The Washington herald., 1908-01-26
CHINESE new YEAR
Orientals Will Begin Cele-
bratiOn Next Sunday.
EMPEROR DIMES DIPLOMATS
Legation in Washington, as Well as
Others Throughout the world, VIII
be the Scene of n Brilliant Social
FunctiOn-ThOse of Lower station
Plan Times just as Good.
BY RUDoLPH DE ZAPP.

BY RUDOLPH DE ZAPP.
Elaborate preparations for the proper
observance Of the Chinese New Year,
which this year falls on Sunday. Feb
ruary ?. are I'm progress at the Imperial
Chinese Legation, at Washington d. c.
Keeping the deep significance of the fesu-
val in mind, the first secretary and
charge daf1aires of the legation. some
time ago, gave strict instructions 20 his
Celtic major domO TO subject the lega-
ton building and all its outbuiidings and
gardens and yard. TO their annual clean
Ting process. Orders were issued at tho
samc time 20 the chef de cuisine Of the
legation to use his utmost skill in tins
preparation of the New Years dinner.
The celebration of New Years Day at
the Chinese Legation IS an official func-
ton Of great Importance, the dinner
served on that day being the gracious
gift Of Kuang-Hsu, the Emperor Of
China, who, on the FIRST day Of every new
year, treats his diplomatic and consular
representatives throughout the world. as
an evidence Of MS kindly remembrance
and greeting, 10 a most sumptuOus din
ner, to which the official and personal
friends Of the Asatic diplomats are in
viJed
Cards Of invitation 70 the function have
already been issued 10 the official and
social world Of Washington, and present
indications seem TO point to a royal good
time al the Chinese Legation next Sun
day. The celebration does not end with
the stroke OF midnight on New Years
Day by no means; il viii be kept up for
fully TWO weeks. with longer or shorter
lntermissiOns for much needed breathing
spells. These festivities are naturally not
restricted TO the American capital but
are observed wherever there be "a China
man. no matter IN what part OF the
world.
The Chinese New Year is a movable
feast falling on any date between Jan
uary q and February % and IS said TO
be the most generally observed holiday
season kept by any nation in the world.
The new year begins with the first new
moon after the sun enters the water sign
Of "Aquarius." ana consists OF twelve
months OF alternately thirty and twenty
nine days. with "a fun moon falling ia tile
middle 0f each month. Formerly the
days of the month were notated in China
as In Babylon by moon stars, faucied TO
be pods upon the sacred tree. According
10 Tcbu Sha Ki Men when the Emperor
Yao had been on the throne seventy
years. a kind Of plant called the lk-k0h
grew ON each side of the palace stairs.
On the first day Of the month il pro-
duced a pod ana SO on every day a pod
To the 10TH while on the 10Th the pod fell
Off, and so Ou every day pod 20 tEe last
day OF the month. and lf the month was
a short one Zone OF tWenty-uine days.,
one ped shriveled up without falling.
The growing phase of the month from
The new 10 the fuli moon IS considered
the strong or masculine half Of the
month. the waning phase. the weak or
feminine half
one Of the CeremOuials and features of
the day is the cleaning process which is
now being carried on preparatory 10 the
fe,-6t. The accumulated dirt Of many
months disappears as jf by magic, and
everything is made 20 look bright clean,
and cheerful Not only his store. Iauu-
dry, restaurant, or living rooms, bat the
Chinamau himself undergoes the cleansing
operations, He washes his outer gar
ments and clothes. and bathes his person
in perfumed water. applying strongly
scented soaps In the course If operation.
Chinese habitauons and places Of bust
ness in anticipation Of the great event
are deliberately decorated with long
streamers Of Elariug red peach paper,
the sign Of life and good luck, bearing In
Chinese hieroglyphics New Year wishes
and invocations 10 their god. Wong Kung.
t In associaung a mystical meaning with
the color red. and closely connecting this
meaning with the Tree of Lille. the Chi
nese have but followed out alI. analogies
to their logical conclusion. The tree Of
life is the tree of man. and red Is the
color not only of mans blood, but Of
the universal life. BY every definition.
then. red is the color Of salvation. oper-
ating 10 secure the health OF both body
and soul
In Chinatown. therefore. Il has actually
become a sanitary precauti0n-a sort of
spiritUa! chloride of lime But il has
other uses. No present, for instance. is
ever bestowed, even upon a white bar
barian, which is not carefully wrapped
up in red paper. The very name for
present is ang-pao. red parcel. Red is
the color of the longevity candles" and
the birthday eggs" Again. no Chinese
gentleman would ever think of inficting
upon friend or acquaintance such an
omen Of death as q white visiting card
it is always red. Red, in fact. is used
generally on every joyful occasion, as at
marriage or at the birth of a male child,
az New Years, and is only carefully
avoided in cases Of mourning.
Even the red firecracker which will be
set off next Sunday is more definitely con-
nected with Chinese religion than with
Chinese sport In Chinatown frecrackers
are used to drive out devils. AS mat
ter of fact. Chinese boys and girls are not
allowed 10 touch these implements Of
religious warfare.
Another feature Of decoration at Chi
nese homes and stores on New Years
Day is the narcissus flower, the favorite
flower OF the Celestials. It is in great
demand at this season, and it's growth
Is anXiously watched by its owner. Should
the plant bear flowers before the advent
of the New Year il signifies that its
owner will have plenty of ali and lots
Of good luck. Should. on the contrary
the plant begin to bloom after the close
Of the old year it means evil and bad
luck TO its proprietor. The Chinaman,
then. to dispeI the evil spirits tears the
plant into little pieces, meanwhile burn
ing innumerable joss sticks and murmur-
ing prayers. His measure of luck for
the New Year also depends upon the
number OF hower-bearing stalks produced
from one single bulb; if many flowers