Cirebon –
Chinese New Year is a big moment for the Chinese people. This year Chinese New Year will fall on February 10, 2024.
In celebrating Chinese New Year, there are various traditions that are usually carried out by Chinese people. Including providing a variety of typical Chinese food.
The tradition that Chinese people usually carry out during Chinese New Year celebrations is distributing red packets. Meanwhile, for food, one that is quite famous is basket cake.
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So, what is the meaning of distributing red packets and serving basket cakes for the Chinese community at every Chinese New Year celebration?
detikJabar had the opportunity to chat with Jeremy Huang Wijaya. He is an observer of Chinese culture from Cirebon City, West Java.
He explained that distributing red packets is a tradition commonly carried out by Chinese people. This tradition is usually carried out at every Chinese New Year celebration.
The angpao in question is a red envelope. During Chinese New Year celebrations, distributing red envelopes is a tradition of giving red envelopes containing money.
Jeremy said that during Chinese New Year celebrations, adult Chinese people usually give red packets to children or young people who are not married and don’t work. Apart from that, red packets can also be given to parents.
“This angpao is given to children or young people who are not married and don’t work. If you are married and working, that’s not allowed. Instead, you have to give it to your parents,” he said recently.
In Chinese tradition, giving angpao itself has the meaning of caring for each other or helping each other. As explained previously, angpao are usually given to children or young people who are not married and have not worked. Including parents.
“So it could be said that the meaning behind giving these red packets is caring for each other or loving each other,” he said.
Apart from the tradition of giving red packets, Chinese New Year celebrations also usually serve a variety of special foods. One of them is basket cake. This food has a sweet taste with a chewy texture.
Apart from its delicious taste, this cake, which is always present at every Chinese New Year celebration, also has its own meaning for the Chinese people.
According to Jeremy, for the Chinese people, basket cakes are a symbol of kinship. This is the character of one of the basic ingredients used to make this cake, namely glutinous rice flour.
“So the meaning of dodol or basket cake is to build brotherhood with friends and neighbors. Because this cake is made from sticky rice. Sticky rice itself is sticky so it can be used as an adhesive,” he said.
Watch the video “Chinese New Year Celebrations in Peru to London”
[Gambas:Video 20detik]
(tya/tey)