SHOU SUI (守歲)

It is 2.50 a.m. on the first day of the lunar new year and I am still blogging away.  I will try and stay awake as long as I can so that my mummy will live a long and healthy life .  The Chinese refer to this as Shou Sui守岁(守歲).   Shou Sui is when members of the family stay awake throughout the night after the reunion dinner to welcome the new year.  According to Chinese beliefs, children who Shou Sui will increase the longevity of the parents.

Chinese folklore has it that Sui  (岁) meaning Age has the same sound with 祟 (Sui), an evil monster who appeared during the eve of the new year a long, long time ago.  The monster terrorised the people at New Year's Eve. Thus, children and their parents didn't dare to sleep during the New Year's Eve for fear that they may become victims to Sui.   And so the eve was called 守祟 (Shou Sui) or keeping vigil for Sui, which later became to 守岁 meaning to increase ones lifespan.