First day of Lunar New Year! Kung Hei Fat Choy as they say in South China. "Happiness and Prosperity". Watch full screen for max impact. This is a tour of the famous parts of historic Macau as the city gets ready for the New Year. See the old man at 1.55, he's carrying a bag from the famous Chinese pastry shop just behind him. The clip below shows a parade of lion dancers walking from St Paul's Church ruins, into town, followed by people dressed as animals of the zodiac and other lucky figures, like the god of Longevity. Then, the ultra long dragon! At first it looks like sheets of coloured cloth draped along each of the steps but gradually as the procession progresses, it turns out to be a very, very long dragon, hundreds of men. Interesting mix of Catholic heritage and Chinese tradition. The Jesuits who built the church in the 17th would have loved it. Pity the video's so poor and they don't show the elaborate dancing that happens when they all reach the main square. There's plenty on Macau on this site, so please search.
"Tradition ist nicht die Anbetung der Asche, sondern die Bewahrung und das Weiterreichen des Feuers" - Gustav Mahler
Thursday, 3 February 2011
Kung Hei Fat Choy - Macau Chinese New Year
First day of Lunar New Year! Kung Hei Fat Choy as they say in South China. "Happiness and Prosperity". Watch full screen for max impact. This is a tour of the famous parts of historic Macau as the city gets ready for the New Year. See the old man at 1.55, he's carrying a bag from the famous Chinese pastry shop just behind him. The clip below shows a parade of lion dancers walking from St Paul's Church ruins, into town, followed by people dressed as animals of the zodiac and other lucky figures, like the god of Longevity. Then, the ultra long dragon! At first it looks like sheets of coloured cloth draped along each of the steps but gradually as the procession progresses, it turns out to be a very, very long dragon, hundreds of men. Interesting mix of Catholic heritage and Chinese tradition. The Jesuits who built the church in the 17th would have loved it. Pity the video's so poor and they don't show the elaborate dancing that happens when they all reach the main square. There's plenty on Macau on this site, so please search.
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