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March 5, 2007 - Gong Xi Fa Cai
by Beth & Al Liggett

Gong XI Fa Cai is Chinese - it's what you say when you are wishing people a "Happy New Year." The Chinese lunar New Year has just occurred, and it has happened all around us. This is the "Year of the Pig" - the last of the twelve Chinese zodiac signs that are assigned for each year. Not only is this a year of good luck and prosperity, it also happens to be the "Year of the Golden Pig." Al was born in the Year of the Pig, so this is his year! Just think - my own personal live-in Golden Pig!

My very own Golden Pig! The fuzzy one, that is. The other is a lantern, one of the 12 zodiac signs on display on the main street.

The Year of the Golden Pig only happens every 60 years, or every 600 years according to some reports, so it is EXTRA lucky, and EXTRA prosperous! We certainly subscribe to the hope of more prosperity. And after all the recent boggles with equipment on board Sunflower, we certainly could use some of the lucky part as well.

Incidentally, Sunflower was launched in 1976 - Year of the Dragon. I was also launched in a Year of the Dragon. We are a Two-Dragon family!

Dragon lantern, Chinese New Year festivities, Penang

Another lantern - the Dragon. My Chinese sign.

We have been involved with Chinese New Year Celebrations in other times and places too. Sunflower was built in Taiwan. We negotiated the contract in June of 1975, Al went to Taiwan to watch the yard lay up the hull (Airex foam sandwich construction) in September, and by early the next year construction was far enough along that more input about the boat systems and the interior was needed from us. We wanted to see the progress and get a better commitment as to the launch date too.

We went to Taipei for the week over Chinese New Year, thinking we would punctuate our boatyard hours with exciting celebrations for this event. WRONG! We learned that this was a major family holiday; everything shut down. It's a time when masses of Chinese travel to be with their relatives. The streets of Taipei were empty - eerie - like one of those films of a disaster where nothing of civilization is left. All the restaurants were closed or having special parties. There were no parades. We don't even remember there being any fireworks. It was depressing. And it was cold. COLD! We moved from our first hotel to another - one with heat in the room. We still couldn't find anyplace to eat. Finally, the bartender in our hotel said he thought he could find us some soup in the (closed of course) kitchen. That particular Chinese New Year was a real disappointment.

Things went a little better for us in 1998 (Year of the Tiger). We were in Hong Kong for Chinese New Year. Again, it was COLD. But this time we had better resources, and we had Sunflower - with a heater! We had spent several months moored at the Hebe Haven Yacht Club in Sai Kung. We had made friends, and we joined regularly in Yacht Club activities there. Over Chinese New Year the Yacht Club remained open - but the staff was all on holiday. The members volunteered to do the various jobs around the club - cleaning the shower rooms, driving the launches, answering the phone, tending bar - that was a favorite! We volunteered several times to work in the kitchen, cooking what the chefs had already pre-prepared, and serving as the wait staff in the dining room as well.

We were relieved of our volunteer duties one night so we could go downtown to watch the fireworks. There were about five barges moored in the center of Victoria Harbor. The fireworks displays were choreographed from each barge and timed to a musical presentation that came over public speakers rigged up along the quay side. FANTASTIC! It was a mob scene - the paper the next day said there were probably 600,000 people watching the fireworks. But you know what's really cool? Everyone ooohs and aaahs in the same language!

This year we were in Langkawi for Chinese New Year. The actual holiday is two days, Saturday and Sunday. But since Friday is the usual day off, most things were closed from then at least until Tuesday, and often longer. There was the decor - lanterns, firecrackers, banners and flags. But no lion dancers or parades, and no fireworks either.

We sailed then to Penang - 70 miles south of Langkawi, a 12-hour trip. We were delighted to be able to sail eight of those hours, with the usual pattern of offshore/onshore breezes. This is the first time we have taken the boat to Penang in 3 1/2 years. We love visiting Penang and often go there from Langkawi - by ferry, because Penang has not been user-friendly for anchoring and being on board.

We thought that Penang's Chinese New Year Festival would be long over. Not so! Penang has a dominant Chinese population, and they celebrate all the various permutations and after-holidays of the New Year. So the streets were all still decorated, and the shops (that were open) had special promotions.

Many people come to the temples to bring offerings, light incense, and say prayers.

The seventh day of the New Year is Mankind's birthday. The Penang State Government, in conjunction with the Penang Chinese Clan Council and various other clan associations and youth groups, put on a TREMENDOUS celebration. It was centered on Armenian Street, one of Penang's most famous heritage sites.

They called it an Open House, but it was way more festive that the name implies. The streets were lined with food and drink stalls, and booths promoted different aspects of clan life. There were wonderful displays of historical photography. The clan houses and temples in the area were alive with performers - singing, dancing, demonstrations of Chinese games, handicraft arts and crafts, painting exhibitions. Chinese version of a State Fair, I guess you might say.

The streets were crowded with visitors, many of whom were dressed in Chinese clothing - both traditional and modern. There were easily fifteen venues for scheduled performances - lion dancing groups, drumming, Chinese Opera, traditional music orchestras, puppet shows, martial arts demonstrations, acrobats and stilt walkers. You couldn't possibly take it all in! A row of large paper lanterns depicting all twelve of the Chinese zodiac signs ran down the middle of the main street. It was an incredible display of celebration and ceremony!

And guess what - there's MORE to come on the fifteenth day, the first Full Moon of the New Year, called Chap Goh Meh. Lots of praying for prosperity, renewing the family shrines, and girls throwing mandarin oranges into the sea to wish for a good husband. Al and I will attend that rite, but I'm not taking any oranges. After all, I already have a Golden Pig!

GONG XI FA CAI!!!