Deseret Evening News | 1905-12-16 | Page 105 | New Year's Day in China

NEW YEARS YEAR S DAY IN CHINA nil Chinese festivals that of ot Or Ol New Years day Is IK the tha greatest n II peculiarly contradictory tory tor i ace the Chinese do dl not reckon by br tho him tun ns as we do in III America but by IJ tho moon moun so that thal the tho Chinese New rew Years day da may lOay come nt any time between the middle ot Jan January uary and un tho middle of ot When tho time approaches happy haJJI for COl by h the last day of oC Ue the old year all al debts must be he paid Tho Thu Chinaman who cannot pay up must his head until the tho festival is III over Another preparation Is a II general wash washing I h hIns Ins ing up Household Hou belongings und per personal arc put lut through n a severe course coulse of ot soap and water In III order that I the thc new no year crI may bo ho begun heun with clean cleanliness liness When the night of or Now Yorks eve ee approaches the sound of lit the of ur crackers begins and Is kept up with an Incessant din dIll until dawn lIa wn The jho lint business In the now nel your Is the to heaven and earth curth A 1 III spread with offerings of ot food and drink candles and Incense and crack crackers ers lire are let off again Just the front door dool Then the father fathel C the family comes forward and kneels 1 down downIn In front of tho table holding u a stick of 01 Incense In III IH hand knocking hU hIs head hend three on tho ground liu mi Ing In to his feet Clet he the tho Incense In thu tho censer on the table More luro crack crackers ers etH are m let off and paper money Is burned After Arter this ceremony cOI the household gods arc lit worshiped 1 In III tile tle same way wa and thon the thc ancestral nIter after which the Idol hue their turn Tho father and mother K down downside side by b side and nil ull their children and grandchildren kneel before heCor hum awl a till 10 reverence but are not mado to the living 11 1 IIi n a they arc aro to thu dead Then the lime crime for forward I ward dressed ell In III their theil best and kneel down dOlln bowing their heads to ground before their master and mis mistress tress receiving presents when they the therIse I rise Long before all nl the thele c ceremonies are lIte It IH III light hut but In III the hours hourI of DC New Years morning the streets look as ns deserted us liS If Ir no one line I was IMlig In III tho The he shops nr are nil ull shut and the t streets arc lUe M u 1 quiet as if It It was an nn Sabbath ot reet Hut the tho quiet does not last long Oo 0 crackers let off lire anil H nf oC ho soon appear on nn ov overy over ery er hand They The lire are far tur more Inore than usual and more Importunate t They The know kilo IV they the will reap a n rich har Imro o c t on this happy hll 1 11 day da for Cor It Is I lucky luck to begin the vear ear with rood U ds and Rne It Is not long before heror tho streets arc ara filled with a n well N multitude out nut to pay Ilay New Years calls nils require that nil the men In III China rail Cli 11 on their relations and friends and for 01 three theo day the l goes on Women not lIot expected to pay par New 11 calls or to tl see the visitors who romo to tn their houses housel As 8 these lUll are men of ot course that would bo highly Improper When friends meet In the street for tho time In III thu tho now new year eul they stand bow very vory politely thc put bund together and lint them Kij Ing In f Kung sh kun shi which moans I 1 respectfully wish jou ou Joy JO they often orten mid May Ia you on grow rich Ilch for that IH the tho o Idea of ot Tor three days t tho New Years to IC RODS on and then nil all the poorer classes begin to work again Largo und and of are aro for Cor a IL month Citizen