HOW TO CELEBRATE LUP CHUN DAY

Chun Bing 春餅 (Spring Biscuits) LINK

The Chinese in Malaysia celebrates the Lunar New Year with gaiety and great fanfare. However, Lup Chun Day would usually pass without as much as a whimper. In actual fact, this day is equally important as it marks the beginning of Spring and also the dawn of the Dragon year. I will have you know that everything begins anew on Lup Chun, new life is breathed into living things and it is said that on this day, the communication link between man and God is extra clear.

In China, people eat chūnbǐng (春餅) and spring rolls on this day. Some Taoists and Buddhists will eat vegetarian food and also release animals like birds and tortoises. The Buddhists will also recite prayers while the Taoists will offer prayers to the deities. Doing charitable acts and making monetary donations to the poor and needy are also some of the activities one can do on this day.

In 2012, Lup Chun falls on 4th February which is the 13th day of the 1st lunar month. According to Feng Shui masters, it is an excellent day to welcome the Wealth God instead of on New Year's day when the inauspicious stars were also present in the same direction. By welcoming and inviting the Wealth God into their homes, the Taoists hope that they will have a blessed and prosperous year.