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1228HRS in Cantonese sounds like easier to be / get prosperous
Nevermind even if it is not the year of the pig.
Someone still is born in that year, right?]]>
1. Out of the many hampers that I had received this year, the attached hamper has a significance (known) to Chinese Hokkiens.
2. Did you notice that half side of the hamper has 6 mandarin oranges?
3. As I had previously mentioned in several postings; No 6 when spoken in Hokkien sounds like "LUCK".
4. In addition, Mandarin Oranges also sounds like "KIM'. And to the Hokkiens, KIM = GOLD.
4.1. Thus, what is more appropriate then giving 6 Oranges or 6 "GOLD" pieces...
5. Thus, one would not be surprised to find many Hokkien firms open for business on the 6tth day of the 1st Lunar month.
6. Note: Singapore has one of the largest population of Hokkiens outside of China. As many Hokkiens come from the Fujian province of China which is just upstream of the country.]]>
Another year, another Chinese New Year (CNY 2013)!
This time, around Bukit Merah.]]>
Netherlands has it's famous wooden shoes.
Traditionally, Chinese have their red cogs which are useful to be worn especially in wet areas. As the height of these cogs offer much protection from wet and soggy floors.
These red cogs were once very popular in Singapore during the 1930s right up to the 1970s.
Somehow, few buy these or have little knowledge of them. Especially with the advent of cheap PVC sandals.
One could say that this is a forerunner of the "crocodile branded" light weight shoes of today...]]>
Prehistoric man had panda for dinner: Scientist
BEIJING - Early humans used to eat pandas, a Chinese scientist has claimed.
Mr Wei Guanbiao, head of the Institute of Three Gorges Paleoanthropology at a Chongqing museum, said in a newspaer interview that prehistoric man ate the bears in what is now part of the city of Chongqing in southwest China.
He said excavated panda fossils "showed that pandas were once slashed to death by man".
He said that "in primitive times, people wouldn't kill animals that were useless to them", and therefore the pandas must have been used as food. Mr Wei said wild pandas lived in Chongqing's high mountains between 10,000 and 1 million years ago.
]]>An effective Chinese concoction for loss of voice... (due to sore throat)]]>
I can choose which facing direction for my house every second, every minute, every hour and every day.
Can your house do so?
Dear Anon,
Mystic Dragon]]>
SOURCE & CREDIT: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/3025796.stm
Chinese 'takes more brainpower'
Speaking Chinese may take more brainpower than speaking English, a study suggests.
Researchers in Britain have found that people who speak Mandarin Chinese use both sides of their brain to understand the language.
The researchers said the findings could boost understanding of how the brain processes languages.
This, in turn, could one day help scientists to develop better ways of helping people to re-learn languages after a stroke or similar damage to the brain.
This compares to English-language speakers who only need to use one side of their brain.
Brain scans
Dr Sophie Scott and colleagues at the Wellcome Trust carried out brain scans on a group of Mandarin and English speakers.
They found that the left temporal lobe, which is located by the left temple, becomes active when English speakers hear English.
People who speak different sorts of languages use their brains to decode speech in different ways Dr Sophie Scott, Wellcome Trust
The researchers believe that this area of the brain links speech sounds together to form individual words.
They expected similar findings when they carried out scans on Mandarin speakers.
However, they found that both their left and right temporal lobes become active when they hear Mandarin.
"People who speak different sorts of languages use their brains to decode speech in different ways," said Dr Scott.
"It overturned some long-held theories."
Mandarin is a notoriously difficult language to learn. Unlike English, speakers use intonation to distinguish between completely different meanings of particular words.
For instance, the word "ma" can mean mother, scold, horse or hemp depending on how it is said.
The researchers believe that this need to interpret intonation is why Mandarin speakers need to use both sides of their brain.
The right temporal lobe is normally associated with being able to process music or tones.
"We think that Mandarin speakers interpret intonation and melody in the right temporal lobe to give the correct meaning to the spoken words," said Dr Scott.
"It seems that the structure of the language you learn as a child affects how the structure of your brain develops to decode speech.
"Native English speakers, for example, find it extraordinarily difficult to learn Mandarin."
Learning languages
Dr Scott said the findings could help scientists to understand how the brain learns language.
It could be particularly useful in trying to understand how it re-learns language after a stroke.
She suggested it could also lead to new drugs to help people who have lost their language skills.
"There is evidence from other studies that certain drugs affect learning in the brain regions that support hearing and speech," she said.
"This is something we can improve on."
Dr William Marslen-Wilson, of the MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit at Cambridge University, welcomed the study.
"It is an interesting finding," he told BBC News Online.
"Looking at languages that are very different from each other helps us to understand how the brain processes language.
"It can also help us to understand language rehabilitation," he said.
"This field is really opening up but it is very early days."
The findings will be included in the summer science exhibition at the Royal Society in London, which runs from 1 to 3 July.
Spotted.
Above this factory's main entrance door is a bunch of Chinese Leeks (vegetable).
Chinese leeks are popular during Chinese New Year. As eating leeks symbolises ever increasing wealth!
In addition, Chinese leeks also means: Purity and Justice. And for those who felt that they were wrongly accused; use Chinese Leeks to gain attention for a trial.
In modern homes, some Chinese still hang a bunch of leeks above the main door with the hope of increasing wealth for the year.
Is this for real? Sheep Placenta as natural skin food? Who dare to swallow these capsules?
Saw this in a local Traditional herbal shop....
.... Vomit..... vomit....]]>
Source: Today, Friday February 10, 2012
New York ... The ancient Chinese...]]>
To the Chinese, red is auspicious... here goes]]>
This stretch of pebble walk paths is located in the Bukit Merah View estate.
Such pebble paths used to be popular in the 1980's. Suppose to be good for people to walk on. However, in my opinion, was told that it is not that good for diabetics (who often may not have sensitive feel on their foot)...
One of the traditional pastimes of Singaporeans is the rearing, display and meets to bring these birds together...
However, rearing birds in a cage often does not go down well with many Chinese. As many felt that birds should be let off and not caged up.]]>
QUOTE:
China's banks: `The fish always stinks from the head'
China's chief banking regulator Liu Ming-Kang has a folksy way of explaining his work. "The fish always stinks from the head" is a favourite.
This belief that regulation must focus on banks' head offices can be seen in China's zeal to enforce the Basel III rules. While there is talk in the United States and Eurpoe of easing the lquidity rules, the China Banking Regulatory Commission has been pushing ahead with a set of rules that is stricter in definitions than what has been agreed internationally......
-- UNQUOTE --
This reminds me of the same way Geomancer's view the "Head of the House" or rather; the Head of the house consists of very important organ i.e. the MOUTH of the house! Go imagine futher....
Yesterday, went for an appointment, near-by.
This food stall (operated by a mainland Chinese) in the Midview Building at Bukit Batok has the signage that says " Everyone OK kitchen".
]]>
In Singapore, it is very common to find food offerings by hawker vendors (or stall holders).
The stall holders would serve a plate (sample) of their food that is for sale on that day to the Gods (deity) in the hope to drum up business.
(Location: Coffeshop next to the Kovan Residences (just TOP).]]>
Location: Katong / Ceylon Road-Marshall Road area
1. Typically, many Chinese hang a pair of lanterns outside their home.
2. In one of the photos; this home hangs a row of FIVE(5) lanterns! This certainly not the norm. The lanterns looks family. Seems like they were made in Shanghai; by the Shanghai Lantern company. Can you also see a CONCAVE mirror at this same home?]]>
Jaw-dropping snap
Relax, there's no need to snatch this child out of the jaws of death. She is just lying on a 3-D pavement artwork featuring a shark, while posing for a photograph inside a shopping mall in Fuzhou, Fujian province, on Sunday. PHOTO REUTERS
This altar is located in a coffee shop in an industrial zone (Tampines Industrial Park off Safra Tampines).
What makes this altar "unique" is a beautiful back-wall laminated mural that reflects light off it.
It also has a typical roof following many traditional altars. Nowadays, such altars are less common in Singapore homes especially those that have a roof above the deity's head.]]>
This is a typical Earth god altar. Where the altar is placed at ground level.
Following Cantonese tradition; did you notice that right in frame; there are 5 cups each x 2?
Cantonese dialect group belief that there are "5 spirits" i.e. every cardinal point plus centerpoint has a guardian or god each:
North god, South god, East god, West god and God of the Centre.
Alternatively, some place five types of fruits and 5 each to pacify the "5 spirits".]]>
This feature wall showing a procession of a traditional Chinese wedding.
The feature wall is part of a restaurant's welcoming mural. Location: Vivo City.
Very unique mural. Symbolically; the procession seems auspicious. As it looks like a crowd of people "marching" into the restaurant! Thus, seems meaningful.]]>
Cantonese Tim Sum comes in many flavours or assortments. A very popular tim sum delicacy is the chicken feet.
A generalised Cantonese saying goes "if it flies, it has two or more legs or no legs... anything on earth is edible..."]]>
Dear Anon,
]]>
Dear Sir
Six years ago my father passed
away and I always had a beautiful picture of the two of us. I had it in
my room for a long time next to a picture of my mother, who is still
alive, next to a buddha statue. I was not born a Buddhist but I have
been a member of a traditional buddhist kung fu school for some time and
although I have no profound knowledge yet, the buddhist philosophy
explained in my school has more appeal to me than any other philosophy. I
am now integrating the pictures and the statue into an altar in a more
visible part of my appartement (before it used to be tucked away in the
corner of my bedroom). I layed down both pictures on the top shelf of a
cabinet and put a small decoration with stones and water flowing through
a pump, in between the pictures. I also placed some pictures of both
deceased family members and deceased friends and living family members
and living friends on the shelf below next to the buddha statue. Finally
I placed a large frame with the depiction of my kung fu style on top of
the cabinet.
Although I am not of eastern descent I do feel that
paying tribute to both the dead and the living will improve my quality
of live and that of my family members. I have some questions regarding
the placement of the objects:
1) Is it ok to put pictures of both deceased and living persons on an altar or should they be separated?
2)
My kung fu school has given a new direction to my life and my highest
personal aspiration lies there. Is it ok to put a large frame (40 cm x
80 cm) the depiction of my kung fu style on the altar?
3) If I put a bowl fruit on the altar, can I eat the fruit afterwards?
4) Is it ok to put the Buddha statue on the lower shelf or should it always be placed on the upper shelf?
5) Can I lay down the pictures or should they be placed upwards?
Kind regards
Jelle]]>
Source & Credit: The Sunday Times APRIL 10, 2011
GRAVE TOURS
BUKIT BROWN CEMETERY (LORNIE ROAD)
Bukit Brown holds the remains of many Singapore pioneers including Chew Boon Lay, Lim Chong Pang and Lim Nee Soon as well as Tan Kim CHing, eldest son of Tan Tock Seng.
It also includes what may be the oldest grave in Singapore - the final resting place of a certain Fang Shan who died in 1833.
CHUA CHU KANG CHINESE CEMETRY
Many graves here are built in the shape of animals such as fish or snakes, in accordance with feng shui principles.
In the night, it also attracts many mediums and their followers, who conduct regular seances there.
JAPANESE CEMETRY PARK (CHUAN HOE AVENUE)
The land was donated by brothel owner Tagajiro Fukaki in the 19th century as a burial ground for Japanese prostitutes and is now maintained by the Japanese Association of Singapore. No one has been buried there since 1973.
Famous names interred there include field marshal Count Terauchi Hisaichi supreme commander of Japanese forces in South-east Asia during WWII.
The graves of the Japanese prostitutes, their children and their mama-sans range from simple grave markers to elaborate tombstones.
]]>
SOURCE & CREDIT: THE STRAITS TIMES, MONDAY, MARCH 21 2011
Honouring Lao Tzu
Taoist priests attending a memorial ceremony for the 2,582nd anniversary of the birth of Taoism founder Lao Tzu at Tianjing Palace, or the Heavenly Peace Palance, in Woyang county, in eastern China's Anhui province, last Saturday.
Lao Tzu is best known as the authoer of the classical Taoist text; the Tao Te CHing.
The Heavenly Peace Palace in Woyang was the birthplace of the Chinese philosopher. PHOTO XINHUA
]]>
This is pre-CNY (Chinese New Year) period.
Took photos of this very useful guide to the names and photos of plants. Don't know who owns the chart but it seems; Giant always bring out this chart, yearly. So I guess the copyright belongs to them.
Source and Credit: Location: Giant Hypermart, Tampines Ave 10; Singapore.]]>
This photo was taken in Tampines, Singapore at around 7am in the morning.
These elderly ladies are practising what is known as "Tai-ji fan exercises.
It is interesting to hear the group of ladies flip the fan open together. The sound is like a "thunderous sound" of a platoon of soldiers standing at an attention!
Why do the wrist exercise?
Based on the Five Elements concept; flexing the wrist(s) is said to help improve one's liver and gall bladder.
Usually, the exercise begins with the Five-element position and there is suppose to be two sets of routines each with six different stances.
Did you see some of the ladies holding a fan?]]>
These photos were taken a week before Chinese New Year (CNY) 2011...
Range from: Buddha's Palm, Fuji apples with wordings on them; Fa Gao's etc...
Another Chinese New Year (CNY) is over... these are some of the photos of the Chinese produce meant either to be offered , prayed and eaten later .....
]]>
Traditionally, a pair of sugar cane is tied on each side of the altar table's legs...]]>
On one of the early mornings (still within the Chinese New Year - CNY) period; saw this uncle changing the offerings; i.e. replacing old Fa Gaos and fruits / tea cups with new ones...
Did you see the large x2 Fa Gaos?
These pink pineapple flowers are not for human consumption. Unlike the regular pineapple we find in the stores...
If it is not for human consumption? Then erh.. who is suppose to consume it?
CLUE? It is an offering on the altar table.
And pink colour is considered as very auspicious....
Furthermore, it is sold at $2.88/-... Sounds familiar? Well, most of the Feng Shui services fees end also with an 88!
The Shanghai Commission for Management of Language use has been trying to fix malapropisms in the city's English-language signs and menus.
"Gone too, is Racist Park, a cultural attraction that has since been rechristened Minorities Park.
]]>
Sir,
How effective is a windchime as a cure for a sector if it is silent and unmoving all the time? Does a windchime still perform its role and function and live up to its usefulness in this particular listless state?
Or can we say the more sounds it makes and the more it moves, the better it is for one's home? I have the intention of buying a six-rod aluminium windchime soon for the new year to cure my East sector which is ravaged by both the Yellow Five and Grand Duke. I read in this site that windchime is a cure to subdueYellow #5. However I was thinking that since Grand Duke is also occuping my East wall, wouldnt the constant cling-clanging of a windchime irritate him? If this is alright, I was thinking of hanging my windchime on my rotating wall fan after I purchased it. Is this the correct and "done thing" to do? Btw, my wall fan is also on my East wall. Is it advisable to use less of it if possible?]]>
On the second day of CNY on 4th Feb 2011, I went to a temple to pray to Grand Duke in the afternoon. Later as I was outside the temple, a woman selling tassels and other curios was telling me and other people that those who offended Grand Duke of Jupiter should only start praying on the 4th day of the lunar calendar of the new year and that if we pray early it is not correct and we need to pray to him again.
Secondly, if in the previous year we succumbed to Grand Duke or Tai Sui in a particular temple, we'll need to return to the same temple to pray and not change another temple or else we will be forever owing to Grand Duke. Is this true?]]>
The days of sending traditional Chinese postcards are nearing it's end...
From now onwards, on Chinese New Year (CNY); I will continue to document a collection of auspicious CNY SMS-greetings...]]>