Happy Chinese New Year, the Year of the Dog

Today is the first day of Chinese New Year, which this year is also Dog Year. Last night I went as usual to my friends to have dinner, but today it struck me how much the celebration of New Year has changed in the relatively short time since I came to Taiwan.

The New Year is not celebrated with the intensity and traditions it once had even a few years ago. One reason might be the banning of firecrackers as too dangerous. Before, midnight was thunderous with the noise of firecrackers (to scare bad luck away), and during the entire new year’s day, and even for a week,  there was a constant barrage. Now all is still, except for a rare pop here and they from someone intent on keeping the old traditions, or with a few leftover firecrackers.

Also, for at least a week all shops were closed and the streets were virtually empty. It was like a ghost town, but now many shops are open even on New Year’s Day, and there were quite a few people walking about, instead of spending time with their families and playing mah-jongg.  Many of my friends used to go to some other part of Taiwan for a week or two to visit family, but now they only go for a few days, if they leave at all. By Monday (since this is a weekend) I am sure that everything will be back to usual.

Another oddity is in New Year’s Greetings. There used to be a dozen or two to choose from, some of which were mentioned in the post on the tin house bank. It has even been a couple of years since I have heard the classic “Gong Xi Fa Cai” (congratulations and prosperity, in Mandarin), which has become archaic. Now all you hear, even to natives speaking to each other, at least in Taipei, is “Xin Nian Kuai Le” the literal translation of Happy New Year.

It is not unusual even to hear “Happy New Year” spoken in English between natives. Most people in Taiwan like to sprinkle some English around, the way English speakers once liked to toss in French phrases, for added cachet and élan (see!).

My selection of New Year Animals has to be somewhat skimpy this year, owing to a paucity (no pun intended) of real dogs in Chinese antiques, at least the ones I have collected. As has been touched on in the past, foo dogs (or fu dogs) are not dogs at all, but are actually lions. I have once or twice tried to look this up, but the etymology of the phrase seems lost in time. Perhaps the ‘foo’ is the same as the Chinese word meaning wealth or luck, but even that is uncertain, and it still leaves the dog part unexplained.

This small black and white ceramic dog, a charming little fellow, is however an unequivocal example. The black stripes might look more at home on a zebra, but since there is no Zebra Year, I have no hesitation in letting him be the mascot for Dog Year. Looking at it, it seems as though it might have been influenced by some of the Staffordshire ceramics from England, although a quick internet check failed to find any close parallels.

One problem with small Chinese animals is that they are often not identifiable with any degree of certainty. Take a look at this small pendant wooden case, with brass hardware, intended to be worn at the waist and perhaps for tobacco or snuff. The small animal splayed on the lid seems like it could be a dog, but this is far from certain. Let me know in the comments whether you think this is a dog or some other animal—fox?? weasel?? etc. I know that I should go after that dust with a toothbrush, but my policy with cleaning or fixing antiques is to go slowly. I imagine that in the future I will spiff this up a bit.

I deliberately withheld this wooden vinaigrette with a dog finial from the vinaigrette post, although it was visible in the group photo, because I knew that Dog Year was coming up. Almost always, an animal on top of the vinaigrette is a lion, of which many examples were shown in the earlier article. In fact, I think that this is the only animal-topped example I have seen that does not feature a lion.

This vinaigrette does seem somewhat later than the other ones—perhaps 1940’s, but that is only a vague guess. Sporting a dragon on each side, it could well have been made to celebrate some earlier Dog Year, or as a gift for someone who was a Dog, that is, born in a Dog Year. At any rate, the dog is boldly modeled, and I love the way his tongue sticks out!

Remember, this is only about 2 inches tall.

The narrow side features a coin and a connected-dot pattern; perhaps this is supposed to depict a dog constellation.

There are seasonal stores in Taiwan that at this time sell New Year decorations and merchandise. Unlike my antiques, almost anything dog-related is available, done up in the traditional red and gold. I bought a red plush dog wearing traditional brocade clothing and hat, for the same child who got the chicken last year.

As in the West, in Chinese cultures dogs are valued for their friendliness, loyalty, and responsibility. These would all be welcome traits to come to the forefront in the coming year. I wish everyone a joyful, healthy and prosperous Year of the Dog.


All photos and original objects property of the author.

Taipei Lantern Festival for Goat Year, 2015

(Note: Lots of colorful photos, so please be patient while they load.)

This pig driving a banana is welcoming you to Lantern Festival!

Lantern Festival comes at the end of Chinese New Year, a time when handmade lanterns in incredible shapes are built to celebrate the special themes for the year, or for that matter any subject, charming or strange, that comes into the maker's head. (I last reported on Lantern Festival during Dragon Year.)

The way it works is that different schools, groups, and even companies enter their lanterns in various categories, and at some point winners are chosen. This post has only still photos, but many of the lanterns were mechanized, having various moving parts, and sometimes even steam issuing forth.

Since this is Goat Year, many of the lanterns are goat themed, and this arrangement of two goats with the Taipei 101 Tower was one of the best.

As you leaf through these photos, note your favorites, and let me know at the end. It is a difficult choice; even these here were weeded out with difficulty from over five hundred photographs! (How could we ever have existed before digital cameras?) 

The festival was spread out over a large park, as seen from one vantage point.

This one was looks like a slug with its tail in a bowl—perhaps a genie-like creature coming out? I saw many local people who seemed equally bewildered.

A set of horse lanterns was particularly finely made.

Pegasus, or at least some flying horse, was the centerpiece.

The makers couldn't resist adding this charming pony.

Although this traditional house is a larger complex, I'm sure you can identify all the same features as on the Chinese House Bank.

This sea creature tableau, composed of turtle, sea urchin, clam with pearl, crab, and adorable smiling shrimp, is supposedly made by an elementary school, but I somehow detect the hand of the art teacher.

This lantern does look like it was actually made by elementary school student, which to me gives it an extra charm. Although somewhat crude, it is still much better than I could do were I to try my own hand at it.

One problem with recent lantern festivals is the increased use of Christmas-type lights, which I feel is cheating. However, in this scene both types appear combined to good effect.

This tufted elephant is a very well crafted lantern.

Stunning is the only word that can describe this eagle on a rock.

Off to the circus, starting with this delightful carousel.

…a Ferris Wheel…

It is always a mystery whether clown figures are deliberately meant to be scary, or just come out that way. This huge clown’s head coming out of the ground is many times larger than the surrounding acrobat lanterns.

The reason that Taiwanese children behave is because their parents tell them that otherwise this giant clown lantern will come to get them!

Acrobats.

It’s a little hard to see in the picture, but this tree lantern was a real tour de force.

A pumpkin coach right out of a fairytale.

Astonishing quality, both design and construction-wise, in these dancing elephants.

I always like to see lanterns depicting traditional Chinese scenes.

Every year there is a main lantern with the theme of the current zodiac animal. This metallic, twinkling goat on a mountain top was about five stories high. There were lights playing, music blaring, and the mountains grew and changed shape!

One problem with the giant goat lantern was the ultra-bright, moving yellow and purple lights at the base, which played over the crowds, blinding people and making photography difficult.

Here is one final overview picture of the Goat Year Lantern Festival. The creativity and quality of these huge lanterns (the average height was probably six to ten feet) is amazing, especially for something so ephemeral. It is sad to think of all these being dismantled next week.

Again, let me know your favorites, and if looking at these has given you any ideas, tell me what design of lantern you might submit for a future festival. 

An elevated walkway made a convenient spot to take this photograph.

Taipei Roundup #1

Architectural tiles at Bi-Shan Temple (click for detail)

Walking around Taipei and Taiwan, I often come across scenes that might not add up to an individual post, but are too interesting just to file away. I have decided to initiate an occasional series using these photographic odds and ends. 

There is no particular rhyme or reason for featuring these; they might be beautiful, scenic, interesting, scary, or humorous. Please let me know which ones you like.
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From the balcony at Bi-Shan Temple, Neihu and Taipei seem to flow into the seams of the mountains:

A particularly Art Deco-looking dragonfly posed for this photo:

These spiky trees are seen all over Taiwan, and are often planted as ornamentals. I love their rather extreme look, although I question the wisdom of planting them along city streets due to those rather vicious thorns.

Click on the photo to get a better look at this huge spider (leg-span a good six inches), waiting for its next victim.

Finally, here are some fireworks that I recently saw from my balcony.  This is a feature of living in a big city--I often see these displays, and although I am not sure of their origin, they certainly make things festive:

Lantern Festival Taipei 2012

This colossal main lantern is several stories high.

Now is the time for Lantern Festival, which marks the end of Chinese new year. Figural lanterns are made by stretching colored paper or fabric over wire frames, and lit from within. Spectacular displays are set up in public areas, and in the evenings, huge crowds go strolling to watch them.

Since this is the Year of the Dragon, many lanterns are dragon-themed, although even in other years dragons are always a popular subject.

The above dragon is made from recycled bottles and drink-cup lids. Recycled materials are very popular for making the lanterns.

To give a better idea of the variety and effect of the lanterns, I am including a lot of illustrations, and very little explanation, so please just scroll through and enjoy—let me know which one is your favorite.

 Lantern Festival was set up this year in the Sun Yat Sen Memorial Plaza. The Taipei 101 Building forms a dramatic backdrop for the display.

I don’t know whether this is supposed to be a dinosaur or an alligator, or what happened to its snout—there seems to be an epidemic.

     (All above photos by the author.)





There is another type of lantern known as sky lanterns, which are like little hot air balloons.  Prayers or lucky wishes are written in red on the sides, then the fire is lit and the lanterns go soaring up to heaven. It is a dramatic and beautiful sight to watch them rise into the sky. 

Pingxi sky lanterns, Photo by Rick Yi, Taiwan News from www.culture.tw 

The small reserve of fuel is supposed to be exhausted quickly, but often the wind tips the lanterns as they are rising, and the paper shells burst into flame and come plummeting back to earth. If I were a property owner I would worry about the fire hazard, but I guess people figure that if buildings can survive the Taiwan electrical and building codes, not to mention the fireworks from the first part of Chinese new year, then the mere application of direct flames isn't going to cause any additional harm.