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Public Zone 公開區 => General Topics 綜合題目 => Topic started by: chin on 26 February 2009, 05:14:36
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Chinese New Year is also called Lunar New Year.
I am not very sure if "lunar" has anything to do with the moon, but I suspect it does. Lunar New Year in Chinese is 農歷新年 (Nong2 Li4 Xin1 Nian2 in Pinyin) which literally means Farming Calendar New Year.
In Hong Kong, more than 10 flower markets are setup every year for the week before the Chinese New Year.
I went to the biggest of the flower markets in Victoria Park on the New Year's Eve. And on the New Year's Day, I went to the evening parade.
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The Chinese New Year flower market has hundreds of stalls under the bamboo structure.
Few weeks before the market opens, the government held public auctions of the stall spaces. The price of the auction is a leading indicator of the years economic climate.
About half of the stalls are selling the more traditional flowers and tangerines.
The other half are selling more modern and fashionable items. This year we also see political parties fund raising in the market.
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The sellers of traditional flowers are mainly local farmers who come to the market every year. They usually bid for the same spot so previous customers can find them again in the vicinity.
Some of them actually sleeps in the 2nd or 3rd floor of their bamboo stalls during the market period.
I bought my peach blossom from the guys in the first picture.
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One of the most popular traditional flowers is Narsici or Daffodils (水仙).
They are small so most people can find space for them in their apartment, they are easy to take care of only needing water, and they give very refreshing yet subtle aroma.
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These pictures were taken the day before Chinese New Year.
This year the weather is warmer then usual and the flowers are in full bloom already.
Usually people like to buy flowers that are ready to but not yet in full bloom, so the flowers have longer life at home.
It may look very nice here in the pictures, but these flowers are less desirable to potential buyers.
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Potential customers.
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Peach Blossom (桃花) is also traditionally one of the most popular Lunar New Year flowers.
I think it is less popular now because it takes up larger space.
The peach blossoms in the first picture is probably two years old. The flowers would blossom for about 10 days. It's quite an art to control the growth such that the flowers will bloom only in the new year.
The peach blossom I bought this year was very nice - has thousands of flowers blossom during the new year period. See later pages for pictures.
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There are two types of tangerines that are popular for Chinese New Year. The type with elongated fruit is called Gan Tangerine (柑橘). The type with flat fruit pictured here is Four Seasons Tangerine (四季橘).
Unlike other Chinese New Year flowers that are kept in water, these tangerines are planted in soil.
About one week before the Chinese New Year, Hong Kong discovered its first invasion of the red fire ants. The public was wary about fruits that came with a pot of soil.
In the stall where I bought my peach blossom, the seller said they only able sell 10% of their stocks of tangerines.
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In my memory, orchid is a relatively new "New Year" flower.
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Definitly new species in the Chinese New Year flower market.
I don't even know the name of the fruit in the first picture. I think it's for display only and not for eating.
The pastel chrysanthemums in the second picture are probably artificially colored.
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More pictures of flowers stalls.
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The flower market is such a good photo opportunity that quite a few people come just to take pictures.
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While half of the market selling traditional flowers is virtually the same vendors year after year, the other half is totally different story.
The other half of the market is mainly selling toys and trendy gadgets. A large number of sellers are students organized short ventures into the commercial world. They each pitch in few thousand HK$, purchase trendy items from wholesalers, and trying to make a profit in the short market period. Profit for them is probably just a bonus. They may value the experience more.
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One of the toys on sale in the market.
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The coming year is the year of the Chicken, so chicken headwear is in.
(Some people call it the year of the rooster, but in Chinese, the zodiac is not gender specific.)
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The TV station is doing a news reel about the flower market.
When I was taking the 3rd picture at the back of the news girl, the woman standing next to me was on the phone perhaps calling home. She wants to know if the broadcasting was live, and saying that a kid with her is ready to jump behind the news girl for his 3 second TV appearance.
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New this year is the fringe political groups in the flower market raising fund.
The first two pictures is Long Hair who is no longer on the fringe after his election into the Legislative Council.
His election victory was unexpected even to himself. It was probably a product of mass miscalculation rather than the actual will of the people. I think it's not likely to happen again in the next election.
And Long Hair probably knows it too. From news I read, he does not show up much in the districts that elected him, and he is almost always late for meetings. You don't behave like that if you want to be reelected.
He has more showmanship than substance, and probably more apted to be a protester outside than a legislator inside.
The guy in the white clothes in the bottom picture also ran for the Legislative Council. He got only little bit over 100 votes, way short of the 50,000 or so required to secure a seat.
Common to both men is the lack of substance in their platform for constructive ideas.
While them campaigning with their loud speakers, the market's public announcement system repeatedly reiterate the rule that no amplified speakers are allowed in the markets. Legislator Long Hair set another fine example of disrespect for the rules and contracts (that he must had signed to get the stall space.)
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My best booty from the flower market has to be the peach blossom. In fact it's the best I ever had as far as I can remember.
It's double petaled & has hundreds of flowers. The flowers started to bloom on Chinese New Year day on 9-Feb-05.
I will try to take a picture every day or so to document the progress.
See next pages for full bloom and close up of flowers.
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:)
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:)
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Peach blossom full bloom on 11 & 12 Feb 05.
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The Chinese New Year Parade was started about 3 or 4 years ago to attract touist.
It was held in the evening on the new year's day on 9-Feb-05.
First picture is the Royal Stiltwalkers of Merchtem from Belgium.
Second picture is students from a local high school.
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First picture is from the soon to open Mickey Mouse Land in Hong Kong.
Second picture is the Miami Dorphins Cheerleaders.
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First picture is team from a secondary school in Singapore.
Second picture is kids from a local ballet school.
Third picture is the CARIBANA from Canada.
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First picture is the roller skate dragon dance team from a local martial art school.
Second picture is a performing group from Japan.