Lunar New Year Souvenir Supplement: Year of the Rat
February 19, 2008
> Lunar New Year Across Asia
> Land of Lunar New Years
> Born in the Year of the Rat
> The Year Of the Rat: Moments In History
> True Tails: Rats on Film
> Rat Pack or Pack Rat?
> Joining The Rat Pack
> How Much Should You Put in a Red Envelope?
> Red Envelopes: Save or Spend?
> Between a Rat and Pig: Cusp Babies Have Lunar Animal Identity Crisis
> Throw a Lunar New Year Fete in Style
> Watch What You Eat
> Constructing a Rain-Proof Parade
> Feast or Famine
> Rats in The Art of Japan And India
> To Dine on Rat
> Rat a la Carte
> USPS Unveils Lunar New Year Stamp
> Get Your Rat Poster Now!
Lunar New Year Across Asia
We all knowthat the Chinese New Year, or Lunar New Year, began on Feb. 7 and that New Year’s festivities go on until the 15th of the first lunar month, when the moon is brightest. People in China take a few weeks off from work to celebrate the new year. And, of course, the Chinese attribute animals to years because, according to legend, when Buddha asked all the animals to meet him on New Year’s, 12 animals showed up. He proclaimed that those born in each animal’s year would share the animal’s personalities.
Most of us in the U.S. refer to the Lunar New Year as the Chinese New Year, and the role that the Lunar New Year plays in other countries often goes unacknowledged.
For the Hmong, Lunar New Year is a time for eating a lot and setting up friends and relatives with potential marriage partners. Unmarried women dress in decorative outfits and play traditional games like “toss ball” with the men. Many courting songs are sung.
In Thailand, Lunar New Year is celebrated with a water splashing ritual. Family members anoint each other with perfumed water. Old folks ask the younger generation to forgive them for harsh words and gestures. Then strings are tied around wrists as part of a prayer.
In Vietnam, the Lunar New Year is called “Tet Nguyen Dan,” and celebrated with gifts of fruit, cakes and money. Lunar New Year in Vietnam is jovial, because it is believed that what you do in the first few days of the celebration sets the tone for the rest of the year.
In Cambodia, Lunar New Year means three days praying at the temple, where people also engage in tug-of-war type games and build a sand mountain. People wash Buddha statues with perfumed water and then wash themselves, as a way to christen the new year.
In Singapore, people take a week off from work to visit family and friends. Since half of Singapore is Chinese, Lunar New Year celebrations are close to the kinds of celebrations held in China.
Many Asian countries interpret the lunar calendar differently, so the dates of celebration depend on what system they use. In India, Lunar New Year happens in October or November. Homemade sweets are traded, and people engage in half-hour prayer services. The Lunar New Year in India is called “Diwali,” and it’s the most widely celebrated festival on the Hindu calendar. In Cambodia, it doesn’t happen until mid-April.
Japan celebrates the Lunar New Year on Jan. 1 because they adopted the Gregorian calendar during the Meiji era, around 100 years ago, under the influence of the West. The Japanese pound rice, do housecleaning, visit relatives and bosses, and make special foods, just as they did when they were on the lunar calendar.
It’s true that many Asian countries like Korea don’t really celebrate Lunar New Year. Koreans celebrate New Year’s based on both the lunar and solar calendars, so not much weight is placed on either.
All these Asian countries have their unique ways of celebrating Lunar New Year, and we should honor and observe them all.
Land of Lunar New Years
Celebrating the Year of the Rat around the country
Lunar New Year is a special time for Asian Americans. The core values — an emphasis on family, hopes for good fortune and health, a time for reflection — resonate at every location. But just like Paris’ Eiffel Tower differs from New York’s Times Square during New Year’s Eve, so too do Lunar New Year celebrations vary from locale to locale. With Lunar New Year, a place’s history and geography shape some of America’s most resplendent celebrations.
NEW YORK
New York City’s Chinatown, the largest in the Western Hemisphere, boasts a growing Lunar New Year festival. Credit the Better Chinatown Society for restoring the bang to New York’s Lunar New Year. Hampered by a fireworks ban from 1997, the Society successfully lobbied Mayor Michael Bloomberg in 2003 to restore pyrotechnics to Kim Lau Square. The display has since blossomed into a main attraction, with a whopping half-million firecrackers detonated for the Year of the Rat on Feb. 7.
Pyrotechnics partially explain the festival’s ascension from 10,000 onlookers in 2000, the first year the Better Chinatown Society organized the festival, to an expected 400,000 this year. Steven Ting, president of the Society, also commends community support. “As we developed the last few years, a lot of organizations joined us,” said Ting, noting that hospitals, senior citizens and schools contribute much of the 200 volunteers. “It’s a community effort.”
Despite the festival’s ballooning size, Ting emphasizes that the intimate feel of New York’s celebration makes it unique. “We do it purposely in Chinatown, and Chinatown is made up of a lot of smaller streets. The floats and performers are close to a lot of the spectators.”
LOS ANGELES
Part of the draw of the Los Angeles Lunar New Year festivities is the chance to get a close look at celebrities. Bruce Lee, Hugh Hefner and Asian stars like Chow Yun Fat are just some of the local luminaries who have headlined the parade and celebration. For the Year of the Rat, the Chinese Chamber of Commerce recruited the most renowned rodent to grace the land. “This year we’ll be having Mickey Mouse for the festival,” noted Holly Barnhill, spokesperson for the Chinatown Business Improvement District, prior to the parade. Disney’s hallmark character kick-started the Lunar New Year festival and 109th annual Golden Dragon Parade on Feb. 9. Barnhill also noted that the five Olympic ring mascots featured in the festivities, as well as China Consul General Zhang Yun. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, comedian Dat Phan, and numerous musical and performing acts also made appearances. Six beauty queens, 100 units in the parade, 100,000 onlookers and a special import car showing, all showcased the festival’s grandness.
SAN FRANCISCO
Not to be outdone, San Francisco rejoices with one of the most comprehensive celebrations in the nation. “The original parade began in the 1860s, back when they ran it on a dirt road,” said Karen Eng, public relations for the Chinese New Year Festival and Parade in San Francisco. “The Chinese Chamber of Commerce took over in 1958.” From then, the Chamber established current highlights like the Flower Market Fair, the Miss Chinatown Pageant and the Community Street Fair, which takes place through the weekend of Feb. 23 and 24. The Chinese New Year Parade, one of the top 10 in the world according to the International Festival and Events Association, runs on the night of Feb. 23, with the darkness highlighting the vivacity of the floats and performers.
BUTTE, Mont.
With below freezing temperatures and a population of 34,000, Butte might stand as San Francisco’s complete opposite in terms of Lunar New Year celebrations. Here you won’t find beauty pageants or eye-opening galas, yet, Butte is proud to host the “coldest, shortest and loudest” Lunar New Year parade.
A booming mining town during the Gold Rush, Butte housed an enclave of mostly male Chinese Americans seeking riches and looking to support their families overseas. But legislation passed in 1882 and 1924 halted further Asian immigration, denied voting rights, miscegenation and citizenship to immigrants, and justified anti-Asian violence. Those in small towns like Butte feared for their safety and moved to the larger California Chinatowns.
In light of the egregious treatment Chinese workers faced, nonprofit organization Mai Wah Society promised to preserve Chinese culture and promote awareness. The Society reconstituted the Mai Wah Noodle Shop into a museum that highlights the struggles and contributions of Chinese immigrants. The Year of the Rat marked the 15th year the Mai Wah Society has organized a Lunar New Year celebration. On Feb. 9, in temperatures dropping lower than 25 degrees Fahrenheit, the energetic folks of Butte marched a half-dozen blocks while brandishing a 50-foot dragon, a gift from the government of Taipei that required the efforts of two-dozen people. Ten thousand brilliant and cacophonous firecrackers completed the lively display.
Born in the Year Of the Rat: Moments In History
1912 | 1924 | 1948 | 1960 | 1972 | 1984
Minoru Yamasaki {1912} — One of the most prominent architects of the 20th century, Yamasaki has designed many buildings in America and all over the world. He is best known for his design of the World Trade Center.
Kim Il Sung {1912} — The first president of North Korea, from 1948 until his death in 1994, when he was succeeded by his son, Kim Jong-il.
Daniel K. Inouye {1924} — Currently serves as a senator for Hawai‘i, a position he has held for over 40 years. Inouye is the first American of Japanese descent to serve in the United States House of Representatives and later the first in the Senate. During World War II, he was assigned to the Nisei 442nd Regimental Combat Team, the most highly decorated unit in the history of the U.S. Army. For his actions during the war, Inouye received the Medal of Honor, the highest military decoration awarded by the U.S. government.
Daniel Akaka {1924} — Akaka is a senator for Hawai‘i and is currently the only Chinese American member of the Senate. He was first elected to the United States House of Representatives in 1976 and won seven consecutive elections by wide margins. Akaka became a senator in 1990 and has won three re-elections since then.
Sichan Siv {1948} — The first Asian American to become a ranking presidential aide, working as deputy assistant to the president under George H.W. Bush in 1989. Siv first arrived in the United States in 1976 as a Cambodian refugee, escaping the horrors of the Khmer Rogue political regime.
Irene Yasutake Hirano {1948} — A third-generation Japanese American, public administrator and community activist, Hirano helped organize the Asian Women’s Network in Los Angeles in 1980 and became its first president. Since 1988, Hirano has been the president and director of the Japanese American National Museum.
Samuel L. Jackson {1948} — Movie actor who has appeared in many high-grossing films and has received numerous awards.
Howard Dean {1948} — Currently the chairman of the Democratic National Committee, Dean was governor of Vermont from 1991 to 2003. He ran for president in 2004, losing the Democratic nomination to John Kerry.
Robin Shou {1960} — A Chinese American actor who has appeared in a number of martial arts films, he is best known for his lead role in the Mortal Kombat movies as Liu Kang.
Leroy Chiao {1960} — NASA astronaut who participated in spaceflight missions from 1994 to 2005. In 2004, Chiao was the commander for Expedition 10, in which he spent almost six months in the International Space Station. While on the Space Station, he became the first American to vote in space for a U.S. president on Election Day.
Michael Chang {1972} — One year after becoming a pro tennis player at the age of 16, Chang became the youngest male to ever win the French Open, upsetting then No. 1 seed Ivan Lendl in a five-set, come-from-behind victory in the semifinals. During his career, he won a total of 34 top-level professional singles titles. Chang retired from the professional tour in 2003 and will be inducted to the
International Tennis Hall of Fame this year.
Bobby Lee {1972} — A comedian and the first Asian cast member of the live comedy series MADtv, Lee has become one of the most popular performers on the show and is known for playing Asian roles, both male and female. This year will be his last season on MADtv, after appearing for seven consecutive seasons since 2001.
Dwayne Johnson {1972} — Best known by his ring name, “The Rock,” he is an actor and former professional wrestler. He gained mainstream fame in the late 90s and has become a movie star in recent years, taking action and
comedy roles.
Chiaki Kuriyama {1984} — Japanese actress best known in America for her role in Kill Bill as Gogo Yubari, the deadly Tokyo schoolgirl yakuza bodyguard.
Prince Harry of Wales {1984} — Commonly referred to as “Prince Harry,” he is the younger son of Charles, Prince of Wales, and the late Diana, Princess of Wales. He is third in the line of succession to the throne of the United Kingdom, behind his father and older brother.
Year of the Rat APA Nobel Prize Winners
Samuel C.C. Ting — 197} Nobel Prize in physics for discovering a new particle (born in 1936).
Yuan T. Lee — 1986 Nobel Prize in chemistry for research of chemical reactions (born in 1936).
Carlos Filipe Ximenes Belo — 1996 Nobel Peace Prize in working for peace in East Timor (born in 1948).
Steven Chu — 1997 Nobel Prize in physics for research in laser cooling and trapping of atoms (born in 1948).
True Tails: Rats on Film
If you believe Hollywood, the rat is a lovable and heroic friend to humankind. Look at movies like The Secret of NIMH or The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles or even Mickey Mouse, who, despite his name, more closely resembles an overgrown rat. And everyone loved last summer’s animated film, Ratatouille.
But the thought of a rat working in the kitchen of a high-end French restaurant — am I the only one who finds that utterly disgusting?Luckily, I grew up during a time when the movies showed rats for what they truly were — vicious rodents that must be destroyed at all costs. Leading this charge were two films that dared to tell it like it was about our rodent enemies: 1976’s Food of the Gods and 1971’s Willard.
The 1970s and 1980s produced a slew of movies that exposed us to the dangers of the animal world, from mutant ants (Empire of the Ants) to mutant fish (Piranha) to men turning into mutant snakes (SSSSSSS) and other assorted terrors.
But as much as I enjoyed watching Dirk Benedict turn into a cobra and be eaten by a mongoose, the rat films were the best. Why? Because rats are the worse. If you see a spider or ant in your house, just spray it with Raid. But what do you do if a giant rat hunkers down in your kitchen? You have lost the war, my friend. The rat is the American occupying force, and you are now Iraq.
Take Willard. A young Bruce Davison portrays the nerdy titular character who rescues a family of rats and finds he can communicate with them, especially the loyal Socrates and the more mischievous Ben. He uses the rats to help him steal money so he can pay his mortgage, but after Socrates is killed and Davison dismisses Ben, Ben goes psychotic and tries to exact a particularly gruesome revenge on his former master. The moral of the film is simple — do not be nice to a rat, or you will be sorry.
That’s why it’s such a shame that in the following year’s sequel, titled Ben, Ben turns into a wimp. He’s still a vicious rat leading a gang of other rats in killing people, but the moment he befriends a cute, young boy, we realize that he’s not evil, just misunderstood. It’s outrageous, like saying Charles Manson would be OK if only he just befriended that cute kid from According to Jim.
If that weren’t enough, Ben features a too cute theme song by Michael Jackson — odd for a horror film. It’s safe to say that Jackson’s song is the only love song in history to be sung to a rat: “Ben, most people would turn you away/I don’t listen to a word they say/They don’t see you as I do/I wish they would try to … ”
But the quintessential rat film is still Food of the Gods, which as the opening credits proudly proclaim is based on a story by H.G. Wells (though the only thing the film shares with Wells’ story is the title).
Food of the Gods isn’t just about rats; it’s about rats that somehow grow to the size of a Greyhound bus. It also features giant chickens and wasps, but the main battle is between humans and these big rats.
The story is simply about a bunch of people stuck on an island with a bunch of aggressive giant animals, including the aforementioned rats, whom they must battle to survive. I was maybe 7 or 8 when I first saw the film, and in my young eyes, it contained one of the greatest cinematic scenes I had ever witnessed — a man being eaten by a giant rat. As fake as it even looked then, it was awesomely disturbing to see a guy get his head nibbled off by a rat.
And the last image of the film is pretty shocking, even today. Without giving anything away, let’s just say I refused to drink milk with my school lunch for about a year afterward.
So, with the Lunar New Year upon us and everyone celebrating how cool the rat is, I urge you to remember the lessons of Willard and Food of the Gods. Rats are evil and dangerous. You never know when one will grow to the size of a bus and chew off your face. Don’t say you weren’t warned.
Philip W. Chung is a writer and co-artistic director of Lodestone Theatre Ensemble. His column, Reel Stories, appears every other week in AsianWeek.
Rat Pack or Pack Rat?
Collaborating Rats
The Year of the Rat will be a nurturing year, but one developed through strong collaboration and perseverance.
The Rat is the first of 12 Chinese zodiac animal signs, reflecting the resourcefulness of the Rat. Lure holds that the Rat rode on the Ox’s back and then scampered off at the opportune time to be the first to meet the call of Buddha. Those born in the Rat years are thought to be multifaceted achievers: energetic, intelligent, optimistic, charming and productive. To that end, Rat people are versatile, exhibiting a facility to get around obstacles and adapting well to changing environments. But workaholic Rats are urged to manage stress by giving up perfectionism.
The yin, or female energy, combined with the earth element for this Earth Rat or Golden Rat year (4706 on the Chinese lunar calendar) that began on Feb. 7, will bring trust and kindness so as to promote conflict resolution, Bay Area I-ching Master Y.C. Sun says. In this intense presidential campaign year, this computer scientist and third-geomancer has enhanced his focus on global economics and geopolitics.
Economy
During the past Fire Pig lunar year, the Pig’s influence buffered the downward economic trends that began in 2006, but Sun again cautions that people should beware of a global recession after the Beijing Olympics, preparing with Rat-like frugality late-2008 and 2009. “The major stock markets will sell-off in China and Hong Kong, causing more panic and dumping of real estate and cash-outs of investments,” Sun predicts.
“The U.S. is one year ahead of the looming global recession that will come in the second quarter of 2009,” Sun explains. China, our big investor, won’t be able to control inflation, and a power struggle will erupt there as President Hu Jintao experiences a bad luck year in 2009, the year of the Earth Ox. Domestically, 2009 will see the real estate market hit bottom in the third quarter.
The characteristics of the animal, combined with influences from five basic elements — metal, wood, water, fire and earth — foretell the kind of year. While Congress and the president consider an economic stimulus package, the anxious Rat, combined with the conservative earth element, has consumers tightening belts rather than spending as politicos had hoped. However, Sun points out that in the past seven Rat years, the stock market has been bullish and the Dow Jones Industrial Average has always gone up. The elements also indicate popular business and investment sectors. According to Sun, the earth energy is represented by the health care and agricultural sectors and should be part of an inflation-hedging portfolio. The large caps – pharmaceuticals, telecom, technology and service sectors — will do well and start an uptrend throughout 2008, Sun says, who is often quoted for CBS MarketWatch predictions. The earth energy also indicates success in land development and highway construction/repair.
As with the previous year, this year’s water energy points to successes in the industries of: import/ export, travel, shipping, moving, cleaning, musical entertainment, magic entertainment, Internet, seafood, chemicals, fruit juice, wine and spirits, and tea and coffee.
Sun says that the last two years with the Fire Dog and Fire Pig drove up oil prices, because the fire element is fueled by oil. The Earth Rat year will produce some strong mud though water influences and quell the flames, driving oil prices down from $100 per barrel to $70.
This Rat year’s earth and water elements will also enhance natural disasters reflecting those elements: powerful rain and snow storms, hurricanes, flooding, erosion, landslides and avalanches. The earth energy will also produce large-scale earthquakes in Japan, Hawai‘i, Argentina, Iran and Turkmenistan/ USSR. Likely earth movement months are February, June, August, October and January 2009 (still within the Earth Rat year).
But, the confluence of earth and water will produce a rich soil to grow wood, representative of the U.S. dollar, indicating a rebound for the now weak currency and stemming a global free fall.
Politics
Last year, Sun predicted that, while the male species on Capitol Hill would be caught up in continued turbulence, he declared the Fire Pig year to be “The Year of the Mature Woman” when baby boomer women would seize their moments. Sun believes this influence will see Hillary Clinton as the Democratic presidential nominee. Sun explains that both Clinton and Barack Obama have strong earth energy. However, Clinton has male earth energy and Obama has female energy, and the energy makeup for male earth will be greatly enhanced in March and April, giving Clinton the advantage. Come November, Sun predicts Clinton will call the Oval Office hers with 80 percent certainty.
For the remainder of the George W. Bush presidency, Sun predicts that he will have a good legislative year in 2008, starting with the massive tax stimulus package to boost the economy before March 5, 2008. The earth and water elements also indicate that Bush may leave a legacy with a number of public works projects to repair our transportation infrastructure, providing jobs and staving off a recession.
According to the “Nine Spots of Flying Stars” theory, Sun says that good locations this year are east, southeast and northeast, while bad locations are south and northwest. The directions can apply to one’s home, a city, a state, a country or the world. Sun sees continued unrest in the Middle East, specifically with Israel and Palestine in May and June. He also sees hot spots for violence and political struggles in Venezuela, Cuba and among African countries, namely Chad and Kenya.
For Bay Area political followers, last year Sun predicted that San Francisco Mayor Newsom, a Fire Goat, would put his personal troubles behind for a successful re-election and that there would be some major changes to his staff. This year, Newsom will receive the helping hands of the Earth Rat and will see plenty of happy events, while handling stressful civic issues. Sun sees not only wedding bells for Newsom, but a newborn during this lunar year.
Make smart moves this year. Next year — the Year of the Ox — may be a tough year to plow through.
For consultations with Y.C. Sun, visit Inner Beauty, 1332 El Camino Real, Belmont, CA 94002, (650) 595-9888.
Joining The Rat Pack
Rat interactions with other zodiac animals
The order of the animal zodiac is based on the order of the
finishers of a race Buddha called: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, Pig
The Rat is very compatible with: Dragon, Monkey and Ox.The Rat has good relationships with: Tiger, Snake, Rooster, Dog and Pig.
The Rat competes with other Rats but will cooperate as a team.
Rats and Rabbits betray each other for their own benefit in love and money.
Rats should always avoid Horses as they conflict in love and
business matters.
Rats and Goats do not relate well as Goats often take advantage of Rats.
— Julie D. Soo
How Much Should You Put in a Red Envelope?
“Give as much as you would want to get yourself.”
Richard Lum, 35,
medical device
engineer,
San Jose, Calif.
“It depends on the person you’re giving it to: a family member, a close friend or someone in the office? In general, $20 would be very good.”
Sylvia Tse, 47,
accountant,
Oakland, Calif.
“More than your friends.”
Ray Fung, 36,
project manager,
San Bruno, Calif.
“This answer is highly dependent on the recipient, your financial situation and what you are trying to get out of the situation. Three dollars to $20 is standard; the days of $1 are way gone after Greenspan, Bernanke and Bush’s monetary policy has caused ridiculous levels of inflation. A male may tend to give more if his significant other is watching over his shoulder while he stuffs the envelopes.”
Miles Ito, 30,
sales and applications engineer,
Campbell, Calif.
“Twenty dollars to $100 dollars is good. Amounts with the number 8, such as $28 or $88, may bring extra good luck. That goes for using new bills, too.”
Tina Nguyen,
late 20s,
senior program manager,
San Francisco
“If you are single (like me): none to parents, uncles, aunts, cousins or friends; $20 to a niece or nephew under 12 years old; $40 to a niece or nephew from 13 to 17 years old. None to anyone above 18 years old — let them make their own money to give to others. If you are a parent or uncle or aunt, double those amounts. This is usually for young family members that are in town. If they are out of the area, then no red envelope for them. That’s my rule.”
Dino Tsai, 34,
shipping and receiving supervisor,
Milpitas, Calif.
“I would give $20. If I give someone $1, they will just put it in a drawer. But if I give someone $20, I’ll see a big smile on their face, and they can actually use it to buy something they want.”
Kay Chin, 60,
artist,
Honolulu
“It doesn’t matter what dollar amount. It’s the thought and tradition that matter.”
Carol Fong, 66,
retired
entrepreneur,
Sunnyvale, Calif.
“$1 is not too even, and $2 is way cheap, $4 in Chinese is ‘si,’ meaning a dead heap.
$6 is neither here nor there, and $7 is odd and therefore doom, but good ol’ $8, on the other hand, is a wish for a ‘fa cai’ money boom.”
San Ng, 37,
poet and filmmaker,
Oakland, Calif.
SAN FRANCISCO — For Lawrence Ling, his Chinese New Year lucky money (lai see) is headed for a savings account. Should the 11-year-old spend it, it will be on necessities such as school supplies.
For Chinese kids, lai see may appear to be simply an annual gift of money. Yet it can also provide an opportunity to exercise thought and care in handling money, an early lesson in the importance of saving.Rosemary Gong explains the purpose of lai see in her 2005 book on Chinese American celebrations and culture, Good Luck Life: “New Year’s lucky money is intended to sustain the child from one year to the next, so saving is encouraged.”
Julia Ling of the IRS’ Taxpayer Advocacy Panel said receiving lai see can provide kids with a painless lesson in financial literacy. American pop culture promotes spending over saving, and kids unschooled in fiscal responsibility can end up racking up overwhelming credit card debt.
Developing the practice of saving can require family action. Ling’s method is to ask her son to save at least one-third of his lucky money. “Children spending lai see money is inevitable,” Julia Ling said. “Children’s overspending it is not.”
Not to mention spending on the frivolous. For some, like marriage equality activist Stuart Gaffney, the only thing that lai see sustained was a sugar buzz — he recalls spending his on candy. The only lai see he saved were collectible coins such as Kennedy half-dollars.
Yet kids do receive autonomy, however limited, with their lai see. Radio host Gimmy Park Li agrees that children are encouraged by relatives to save their lai see. However, Li said the lucky money recipient ultimately decides on the money’s fate; children should have the freedom to spend it on treats if they wish.
And some of today’s kids have moved beyond candy. Anthony Ng, executive director of the Chinese Newcomers Service Center, has seen kids saving toward a PlayStation, iPhone or even multifunctional Japanese cell phones. Samuel Luo, a volunteer with SF4Democracy, mentions a cousin in China who steadily accumulated enough lai see money to afford a Swatch. Some enterprising 15-year-old kids pooled lai see to buy rare tennis shoes cheap on eBay and then resold them for a $100 profit, according to Ng.
Those of older generations appear to be more fiscally responsible, although less creative, with their lai see. In high school, Asian Pacific Democratic Club president Jason Wong plunked his lai see money in a Charles Schwab account. Luo normally saved his lai see, dipping into it as necessary for special causes such as paying down credit card debt.
Ng has noticed another positive trend among older lai see recipients: donating some of lai see to charity, particularly to international causes like the deadly Pakistan floods of February 2003. Ng said he wonders if the bilingual or bicultural background of those more charitable-minded lai see recipients aids their philanthropic decisions.
And altruistic spending of lucky money can be developed at an incredibly early age: Lawrence Ling made his first charitable donation of lai see at age 6 to the Chinese Newcomers Service Center.
Not receiving lai see isn’t so bad, either. “I stopped receiving lai see money at a young age,” Assemblywoman Fiona Ma said. “At the age of 22, I realized that lai see money was given to young children. Since then, my parents have been generous in other ways, so not receiving lai see money wasn’t a deprivation.”
Between a Rat and Pig: Cusp Babies Have Lunar Animal Identity Crisis
Lunar New Year festivities begin on the first full moon of the new year and continue for 15 days. But because the lunar calendar does not align directly with the Western calendar the same way each year, for many who were born in January, on the cusp of the beginning of the new and the close of the previous year, identifying as only one of the 12 lunar calendar animals is a tricky proposition.
Sung Ho Lee, a Korean business owner in Colorado Springs, Colo., whose birthday is on Jan. 21, said that being born on the cusp of Lunar New Year is not altogether prosperous in his case. Born in the late stages of the Year of the Horse, just before the Year of the Sheep, Lee said that traditional interpretations of the 12 zodiac animals say that Horses are better off being born during the spring or summer months.
Lee explained that this is because actual horses have plenty to eat and the chance to frolic in green pastures during the warm and sunny seasons of spring and summer; in cold winter months like January, horses aren’t able to thrive as much.
Lee also reflected on the difficulties of incorporating and fully appreciating Lunar New Year in a busy American lifestyle. “Lunar New Year is not a national holiday, and therefore, it is hard to prepare for and celebrate when I have work,” Lee said. “In South Korea, we would get days off from work and students would not have school in order to properly ring in the new year. That’s why I prefer to just celebrate on Jan. 1.” In spite of work, Lee said he tries to eat rice cake soup, or dduk gook, on Korean Lunar New Year. It is said that one cannot become a year older without eating dduk gook on New Year’s Day. Lee also mentioned the importance of paying respect to the ancestors and elders of the family by preparing certain foods and wearing the traditional Korean clothing, or han bok, and bowing to them.
By contrast, Lydia Cho, a Korean American student at Denver University, said that being born on the cusp holds no special meaning for her. Cho was born on Feb. 4 in the Year of the Rabbit, just before the advent of the Year of the Dragon. “I don’t feel like there is any significance because there aren’t any benefits of being born on the cusp of Lunar New Year, at least in the U.S.,” Cho said. Cho also stated that on Lunar New Year she just spends the day as if it were any other — no vacation, no special parties or foods. When asked if there are particular traits that reaffirm her animal sign is the best fit, Cho replied, “You know, I don’t really believe in the signs, but I can sometimes see connections between my personality and what they say about Rabbits.” Rabbits are said to be quiet and reserved, and often lead conservative lifestyles, but are also considerably thoughtful and compassionate — Cho appears to be just that.
Despite having different perspectives on what Lunar New Year holds for them, one thing seems certain for both Lee and Cho: There’s no denying the resonances of one’s cultural roots, especially when it comes to thinking about the year of one’s birth.
Throw a Lunar New Year Fete in Style
While the typical “Mrs. Homemaker” is busy setting up yet another traditional feast of dumplings and meat dishes for the coming Lunar New Year, the modern-day “Ms. Homemaker” can view this holiday as an opportunity to display the talent for delighting her guests with the unexpected. As this coming year is the auspicious Year of the Rat, the fellow who is first in line and first in everything, nothing would speak to style and grace better than throwing your very own rat-themed Lunar New Year party!
Too Little, Too Much
Fun hinges upon the number of guests you invite. Too many literally gives little room for cheer. Too little paints the unhappy picture of an unpopular host. Select your closest and most cherished friends, those few who naturally exude merriment and some roguery, keeping the number to a dozen or so.
The Cover-Up
As any good party is an occasion for feasting, the table becomes the singular focus of the evening and therefore must be beautifully set. Stick with the traditional holiday colors of red, representing good luck, and gold, symbolizing wealth and happiness, but strictly as decorative flourishes. Use a simple but elegant white tablecloth to accent the finishing touches as the works of art they are; I suggest china gilded in a sparking gold. If you would like to use standard white china, then offset the white-on-white with a festive red cloth place setting. Should the food turn out badly, the beautifully set table will leave a lasting impression upon your guests and prove, yet again, that style triumphs over substance.
Table Confetti
For a sense of spontaneity, rat-shaped confetti strewn over a tabletop soothes the madcap soul. Place a rat-shaped stencil on a red streamer and carefully outline the form with a pencil, repeating until you reach the end. Carefully cut out the form with a single-edged razor blade on a cutting mat. A tedious task to be sure! Here, use a little of your modern-day ingenuity and try to organize a “fun” game with you children. Take care they don’t shred their poor little porker fingers! Recycle the streamers by draping them along the wall and then, with complete abandon, sprinkle the cutouts atop the white tablecloth.
Origami Flourishes
Foreshadow what’s to be consumed by decorating your plates with origami rats. Find a simple origami rat-pattern that is easy to follow. Upon the ironing board, starch and iron a brown or gray, square linen tablecloth. Every new fold or crease should be followed with a starch spritz and firm once-over with the iron. Doing so will keep the integrity of the shape. Hot glue gun sparkling red crystals for eyes. This will give the rats a sense of personality and whimsy. Place the origami rat facing the seated guest for a heart-to-heart when she is on her third glass of Ricard.
Edible Centerpiece
A respectable centerpiece needs to be significantly larger-than-life in order to inspire awe and fear. A crowd pleaser, to be sure, will be the 2-foot tall replica of the very
rodent that has inspired such an original fete!
This exercise in baking artistry depends upon the level of skill you have, but the modern-day Ms. Homemaker will rise to the challenge. Purchase four boxes of red velvet cake mix and follow the directions accordingly. When the eight cakes have cooled, level and then stack them up. I like to
imagine that I am recreating the magnificent Tower of Pisa. To keep the layers secure, mix up some red food dye and icing and spread it between each layer. Carve the
bottom two-thirds of the cake tower into the shape of a bell and the top one-third into a sphere for the head.
Whip up a second icing mixture using gray food dye. Be sure to put down a thin crumb layer all over before the final smooth layer. With black icing, pipe an outline for the legs and front paws. You may choose to give texture to your creation by inserting black licorice whips that have been cut an inch in length to simulate its coarse hairs. Braid three black licorice strands for a tail. A rubber mouse snout and ears should be purchased before hand and then placed on the head. Use large, red jelly beans for eyes.
For added effect, you may want to have brown jelly beans strewn across the table. Most importantly, to offset distaste, be sure to secure a civilizing bow tie around the rat’s neck. This masterpiece will elicit oohs and aahs when presented. Bask in the moment of your glory. Strike a pose. Guests will be especially pleased when carving of the sweet, edible beast.
Don’t Forget the Kids!
Drunk on rat-shaped cake and high-quality liquor, the guests should relax and gather in the living room to watch the children play a game of “Let’s Forage for Food!” The rules are simply this: The children put on costumes — for levity, have them pretend to be a favorite fictional rat, such as Stuart Little, Templeton, Mrs. Frisby, Ratatouille’s Rémy, etc. — and let them roam on all fours looking for leftovers. Be sure to hide their dinner in inconspicuous places. This ensures the game will entertain.
Let this celebration inspire a lighthearted foot forward into the coming Lunar New Year. Remember that style and grace is everything and substance only a poor man’s tool. Happy Year of the Rat!
Watch What You Eat
What to eat at New Year’s and why
Central to Lunar New Year celebrations is, of course, food. Feasting with families and friends throughout this special 15-day stretch dates back thousands of years. While not all New Year celebrations involve the same set of dishes, all involved foods are prepared with the utmost thoughtfulness and intricacy, with the coming year in mind.
There are entire books written on the topic of these elaborate feasts—even the Food Network has a special section on Chinese New Year foods and their significance. Here are a few foods you might want to include in your festivities.
Dumplings, or jiaozi, is a popular Chinese dish. While most likely available at your local supermarket in the freezer aisle, making and eating these can be especially significant in the near year. Since the shape of jiaozi resembles that of the ancient Chinese money made of gold, eating jiaozi during Chinese New Year celebrations symbolizes wealth and prosperity in the new year.
Fish and fowl are also common dishes. The key to preparing these dishes is to make sure to keep the entire fish or duck intact. Cutting a piece of meat accidentally could mean that your luck in the coming year is severed, so be careful! It’s also equally important to make sure you don’t eat the entire dish after it is served—just leaving some meat signifies that you’ll have an abundance of luck in the new year.
There are also a number of uncooked foods considered lucky. Tangerines and oranges are often given as gifts—“jui” sounds similar to “gold” and “wealth” in Mandarin, so giving them to friends and family spreads the wealth and prosperity. Sweetened lotus roots, lotus seeds, and dried melon seeds similarly signify positive things: abundance, fertility, and profuse earnings, respectively.
While this is by no means an exhaustive list of foods, be sure to pay special attention to what you eat: Food that rings in the new year might just portend the year to come.
Make your own Dumplings Jiaozi
Ingredients:
1/2 pound of ground pork
3 teaspoons of green onion, minced
2 teaspoons of ginger, minced
sesame oil
salt, white pepper, soy sauce to flavor
finely chopped vegetable of your choice (e.g. celery or cabbage)
1-2 packets of dumpling skins (can be found at your local Asian supermarket)
small bowl of water
Directions:
Combine the ingredients in a mixing bowl—minus the dumpling skins! Add water to the mixture to smoothen it out if necessary. One quick way to check if you have the flavoring right is to drop a small mound of the meat into some boiling water to try, and then adjust ingredients accordingly. After you have your mix ready, place a small mound in the center of the dumpling skin, dip your finger the bowl of water at hand, and spread the water around the outer edge of the dumpling. Fold it in half, and pinch the skin together to form the dumpling. Boil or fry to cook.
Constructing a Rain-Proof Parade
Rain or stars, the Chinese New Year Parade is on
SAN FRANCISCO — Even though it rains on the Chinese New Year Parade approximately once every three years, organizers have never had to cancel the event that has fascinated and entertained thousands, regardless of the weather, since the 1860s.
“Rain or stars, the parade is on,” said Karen Eng, public relations director for the Chinese New Year Festival and Parade, who calls it “the grand finale” to two weeks of Lunar New Year festivities in the city.It is always held the second Saturday after Chinese New Year. “It has to be on that day,” said Eng, who never prepares rescheduling plans or consults meteorologists (this year’s procession will be on Feb. 23).
Although there are handholds on the floats to ensure that grips do not slip, and participants are supplied with ponchos, master float builder Dave Thomas said, “We may have a parade that comes apart this year.” And he should know, having constructed floats for 15 years as proprietor of San Jose-based East West Productions.
As he and his crew were assembling the units this year, they noticed that the latex oils of the paint were separating from the pigment. Under extremely wet and frigid weather conditions, the paint begins to separate like oil and water. And trying to heat the warehouse with rented propane heaters is like “putting a candle in the middle of the forest,” Thomas said. “We get no useful heat.”
With temperatures averaging at 40 degrees Fahrenheit during the float assembly, paints, glues and adhesives were not functioning properly. Some builders were close to having hypothermia. Usually it would take one day to do final assembly on some floats, joining sections after the pieces are painted; this year, it took four days for the paint to dry.
Although his company builds with waterproof materials, water damage affecting the 100 floats can mean a costly cleanup, easily $25,000 worth. Due to rainfall one year, a conservative estimate was $100,000 worth of damages due to costumes, 40 flags, several dragons, instruments, mildew build-up and lost attendance. On a dry parade day, organizers expect more than 500,000 spectators.
Typically for one parade, Thomas spends $25,000 to $35,000 on traditional Chinese outfits, about $500 to $800 on each emperor’s outfit alone Water deteriorates the highly embroidered material, and after one rainy procession, 10 robes were ruined after exhausted children sat down on a wet curb. Thomas jokingly notes that they did not live up to their assigned roles: “Chinese royalty were strong-legged people.”
There is a cover on electrics on each float, but if moisture gets into the sound systems, specialized lighting or other heavy electronics, the controllers will not function properly. It’s similar to water getting into a cell phone, Thomas said.
But Thomas refuses to let rain dampen his enthusiasm, preferring a more positive spin. “Think of rain as God’s way of cleaning Chinatown,” he said. “It’s like flushing the toilet. A good rain will destroy everything, but the costumes needed a cleaning. And the next year, the parade looks even more colorful.”
Feast or Famine
Rats as symbols in Chinese art
SAN FRANCISCO — Chinese and American cultures have always related to rats differently.
“I remember when I first came to America, I saw people with pet rats — this would have never happened in Hong Kong!” said Terese Tse Bartholomew, curator emeritus of Mongolian and Chinese decorative arts at San Francisco’s Asian Art Museum. “In Hong Kong, we get rid of them! They are seen as dirty, carrying diseases, and even though people joke around and say the Cantonese will eat anything with four legs — not rats!”
Perhaps then, it’s no surprise that while rats may be frequently found in American media, they rarely appear in Chinese art.
“The dragon and the tiger are the two most popular animals in Chinese art,” Bartholomew explained. “They were the basic protectors of Han culture, almost 2,000 years ago, and are still very important today. But mice and rats are rare.”
There are over 50 different species in the rat family, but the two most notorious, the black rat and the brown rat, are thought to have originated from the fertile plains of China’s Yellow River Basin, and eventually spread to Europe and the Americas via trade routes. They have also been blamed for spreading diseases and causing famines. But these are not the only reasons for their lack of popularity as art subjects.
“Nobody wants to look at a fierce rat,” Bartholomew said. “They would rather see a peaceful rat.”
When rats do appear in Chinese art, their presence is symbolic instead of literal. Chinese art is filled with pictorial symbolism, a visual code that uses animal and plant motifs to signify a phrase, similar to a rebus riddle or puns. One image that graces a page of Bartholomew’s 2006 book, Hidden Meanings: Symbolism in Chinese Art, is of a rat chewing on a piece of glazed barbecued pork.
“It literally means, ‘May you have a lubricated or oily household,’” Bartholomew said. “It sounds like a strange blessing, but it translates to ‘jiafei wurun,’ which also means prosperity for the household. The idea is that if you are very rich, you have piles of pork just lying around your house that a rat can chew on. But if you are poor, do you have a piece of pork at all?”
Another recurring image in Chinese art is of a rat chewing a lychee, a fruit that also has a double meaning. “Lychee is a pictorial pun, because ‘lee’ means intelligence and profit, while the word ‘lychee’ sounds similar to the Cantonese word ‘lee-gee,’ which means ‘having a son.’ If your friend was having a baby, you could send her lychee as a present, which would be a double blessing for having a smart child.”
Rats can also be symbols of a plentiful bounty and the successful rule of an emperor: One rat painting featured in the Asian Art Museum’s upcoming exhibition on court arts in China’s Ming Dynasty was painted by the Yongle Emperor in the 15th century. “At that time, the rat could be associated with abundance, because it only appears when there are a lot of grain and edibles around. And the Yongle period, around 1403 to 1424, was a good time in China, a time of peace and abundance, when the emperor started to build a palace in Beijing.”
Rats in The Art of Japan And India
<>In Japan, the rat also figured in netsuke, 17th century miniature sculptures that were used to fasten purse-like containers called sagemono to the obi, or sash, of a kimono or kosode robe. Rats were associated with the Japanese god of wealth and agriculture, Daikoku, and were seen as a good luck symbol for the Japanese.
Indian art is also rife with religious images of the rat. A statue of a rat always graces the temple image of Ganesh,
a Hindu god with an elephant’s head who is seen as the
remover of obstacles. He is depicted riding the back of a rat, who is the vehicle of Ganesh.Rats remain a sacred animal in India today, as priests from the Karni Mata Temple in Deshnoke, India, consider eating food which rats have touched to be direct blessings from god.
While the idea of dining on rat is completely foreign and distasteful to many Westerners, the rat has been and continues to be a readily available source of protein for people around the world.
The consumption of rats is commonly understood to be a practice for emergency situations, such as times of war, famine or survival scenarios. For example, Parisians ate so-called “roof rats,” better known as the common black rat, out of necessity during the Franco-Prussian War.Wilderness survival manuals promote the procurement of small mammals like rats and squirrels, as they are easier to obtain than larger game. Rats are also stigmatized as dirty, blamed as the culprit for the bubonic plague and the spreading of general disease and infestation. Their lowly status is evident today by people’s visceral reactions to the idea of eating rat. This reputation is a long-standing one and reflected in the traditional culture of the Polynesians, who would commonly eat rat but would not let their king eat it, as it was believed the meat would stain the king’s tapu (“state of sacredness”).
And while rat meat is popularly believed to be a last-resort food source, among other people, it is considered a mere staple. Along the southern coast of India, it is regularly included in the diets of the Aboriginals. In Ghana, rat meat makes up half the locally produced meat consumed by people. In India, the traditional diet of the Mishmi women is limited to fish, pork, wild birds and rats. And throughout sub-Saharan Africa, “cane rats” or “grass cutters” are prized for their flavor and high protein content, usually used for stews and barbeques, and is considered like any other bushmeat frequently sold at markets.
But within the past two decades, rat has slowly earned the reputation of gourmet. China is the frontrunner of this trend, with Thailand and Taiwan trailing. In Guangdong, one of the richest and most populated provinces located on the southernmost coast and home to Cantonese cuisine, rat meat is incredibly popular. In fact, in some parts of China, it is more expensive than chicken, pork or beef. A sampling of a specialty restaurant menu may read: rat kabob, simmered mountain rat, spicy and salty mountain rat, rat with chestnut and duck, lemon deep-fried rat, liquored rat flambé, salted cunning rats and even something called German black pepper rat knuckle, which offers rat shoulders to simulate knuckles. Other entrees evoke mystery like “seven-color rat threads” and “dark green unicorn rat,” highlighting this animal’s exotic and exalted seat.
Measures are taken to insure that the rats are the finest country, mountain and field rats, and as a rule, city rats are never used. In some instances, restaurateurs make it a point to screen for diseases as an added protection.
The patrons who dine at these establishments say there is a sense of nostalgia when eating rats. The battle against the consumption of rats started in the 1950s, when Mao Zedong declared war on pests and started up the first of many rat-eradication campaigns. The campaigns were established to control the rats’ reproduction rate since they have few predators in China. During the drought seasons, rats have free range over the fields, but when the flood season arrives, the water pushes the rats out of their nests and sends them literally eating their way through the country. This annual occurrence results in a consumption level of about 15 million tons of grain a year, a staggering number that impacts the Chinese economy. The last government-sponsored rat-eradication campaign took place in the previous Year of the Rat and killed an estimated 526 million rats. In 1986, the following year, the government began its rhetoric that “rats are better looking than sea slugs and cleaner than chickens and pigs,” beginning the rat’s steady rise to the top of certain fine foods lists.
It’s unlikely that this fine-dining trend will catch on in the United States, but should you Google “rat recipes” online, you might be surprised at what you find.
From blogger William Van De Bogart:
Place about a cup of fish oil in a wok. When hot, add 1.5 cups of chili paste to the oil. Add ground rat meat. Add five diced hot green peppers and let cook for three minutes. Add half a tablespoon of salt and half a cup of holy basil leaves. Toss in the liver and heart. Stir for five minutes. Add four chopped garlic cloves and eight shredded bay leaves, and then let simmer for five more minutes. Serve with lime, liver and heart as garnish.
From Canadian naturalist and conservationist Farley Mowatt:
Drain the mice, dredge them thoroughly in a mixture of flour, pepper and salt, and fry slowly in the rendered fat for about five minutes. Add a cup of alcohol and 6-8 cloves, cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Prepare a cream sauce, transfer the mice to it and warm them in it for about 10 minutes before serving.
Deku delight
From The Official Peace Corps C.A.R. Cookbook:
Place a dozen smoked rats (the small field-rat type) in fresh water and soak for 30 minutes. Drain the rats and remove skin and other inedible portions. Prepare a sauce of tomato, onion, piment (an allspice) and palm oil in a large skillet. Fry meat for about 20 minutes, turning occasionally until well-cooked.
Souris a la crème
From food encyclopedia Larousse Gastronomique:
Skin, gut and wash fat mice without removing their heads. Cover them in a pot with ethyl alcohol and marinate two hours. Cut a piece of salt pork or sowbelly into small dice, and cook it slowly to extract the fat.
Grilled rats a la Bordelaise
From food encyclopedia Larousse Gastronomique:
Rats inhabiting wine cellars should be skinned and eviscerated, brushed with a thick sauce of olive oil and crushed shallots, and then grilled over a fire of broken wine barrels.
USPS Unveils Lunar New Year Stamp
By Samantha Toy
In the latest stamp series commemorating the Lunar New Year, Chinese American artist Kam Mak pays tribute to the symbols of the New Year festivities.
Mak, along with Katherine C. Tobin, a member of the United States Postal Service Board of Governors; Claudine Cheng, former president of the Organization of Chinese Americans; Arnold Lee, president of the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association; and Sidney Chan, president of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce, took part in a ceremony on Jan. 9 where the United States Postal Service unveiled a new stamp commemorating the Year of the Rat.
This is the first stamp in a series honoring the 12 animals in the lunar calendar. A new stamp will be released each year through 2019.
Tobin dedicated the stamp on behalf of USPS, and noted the significance of the Lunar New Year as part of the United States’ rich culture and diversity.
“The Chinese New Year traditions are unique, but the themes are universal — to reunite with our families, reinforce our values and renew our lives,” Tobin said. “Stamps are often called our nation’s calling card. We are privileged to be able to share our nation’s heritage with the world.”
Mak, an award-winning illustrator who grew up in New York City’s Chinatown, was selected to design the stamp series by USPS art director Ethel Kessler. In Mak’s design, each stamp in the series focuses on a characteristic of the New Year celebration, while the animal serves as a secondary object of importance. At first, Mak intended to emphasize the image of the rat as the main focus of the stamp. However, after many attempts at drawing the animal, Mak recalled how much he enjoyed the New Year festivities growing up.
“There are so many Lunar New Year elements that are so beautiful,” Mak said.
To honor the Year of the Rat, it took Mak one month to create an oil painting of three Chinese lanterns in red and gold to symbolize good fortune. The design also incorporates elements from the previous series of stamps, using Clarence Lee’s intricate paper-cut design of a rat, and the Chinese character for “rat,” drawn in grass-style calligraphy by Lau Bun.
An immigrant to the United States from Hong Kong, Mak never imagined working on any project of this caliber and is honored to be designing this series of stamps.
“Being Chinese American, this carries more significance than anything I have ever done,” Mak said. “This is the most important project I’ve ever received.”
The idea for the stamp series originated in the late 1980s. Inspired by a suggestion by member Jean Chen, the Organization of Chinese Americans, led by then-president Claudine Cheng, launched a 1991 campaign to petition the USPS to create a stamp to honor the cultural heritage and contributions of Chinese Americans. In 1992, the USPS dedicated the first commemorative stamp celebrating the Year of the Rooster in San Francisco.
“A stamp is a vehicle to help understand and promote culture,” Cheng said.
Get Your Rat Poster Now!
By Angela Pang
Delightful red caricature rats marching in a procession star in Macy’s and AsianWeek’s 2008 Lunar New Year calendar posters, which are now available to the public.
The calendar also comes complete with horoscopes for the year, with predictions by Lynn Vuong.
Designed by AsianWeek creative director Al Perez, the marching rats highlight this year’s zodiac animal and the annual Chinese New Year Parade.
Mary Y. W. Liu, a member of Macy’s Asian Affinity Employee Resource Group, said the colors of the poster are auspicious: Red represents happiness, while gold represents wealth.
“We encourage people to come in and pick up this beautiful poster, and celebrate Chinese New Year with us,” said Amalia Hernandez, Macy’s West Diversity Development manager. “It is important for us to show our support for the Asian American community, because we work toward creating an inclusive environment for our diverse work force and customers.”
Macy’s West will be participating in the Southwest Airlines Chinese New Year Parade in San Francisco on Feb. 23, and they are also sponsoring Chinese New Year events throughout Los Angeles.
“Macy’s understands and values the importance that these events have in the Chinese American community, and is proud to be a part of it,” said Milinda Martin, Macy’s West director of public relations and special events.
Pick up yours today! Posters are on sale for $2.50 at the AsianWeek office at 809 Sacramento St. in San Francisco, or pick one up for free (while supplies last) at Macy’s Union Square (6th floor, visitors’ center), Macy’s Stonestown (3rd floor, gift wrap department) and Macy’s Serramonte (lower level, gift wrap department).
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