000 participants celebrating the year of the Rabbit with joyous abandon.

Viewers overseas - in China and neighboring Nations - will also have the golden opportunity to catch the exotic celebrations via streaming video over the web site at www.sina.com

The 1st parade was launched way back in 1858 by a rag-tag band of railroad workers bent on celebrating the Chinese New Year in their new homeland.

Today, the much-anticipated event is expected to attract over 1,000,000 strong who will swarm the streets to catch an up-close gander at the spectacle.

A picky few will also splurge - and cough up $30 a head - to hunker down in bleacher seats on Kearny Street at two locations (Sacramento & California Streets or at Pine & Bush respectively).

Mayor Ed Lee - the first Chinese American Mayor voted into office this past election - has been named the Grand Marshall this year.

According to Mr. Lee, the San Francisco Parade is the most-watched of its kind around the globe!

Thanks to technological innovations, jubiliant onlookers will be taken by surprise when firecrackers - approximately 600,000 in number - spontaneously erupt along the route (which starts at 2nd & Market Streets, and proceeds up Geary, along Powell, and down Post to end on Kearny at Columbia) by way of remote control.

The exciting cultural display is sure to be a crowd-please.

See 'ya there at my perch in the Financial District!

http://www.thetattler.biz



Parade Route

Chinese Lunar New Year Festival... Chinatown Sat. & Sun Feb. 20th - 21st

 

The year of the Tiger has now settled in!

For background history on the Chinese New Year check my post published last week.

Post: 02/14/10

http://ijulian.blogspot.com/2010/02/chinese-new-yeartiger-roars-in-history.html

And, the festivities have begun for the Chinese New Year, in Chinatown.

At the Dragon Parade this afternoon  there were a myriad number of exquisitely decorated floats, marching bands, and happy-go-lucky revellers out celebrating in the streets.

Over the weekend there will be much dancing,supping on delectable treats, and frolicking in general.

Join in the fun!

Info: http://www.lagoldendragonparade.com/

www.thetattler.biz

Chinese New Year...the Goddess Chang E smiles on me!

In need of a breath of fresh air, I stepped outside late last night - gazed up at the big dipper stretched across the pristine heavens winking at me from above - and proceeded to stroll down the picturesque side street without a care in the world.

Suddenly, a small rabbit - with a fur coat dappled with brown and white patches - hopped and skipped across a lawn and made a bee-line for me.

I slowed to a halt - without any jerky or unexpected body movements - anxious not to frighten the adorable little creature away.

Surely, he was not aware of my presence there in the dark in the shadows of a large shade tree?

Surrisingly, that was not the case in the least.

When I stooped over and outstretched my hand, the little darling hopped right up and sniffed one finger.

For one second, he let me pet him on the nose, ever-so-gently also.

I was mesmerized and caught up in the magical moment.

Meanwhile, the rabbit - who darted about here and there with a noticeable bounce in his hop - stopped sporatically to graze on a bit of foliage now and then.

Then, he was back at  my side nudging up close for a moment or two before contentedly going off to explore the terrain once again.

Imagine how surprised I was - when I  headed  down the street - and the lovable little creature proceeded to stray just behind me.

I'd stroll a few steps, then he would come up from behind - nibble at the grass a  bit - then glance in my direction.

Gosh, I kept saying to myself, I wish I had a carrot or something to give him

If you can believe it, this magical little scenario continued all the way down the block!

At the corner, he finally held back, so I expect he was instinctively aware that he should remain within the safe perimeters of his home.

Where might that be?

Just ask Alice.

Fortunately he had the keen sense to remain behind.

Afer all, I was afraid he might get lost if he followed me too far astray.

Coincidentally, just the other night, I penned a post on the Chinese New Year in which I mentioned an age-old myth handed down throughout the ages from one generation to the next.

Post:  02/16/10

http://ijulian.blogspot.com/2010/02/chinese-new-yeartiger-roars-in-history.html

According to the legend, a Goddess by the name of Chang E was preparing to travel to the moon.

Not wanting to go alone, she took along a pet rabbit.

Allegedly, on the Festival of Lanterns (on the 15th day of New Year celebrations) anyone with a pure heart will see her image (and that of the rabbit) in the moon.

Gosh, only three days into the celebrations, and I am making friends out-of-blue with rabbits in the dead-of-night!

What will unfold next?

Stay tuned for updates.

http://www.julianayrs.com

Chinese New Year...Tiger roars in! History and tradition...

The origins of the Chinese New Year celebrations were born out of fear and myth.

According to  legend, Nien (which also is the word for "year") was a wild beast that appeared at the end of each year who attacked and killed villagers.

For this reaon, the locals ceremoniously mustered up loud noises and bright lights to scare the beast away.

Today, the 15-day New Year festivities are celebrated with a week of vacation in China.

On North American shores, Chinese residents practice the tradition, as well.

Chinese New Year boasts all the pomp and circumstance (and joyous whallop) celebrated in the modern Western world today.

Once the New Year has kicked off,  a Chinese celebration - which spans over a two-week period - follows.

JIE CAI CENG

Welcoming the Gods of Wealth and Prosperity

On the 5th day of New Year, it is believed that the Gods of prosperity come down from the heavens.

Businesses will often set off firecrackers because they believe the ritual will bring them prosperity and good fortune.

YUAN XIAO JIE

Festival of Lanterns

The 15th day of the New Year is known as "The Festival of Lanterns" and marks the end of the Chinese New Year celebrations.

All types of lanterns are lit throughout the street,

In addition, poems and riddles are written for entertainment.

Paper lanterns are created on wheels in the form of either a rabbit or the animal of the year (see below).

The rabbit lantern represents a Chinese myth about a female Goddess named "Chang E" who jumped onto the moon.

Rather than travel alone, Chang E took a rabbit with her to keep her company.

It is said that if your heart is pure enough, you can see the goddess Chang E and her rabbit on the moon on the day of the Festival of Lanterns.

SYMBOLS

Red envelopes

Called "hong bao" in Mandarin, the red envelopes filled with money are typically given to children or unmarried adults with no job.

 If you're single and working and making money, you still have to give the younger ones the hong bao money.

The color red denotes good luck (fortune) and happiness (abundance)  in the Chinese Culture and is often worn or used for decoration in other celebrations.

Dragon

The Dragon is present in many Chinese cultural celebrations as the Chinese people often think of themselves as descendants of the mythical creature.

On the fifth day of the New Year, when many people have to start going back to work, Dancing Dragons will perform in the front of the office building.

On the 15th day of the New Year (Yuan Xiao Jie), they will also have a lot of dancing dragon performances.

The dragon represents prosperity, good luck and good fortune.

Chinese Animal Zodiac

The Chinese Animal Zodiac follows a 12-year cycle used for dating the years.

A cyclical concept of time, rather than the Western linear concept of time, was used for centuries.

The Chinese Lunar Calendar is based on the cycles of the moon and is constructed in a different fashion than the Western solar calendar.

In the Chinese calendar, the beginning of the year falls between late January and early February.

The Chinese adopted the Western calendar in 1911, but the lunar calendar is still used for festive occasions such as the Chinese New Year.

Hence, the celebration of Chinese New Year!

The twelve Zodiac Animals

*Dog
*Pig
*Rooste
*Dragon
*Ox
*Sheep
*Horse
* Rabbit
* Snake
*Monkey
* Rat
*Tiger
Legend

According to Chinese legend, the twelve animals quarreled one day as to who was to head up the cycle of years.

Because they could not reach an accord, the Gods were asked to decide.

A contest was held.

The animal that reached the opposite bank of the river would be first, and the rest of the animals would receive their years according to their finish.

All the twelve animals gathered at the river bank and jumped in.

Unknown to the ox, the rat had jumped on his back.

As the ox was about to jump ashore, the rat jumped off the ox's back, and won the race.

The pig, who was very lazy, ended up last.

That is why the rat is the first year of the animal cycle, the ox second, and the pig last.

I'm a Dragon.

How 'bout you?

http://www.julianayrs.com

Chinese New Year...Dragon Dance. UCLA students practice Ancient Art!

On campus at UCLA last night, I came across an attentive group of Asian Students in the courtyard studying the ancient ritual of the Dragon Dance.

The Chinese have a long-held belief they are descendants of the dragon, a conviction which is firmly embedded in their customs and traditions.

On these shores (in our Western Culture) dragons are usually feared.

In China, however, the dragon is held in high esteem because of its fertility, supernatural power, vigilance and poise.

In fact, the dragon dance at Chinese New Year, symbolizes the bringing of good luck and success in the coming year for all human beings on earth.

In China, where the majority of people depend on agriculture for their livelihood, the timely arrival of rains is of utmost importance.

The legends say that the dragon dance was first performed as a means of making peace with the "Dragon King" so that he would release rain onto the drought stricken lands of the farmers.

In essence, Dragons are the governors of rain.

Dragon dances are also performed at New Year to scare away evil spirits.

During the dance the performers hold poles and raise and lower the Dragon.

I witnessed the young students painstakingly learning how to perform that task last evening under a cloudless star-lit sky.

Sometimes a participant attaches a "Pearl of Wisdom" to the pole - and then entices the Dragon to follow him to the beat of a drum - as if searching for wisdom and knowledge.

Maybe the students were in the early throes of staging the Dragon Dance, because this portion of the performance was not in evidence during the rehearsal I caught quietly from the sidelines.

Dragons used in the dances vary in length from a few metres to up to 100m long.

Longer Dragons are thought to be more lucky than shorter ones, though.

The dragon dances are performed during the day or night.

If night has fallen, a blazing torch will be carried to light the way.

In the actual ceremony - which I saw performed in old Chinatown in San Francisco during Chinese New Year a few months ago - a team of dancers carry an image of the dragon on poles.

The skilled dancers - lift, dip, thrust, and sweep the head - which may contain animated features controlled by a dancer and is sometimes rigged to blow out smoke from pyrotechnic devices.

In Frisco, firecrackers were also tossed into the street, which effected a theatrical quality to the performance that was electric!

The dance team mimics the supposed movements of the river spirit in a sinuous undulating manner, too.

Since the dragon dance is a highlight and a main focal point for the celebrations, great expense goes into fashioning the costumes so they are magical and beautiful in every facet of their creation.

The costumes used in these celebrations are usually made in specialty craft shops.

Often, they are imported at great cost, using funds raised through pledges at local cultural and business associations.

Year of Rat...auspicious sign for change; images of McCain reveal poor health!

The Chinese New Year celebrated the arrival of the loathsome - rat!

Well, images can be deceiving. Actually, in the Chinese Culture, the rat is welcomed in ancient times as a protector and bringer of material prosperity.

The Year of the Rat is associated with the earthly branch symbol 子.

The first of the 12-year cycle of animals which appear in the Chinese Zodiac, the rat (or mouse) is associated with aggression, wealth, charm, and order; but, is also associated with death, war, the occult, pestilence, and atrocities.

Also, the little rodent portends change; it is an auspicious time to access values, and likewise, instigate changes in one's life

With that essentially being the "sound bite" in the Presidential Race in recent weeks, it is evident, therefore, that Americans got a jump start on the "trend".

The key word is "change", and Obama's got it - right?

Actually, a face-reader was asked to take a glance at a handful of photographs of the presidential candidates, and render an impromptu "reading" on the fly.

The wise old sage noted that wrinkles at the corners of Obama's eyes indicated warmth and intelligence - appealing qualities that resonate to many - to say the least. We'll see how far it gets him.

Meanwhile, Hillary's wide face and full cheeks suggested the ability to win people over and charm! Keep going, girl!

The spacing between Mitt Romney's nose and eyes apparently inferred a "complicated" man. If that is the perception of him by the American voters, then maybe he needs to articulate himself a little better to fair better at the polls, eh?

Surprisingly, the insightful soothsayer noted that candidate Huckabee was "not favored" by the Gods. Well, perhaps by his own particular brand of deity, in view of the large vote-count rustled up by a handful of Evangelicals in his midst.

Curiously, the old sage predicted health problems for John McCain, after pointing out black and white coloring in his eyebrows, which allegedly suggested weakness in the physical aspects of his body.

Well, look what all the rigorous campaigning did to Bill Clinton. On occasion, he nodded off into dreamland during keynote speeches - in spite of the fact - the rousing gatherings were inclined to uplift most in the room. And he, a much younger man, than the old maverick.

At McCain's towering age, the strenuous regimen he's caught up in, may prove a bit costly. Who the heck knows!

Slow down, John.

You want to throw your feet up on the desk in the Oval Office sometime in the future, don't you?