CHINESE FESTIVAL" CHENG BENG"


This festival usually comes one month after the Chinese Lunar New Year. Some people who miss the CNY get  together would try to meet up during the "Cheng Beng".  This once a year family affair is deep rooted in Chinese culture a festival to express the value of filial piety of ancestral worship.

 They visit the graves of their ancestors, clean up the place, pray with offerings and end with burning of joss paper. Many of the traditional practices have been discontinued  and made simpler. Placing of flowers on the graves is quite common now. In fact some modern offerings have been added like the burning of paper tech gadgets - mobile phones, lap tops. This act of visiting the graves of the loved ones is quite similar to that of the Christians' All Souls Day.

This year a show of filial piety was demonstrated in another form. WhileI was rewriting with red paint the first Chinese character "CHOE" on the tombstone, Ong Teng Lek, my nephew encouraged his son, Jericho, the grandson of Ong Chin Hong to take over and finish the rest of the  4 other characters. It was indeed unusual for a fifth generation descendant to show such filial piety!

 The grave which is at least 80 years old  is that of Lee Nya Cheek {husband- Choe See Peng) the maternal great great grandmother of Jericho.

      Met not, Lee Nya Cheek
      Its all in memory
      Through filial piety!!!

TAIPING
 Shortest Traffic Light

Taiping has many firsts for example,  Prison, Railway Station and the list goes on.
The highest condominium of 25 storeys Crystal Creek is near completion and will be the first in Taiping.

Taiping also maintains the only SHORTEST traffic lights at the junction of Jalan Istana/Jalan Muzium.  Wonder if its also the frrst ??

YAMAZAKI - Regret?

The bottle of Yamazaki was given to me by my youngest son who is a teetotalller. Had heard and tasted of the Japanese Suntory Whisky but not Yamazaki. With the little information of Yamazaki! read in the internet one fine night my wife and I decided to open and have a taste. Wow! It was great The whisky was fine and smooth . Not only that, we did not get the "snorting" feeling at the nostrils one gets when drinking some types of whisky.

 The bottle was then shared with my "outlaw" who is a CONnoisseur and he was surprised that I had the whisky. With less than a quarter bottle we decided to keep the remainder to ourselves. Then when my teetotaller son came home and surprisingly, he took a half a peg with dark chocolate. He enjoyed it!!! Now the whisky is gone!!

The empty bottle was noticed by my son in law Tim during Facetime conversation and he said that it was difficult to get one in America.  Next, when a grandniece visited us during Chinese New Year she said that it was very difficult to get it  in Australia. Its a RARE WHISKY. But we had finished it.

 Regret? No we enjoyed it-every drop of it!!!

LIDO CINEMA - TAIPING
In December 2015 it was highlighted that this iconic landmark could possibly be demolished and replaced with a new office block. Those people who had missed taking a photo of Lido Cinema has missed their opportunity. NOW ITS GONE!!!!!!!
Only memories remain.

LIDO CINEMA- Taiping
Another Iconic Landmark to be Demolished

Lido cinema was built by the Shaw Bros. in 1937. Very soon this iconic landmark will be lost.It was a great entertainment centre for young and old, all races and religions during its heyday.

The screening of movies stopped some 20 years ago. Internal renovations took place to suit the business activities, from video games to restaurants and karaoke. But the facade remained intact.

Now the whole place is barricaded and a sign board indicating the development of the site has been put up, According to sources the building will be demolished and in its place a new 2 storey office complex will be built.

Deepavali or Diwali

DEEPAVALI or DIWALI
After reading R.S Kamini's article on "Common misconceptions about Deepavali" in the Rakyat Post I am encouraged to post this comment.

How was this day being declared a public holiday? This holiday could have originated from the early colonial  days. The Chinese celebrate Chinese New Year, the Malays/Muslims celebrate Hari Raya Puasa and the westerners take Gregorian calender 1st day of the year being the New Year. To find a common day for the Indian community to declare New Year is difficult. In Malaya (then) the Indians are represented by several communities, the Tamils, Malayalees, Telegus, Chetties, Brahmins, Sikhs and each community have their own New Year to celebrate. So to avoid any favouritism to any community the British authorities together with the miners and planters chose Deepavali as a common day for the  Indians/Hindus to celebrate.

Even the spelling of Deepavali which we are so familiar since time memorial has evolved into DIWALI. And look at the various greetings in  the adverts in the newspapers.
Whatever it is, the most important message is to wish everyone well on this happy occasion.
 LET THERE BE LIGHT and LET US SEE LIGHT IN TIMES OF HOPELESSNESS!!!

             HAPPY DEEPAVALI or DIWALI to my Hindu Friends.