Ashley's in Asia: Welcoming the Year of the Ox

Last night Singaporeans rang in the New Year! Were they just that late? Nah - in fact, they were just on time! Last night was Lunar New Year's Eve, and one of the most colorful festivals of the year. So I headed the 10 minute walk to Chinatown with my French flat-mate, Augustin, to check out all of the festivities.

I've decided to document the evening with a photo-journal, counting backwards from 12:30am, first day of the year of the Ox.

12:30am- An altar with incense and mandarins is left for the Prosperity God by the owner of a Korean Restaurant on Tanjong Pagar Road, the road between my apartment and Chinatown. As I was walking back from Chinatown, there were piles of burning paper along the sidewalk, and some metal garbage-can things with papers burning.

As I stopped to look at the burning pile in front of Korea Restaurant, the owner, a short man wearing an enormous buddha medallion said "Is for prosperity!" He pointed out that the papers all over the street were the same shape, and told me that they symbolize money - burning them is an offering to the Prosperity God so that he will bless them for the new year. For weeks and weeks mandarins and mandarin trees were for sale everywhere, and starting a few days ago, the altars went up. There was a burning can and altar in front of my apartment building. The Korea Restaurant owner explained that Chinese New Year was like their Christmas and told me that they believe in Buddha like we believe in Jesus. I told him 'Gong xi fa cai' and he got very excited and wished me the same. Then I walked home wishing people prosperity as they crumpled up papers to burn for the God of Prosperity.

Korea Restaurant's offering of "money" to bring in prosperity for the new year. The owner also explained that people are particularly serious this year because the economy is so bad. He said that every year the street is full of people and traffic jams, as you can see, foot and car traffic were quiet this year.

12:15am - Augustin and I toast the new year with Tiger beer. Stopping to see what the stage set up was for, we got sold into "an ice cold tiger with your name on it!" Augustin: "Really! It 'as my name on it!" The prosperity good was already smiling on us as we got free Tiger beer new year playing cards for our $2.50 beers (already on the post-midnight discount - the cheapest beer I've seen in Singapore, including in the government-run grocery store).

Midnight- At the Buddha-tooth temple, floods of people (including a guy with a tiny newborn infant next to me), do a wide range of rituals for good luck for the coming year. We are watering this Buddha (or possibly Buddha's friend? wasn't clear on who I was watering...) for good luck.

11:45pm - The buddhist monks don't request money, but in the new year, buddhists celebrate generosity. Parents, teachers, and bosses give people money, and people give money to the temple so that the monks don't need to work. DBS - my Singaporean bank- sponsored the red envelopes for this temple. I joined the queue to give to the monks, and as their token of generosity, they blessed us by sprinkling holy water and giving everyone a small red envelope with 20 cents as a token for prosperity in the new year.

11:40pm - in line for the monk's blessing. The guy in front of me turned around and looked at me, then looked at me again and said:
"Do you know what that envelope is for?"
"It's for generosity for the new year." (Having just had a talk with a girl who worked in the temple about what the red envelope is for...).
"Oh! I didn't even really know that," he admitted.
"I'm surprised to see you here. I told my friends we wouldn't see any foreigners in Chinatown tonight! We never used to see any foreigners in Chinatown. Things change so much. So are you here working?"
"yep. I train people in the Asia Pacific region."
"Oh! I work in China too. I live there but I'm Singaporean."
"Oh, are you home for the new year?"
"Yes! We all go home for new year."
Time for the blessing.

Offerings for the new year.

A woman drops coins in the golden offering bowls- another ritual for prosperity.

People pray in the front chamber of the temple as midnight approaches. The praying ritual seems interestingly similar to Christian prayer.

A monk watches people pray to the altar. They were very nice about photography, everyone was taking pictures. They put a shawl around my shoulders instead of telling me I needed to cover up, but the one rule was to never touch the monks.

A woman sells offerings at the front of the temple.

People light incense at the front of the temple. Tradition says that the person who lights the incense first at midnight gets blessed for the following year.

11:15pm - killing time until midnight at the night market- decorations already 50% off.

Tons of plants are for sale at the market as a common gift for the new year. Yellow flowers and fruits seemed to be particularly popular.

Mmm. Ping pong fishball...

Festive ice cream cart in front of the temple feeds people watching the Chinese comedy show.

A performer waits in the wings. Later he would dance around with a lit candle on his head, singing - now that's talent. Perhaps he should try out for Singapore Idol.

World's biggest paint brushes!

10:30pm - Time for a 7-11 stop. So many choices! Super gulp, big gulp, gulp, gulp, and mashed potato.

9:00 - checking out the market.

8:30 - Stands selling new year treats compete for last-minute business. Singaporeans are out shopping for early deals - easy to find this year with the bad economy.