There is a Stampede of Chi coming Your Way

I have been in a gallop since the start of the
Chinese New Year of the Wood Horse.
I have been writing a lot more, cleaned up my diet
by eating more organic green foods and I cut back
on restaurant foods. My new plan is inviting more
friends over for dinner instead of entertaining
outside of my home. That doesn’t mean I don’t go
out to eat. I do, just not as much unless it’s to
a place that serves healthy food.

I was at the 26th annual Chinese New Year Festival
last week to see the Dragon dance. They say it’s
good luck if the dragon touches you and I didn’t
want to miss that. In the Chinese and most Asian
cultures, Good Luck characters (Fu) are posted
everywhere during the first weeks of the New Year,
you will see them posted on red paper. Sometimes
you will even see the (Fu) posted upside down
meaning good luck has arrived.

I really like the Red Envelope tradition called
Hong bao and I often give Red envelopes to my
family and students around the beginning of the
New Year and on special occasions. This practice
can be traced back to the Qing Dynasty in the
1600’s.

The name comes from the red envelope in which the
money is contained. This is also known as lai si
in Cantonese.
The purpose of the red envelope is that the red
symbolizes good luck. (Fu) The cash amount
contained within is not important but is required
to be of an even number, as odd numbers are
related to money given during funerals; the money
is usually given by married couples to unmarried
no matter their age. I guess staying single has
some advantages.

The food was really good at the festival, that’s
if you know what to get, of course they had the
usual hamburger, hot dogs, fried chicken and a lot
of greasy donuts. But they also had sticky rice
filled with herbs chestnuts, walnuts, black sesame
and bei mu delicious. A cold mung bean soup and
vegetarian steamed dumplings– I don’t get those
treats often, they were really good and you can
feel the Qi as you eat them.

I have been working on organizing my files and
papers since the beginning of this New Year and
things are just about in order. I hope you have
been doing the same as everything will start up
again on March the 1st and it can seem like a team
of wild horses if you are not prepared.