Kbguy, A Travel CJ

The reunion dinner which falls on the last day of the lunar calendar or the New Year Eve is the event everyone is waiting for. Family members from far and near usually get together for this special occasion to unite with their loved ones and also with their family members especially their parents, sibling and grand parents. During the dinner, traditional food and dishes are served accompanied with beer and other alcohol to mark the happy occasion.

The Lion dance is usually performed in pairs accompanied by the Chinese drums. The group usually performed on Chinese festivals or occasions such as the Chinese New Year season, cultural events, weddings functions, opening of business, temples and even individual homes especially during Chinese New Year for entertainment and to get rid of bad elements. The Lion Dance is very common nowadays. Children and elderly people mostly enjoy watching them.

Chinese Lanterns can be seen everywhere, be it at homes, shopping malls and road side when Chinese New Year is approaching. It is a custom to light up lanterns during any Chinese festivals. A red lantern symbolize prosperity, happiness and good fortune, wealth and health.

The Chinese Drum usually played in big group and in loud noise but harmoniously. It symbolize team work, harmony and to get rid off all evil and bad elements. It is usually played during festivals such as CNY and during occasions such as temple activities, wedding and business grand opening. During CNY, many individual homes and businessmen invite the drums group along with the Lion dance to perform at individual houses and at business premises to get rid off all bad elements and instead to bring in more luck and prosperity, abundance wealth and good health to the owner. Most children and elderly people enjoy watching them.

Traditional Musics played at KB Mall in conjunction with the Chinese New Year celebration, from Sekolah Menengah Chung Cheng. It is a tradition to play Chinese music accompanied by traditional instruments in any Chinese festivals.

Kota Bharu – The Chinese celebrate Chinese New Year on the 14th. February 2009, which coincide with Valentine day. According to the lunar calendar, this year will be the year of the Tiger. The preparation for CNY begin about a month ahead where most people will spent time shopping for new clothing and food at the various malls. Various activities and events were organized. The peak of the event is during the CNY eve, where most Chinese offer food and prayers to the ancestors on the morning and attending the reunion dinner at night. And during the CNY day, most Chinese will be visiting temples and paying respect to the elderly and relatives by making house calls.

Beijing – The Temple of Heaven was constructed between 1406 and 1420 during the reign of Ming Emperor YongLe (1403-1424), who also oversee the creation of the Forbidden City during the same period.
The Temple of Heaven was originally named as the Temple of Heaven and Earth, but was later given its current name during the reign of Ming Emperor JiaJing (1522-1567), who built separate complexes for the earth, sun and moon. The Temple of Earth (DiTan) can be found in north Beijing. The temples of the sun and moon are in the east and west of Beijing.
The Temple of Heaven was renovated again during the reign of Qing Emperor QianLong (1736-1795).
In 1998, the Temple of Heaven was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List.
In early 2005, the Temple of Heaven underwent a 47 million yuan (6 million USD) renovation that was completed on May 1st, 2006.

Hangzhou, Zhejiang – The Lingyin (Souls Retreat) Temple is one of the most famous Buddhist Temples in China. It was constructed in 326 at the foot of Lingyin Mountain by an Indian monk named Huili with a history of more than 1,600 years. The temple has the Front Hall, the Hall and the Hall of Herb Masters. China¡¯s largest wood-carving of sitting Buddha Sakyamuni sits in the Magnificent Hall.The main hall is 33.6 meters in height. The main hall is one of China’s highest one-story buildings. In the main hall there is a statue of Sakyamuni carved out of 24 pieces of camphor wood,lies 19.6 meters in height in the main hall. In the font hall there is a laughing Buddha carved in camphor wood and covered in gold.

Hangzhou, Zhejiang – There’s a Chinese saying that goes “shang you tian tang, xia you su hang” – up there is heaven, down here is Suzhou and Hangzhou. The first Westerner to visit Hangzhou, Marco Polo, marveled at its beauty. At the end of the 13th century, he described Hangzhou as “the City of Heaven, the most beautiful and magnificent in the world.”

Any visit to Hangzhou would be incomplete without seeing the West Lake (Xi Hu).

Pengkalan Kubor, Kelantan – About 2,000 people of all ages attended the New Year celebration at the Wat Matchimaram, a Siamese Buddhist temple. The event has been organized annually to welcome the New Year and attracted many Buddhist near and far within Kelantan every year. The programmes starts on the eve of the New Year and ends on the following day of 1st January 2010. Many Buddhist gathered to pray and chant until the New Year followed by food offering to the monks.