When Pigs Fly.
With the Year of the Dragon upon us, I find myself reminiscing about my stay in Hong Kong to ring in the Year of the Pig.
Chinese New Year represents the start of massive movement within China – it is in fact the largest annual human migration in the world. It hardly compares to the western pilgrimage home for the Christmas holidays. Businesses across the country genuinely shut down so that workers from afar can make it home to begin the new year with their families. During my stay in 2007, the Lunar holiday fell on a Sunday and Monday. By the preceding Thursday, the city and our teams throughout China had come to a slow crawl. By Friday it seemed sage to get groceries for fear that everything would be closed by Saturday. Brilliant foresight.
In Hong Kong, the major festivities commence the week before the new year, culminating with the last night of the Chinese New Year Fair & Auspicious Flower Market, followed by the parade, and finally a massive fireworks display over Victoria Harbour on the first night of the new year. The atmosphere in the city changed. Daytime became quiet and stores of any kind in this shopping mecca were shut tight – yet the energy level was frenetic. Young children are dressed in a pink and red clothes to symbolize prosperity in the new year and are flying high on excessive sugar. The influx of visitors, both Western born and Chinese Mainlanders, was notable. Even after years in Hong Kong, I recall being surprised overhearing a couple deep in Cantonese banter when she suddenly said to her friend in a flat American accent, “Seriously, can you believe that?"
The Fair & Flower Market was chock-a-block – I didn’t meander through as much as I was carried by the heaving crowd with my feet hardly on the ground. Balloons, cotton candy, noise-makers, and a myriad of cheap stuff "Made in China” as far as the eye can see – all in auspicious shapes, none more popular then the pig. Mandarins (tangerines) are a homonym for ‘luck’ and 'wealth’, so they’re for sale by the heaps on perfectly manicured bushes. Red pockets, or envelopes called lai see were being snapped up at every turn to be filled with gift money. Forget your health or happiness - this town is all about wealth to start off the new year!
The parade route barricades was unable to contain the immense crowd, and it was almost impossible to catch a passing glimpse. It is said to be the largest Chinese New Year parade in the world. I am certain the calculation means the largest number of attendees as I may have been in the 500th row behind the barricade. To recap the parade, I can say with absolute certainty that the top three inches of the floats were colorful, I cannot speak for the rest!
With Hong Kong Island’s spectacular skyline acting as the twinkling backdrop for the final event, the fireworks lit up the night with an incredible display of wealth. Most aglow in pink, red and white and many icons new to me. In addition to Happy Faces and Hello Kitty’s lighting up the sky, there were gold ingots, old-style Chinese coins, and lucky number 8s multiplying on the reflection on the harbour. The crowd was mesmerized and cheered Waaaaahhh! Standing on a minute ledge inches above it all, I found myself giggling at the sounds of thousands of people “Waaaahhh-ing” in unison while enduring an intense lack of personal space. When in Rome…
Kung Hey Fat Choi!
02/2007