MANDARIN ORANGES ON CHAP GOH MEH

Tonight is the fifteenth night of the lunar new year and is known as Chap Goh Meh in the Hokkien dialect.  In Penang and other parts of Malaysia where there are many Chinese, there will be a grand celebration whereby the maidens will throw Mandarin oranges into the sea or any pool of water in the hopes of getting a good husband.
You can see me with my Xing Fu or Happiness Mandarin oranges above.  However, I won't be throwing them.  Actually, I have never thrown any mandarins into the sea for this purpose.  In my opinion, good husbands are very hard to come by and there are not many Ke Wei Xiang's on this earth.

**  Ke Wei Xiang is a fictional character in a Taiwanese drama who is an understanding, supportive, kind, trusting and good man.  The character Wei Xiang is a Taoist, a vegetarian, is charitable, filial, loves children and animals.  He meets my criteria of a good husband as he is utterly and totally devoted to his wife only.  As  such a character does not really exist in real life, there is really no need to bother tossing mandarins into the sea.

Orange-tossing tradition originates from Hokkien folk in southern China
By WONG PEK MEI

 The pictures of the Mandarin oranges were taken at the Kuan Yin T'ung Temple in Gunung Rapat, Ipoh.  They would be used for the Chap Goh Meh tossing activity tonight. 

PETALING JAYA: The tradition of throwing oranges during Chap Goh Meh originated from the Hokkiens in southern China.

Historically, Hokkien men would throw small drums into the water while the women would throw mandarin oranges.

Universiti Malaya Chinese Studies department lecturer Prof Dr Yam Kah Kean said both would scribble their names and where they are from on the items before tossing them into the water.

However, he said the tradition had evolved to only the women tossing mandarin oranges in Malaysia, which started in the northern parts of Malaysia especially Penang.

“The Hokkien saying is Tin Kam Keh Ho Ang (throw mandarin oranges in the water, you will marry a good husband),” he said.

Yam, who is also an ordained Taoist priest and the Taoist Association of Malaysia president, said the tossing tradition started as women were not allowed to go out in the past.

“They were only allowed to go out on the 15th day of the Chinese New Year.

“So, they would take the opportunity to meet their future spouses.

“It was considered a romantic day,” he said.

However, he said in the other parts of China in the past, people would focus on lighting lanterns, scribbling riddles under the lantern and whoever solved it would get a prize.

Yam said Chap Goh Meh was actually a lantern festival and should not be confused with the Mid-Autumn Festival.

“In the past, people would hang lanterns on the 15th day of the first lunar month.

“But it is not widely practised here although there are some Chinese associations who are trying to revive the tradition,” he said.

Yam added that in the religious aspect of the day, for the Taoist, it is the birthday of Tian Guan (Heavenly Official) deity.

“They will pray for prosperity and their wellbeing.

“They will also ask for repentance and confess any wrongdoings,” he said.

SOURCE: http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2013/2/24/nation/12754533&sec=nation