| Mandarin Orange | |
|---|---|
| Jan 26, 2009 12:08 |   |
 | In Malaysia, Chinese New Year is celebrated with, among other things, are Mandarin oranges. There are a few types of oranges, but most of them have caused me coughs and sorethroat. Do you feel the same? |
| Jan 30, 2009 00:57 | #1 |
| Wanhu, I guess that you are probably suffering from the excessive internal heat according to the symptoms. In Chinese, we say "Ni 3 Shang 4 Huo 3 Le". Better not eat too many mandarin oranges. Here is another way to deal with it: dry the skin of those mandarin oranges and put them in hot water. Then wait for a while and drink the water. It can expel the excessive internal heat in your body   |
| Jan 30, 2009 02:44 | #2 |
| Thank you Xiaoxiao. In fact last year I brought back a lot of orange peels from Xinhui, and some I made into soup, almost every week. The Fujian orange that kept in the cooler room doesn't cause discomfort, irritation nor coughs, only those packed in the wooden box or paper cartons. Probably the exporters had put some additives or carbides. Anyway, happy new year to everybody. In Malaysia, the Chinese will celebrate the 15th day of the Lunar New Year that we called Chap Goh Mei (shí wǔ wěi). Wan |
| Jan 31, 2009 19:47 | #3 |
| Wanhu, you can also add tangerine peels in congee. The Fujian orange doesn't taste sour. On contrary, it tastes sweet. Mandarine tangerine tastes sour. That's why I don't like it. In Malaysia, the Chinese will celebrate the 15th day of the Lunar New Year that we called Chap Goh Mei (shí wǔ wěi). Wanhu, you mean January 15th on Chinese lunar calendar? It is the Lantern Festival. In my hometown, we also name Lantern Festival as "Small Spring Festival". After spending "Small Spring Festival", Chinese New Year is completely over. Besides, can you tell me more about Chap Goh Mei? How do you celebrate it? I am interested in it. |
| Feb 2, 2009 21:56 | #4 |
| I apologise for my late reply, Katrina. There are three sub-festivals for the Hokkien Chinese in Malaysia namely i) New Year (the first day) where we have big dinner on its eve, ii) 9th day where they have special prayer (with sugar cane or pineapple), and iii) the closing of the celebration on the 15th. Chap Goh in Hokkien (Minnan/Fujian) means 15. For the special prayers on the 9th day, there are many stories behind it. My later father used to relate to me about the story narrated from his father, that the Chinese at one time couldn't celebrate its New Year because they were at war with the Japanese. They took refuge in the sugar cane plantation and if without consuming sugar cane they would have starved to death; and only after nine days they managed to come out. Thus they have special prayer of thanking the Lord, with sugar cane. Well it's just stories. Some say it was on the 15th day of the new lunar calendar. They light firecrackers the whole night until dawn. On the 15th night, the children do play with lanterns we called tanglung. (Anyway, there is a special month, in August 15 of the Chinese lunar calendar, we have tanglung festival). Sometimes certain Hokkien consider the 15th as the Chinese Valentine, where young unmarried girls would toss the tangerine into the water. Wan |
| Feb 3, 2009 03:16 | #5 |
| No apology, Wanhu. I should say "thank you" to you. Since we are all Chinese, the traditions for the Spring Festival are almost the same. January 15h on Chinese lunar calendar is Lantern Festival. It is also "Xiao Nian (Small Spring Festival)". On the Lantern Festival, my families go to worship my ancestors. In the evening, we usually have a big dinner to celebrate this festival. Sometimes certain Hokkien consider the 15th as the Chinese Valentine, where young unmarried girls would toss the tangerine into the water. In mainland, Chinese Valentine Day falls on July 7th on lunar calendar. It has something to do with a legend " the Cowherd and the Girl Weaver". Do you know this legend? |
| Feb 5, 2009 01:38 | #6 |
| Thanks Katrina. My great grand paternal parents were from China, while my mom from Singapore, thus I am of mixed parentage. Some of the things culturally practised in China may be strange to our Malaysian ears, and viice-versa. We have month of hungry ghost in july followed by lantern festival in August. I have a lot to learn from you and others. As this post is about food and our discussions confined to culture, probably better to move to Culture Zone? Wan |
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