• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Chandler's Ford Today

  • Home
  • About
    • About Chandler’s Ford
    • Chandler’s Ford War Memorial Research
  • Blog
    • Blogging Tips
  • Event
    • Upcoming Events
  • Community
    • Groups
    • Churches
    • Schools
    • GP Surgeries
    • Leisure
    • Library
    • Charities
      • Eastleigh Basics Bank
      • Cat & Kitten Rescue in Chandler’s Ford
    • Fair Trade
      • Traidcraft stalls in Chandler’s Ford
    • Chandler’s Ford Parish Council
  • Contact
    • Subscribe
  • Site Policies
  • Site Archive
    • Site Archive 2018
    • Site Archive 2017
    • Site Archive 2016
    • Site Archive 2015
You are here: Home / Community / Welcoming Year of Monkey: 8 February 2016

Welcoming Year of Monkey: 8 February 2016

February 8, 2016 By Janet Williams 6 Comments

Today is the first day of the Chinese New Year 2016.

It’s the Year of the Monkey, my Zodiac Year of Birth, which is known as 本命年 (Běn mìng nián).

Traditionally a lot of Chinese believe that your zodiac year (12 years as a cycle) will bring danger and misfortune, so you need to wear something red.

To ward off evil spirits, apparently one has to wear red underwear too.

Last Saturday we went to Southampton to enjoy a simple meal. My favourite Chinese restaurant in this area is Panda (20 Bedford Place, Southampton SO15 2DB). The food is always cook to meet the Chinese’s standards.

Panda in Southampton

We ordered half a duck (the so-called crispy duck with pancakes), sweet and sour chicken, chilli squid, and some vegetables.

Crispy duck with pancakes is actually not a Chinese dish. You won’t find ‘crispy duck with pancake’ dish in China or Singapore. Chinese people from China will not know what to do with ‘Fortune Cookies’ either.

crispy duck pancake

shredded duck

wrapping crispy duck

This evening, my friend Hazel Bateman braved high wind and rain to give me a special gift, complete with a Chinese New Year card. It’s a very thoughtful gift – a huge box of origami and craft paper. All nicely wrapped up in a colour of fortune too.

origami craft book

What about you?

Do you eat / wear something special this New Year? Do you celebrate Chinese New Year in your own way? Please share your story with us.

Happy New Year everyone!

Related posts:

  • Pretty Rocking Horses Chinese New Year 2014
  • Amazing Lion Dance in Southampton 2nd February 2014 Chinese New Year
  • Southampton Chinese New Year 2015 West Quay
  • Meet Chinese Teacher Jenny Han from Dalian China
  • Today is the Lantern Festival: Bright Full Moon Tonight
  • The Lions Who Came to Tea
  • From The Fall Of Singapore To Prosperity
  • Meet Hui-Min From Singapore
  • Meet Anita Lee From Mandarin Garden
  • Meet Friendly Sonny: Speaking Cantonese At The Co-operative
  • Fish: Wealth, Abundance, Puns

Never miss out on another blog post. Subscribe here:

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Google
  • Email

Related posts:

Pretty Rocking Horses Chinese New Year 2014 Meet Anita Lee From Mandarin Garden Meet Chinese Teacher Jenny Han From Dalian China Meet Mr Chen From China Wok At Central Precinct Andy Lai the Chinese CopMeet The Chinese Cop Andy Lai
Tags: Chandler’s Ford community, Chinese, Chinese New Year, community, crafts, culture, education, good neighbours, hobby, how-to, memory, origami, tradition

About Janet Williams

I created Chandler's Ford Today. I use this website to share our passions and inspiring stories, to build a connected community. We inform, educate and enlighten. We share resources.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Mike Sedgwick says

    February 8, 2016 at 11:18 pm

    Does the colour red scare off monkeys? Not that they would see your underwear. Here red is supposed to enrage bulls. Is there a year of the bull?

    The description of crispy duck has whetted my appetite. What a shame I have already had supper.

    Reply
  2. Janet Williams says

    February 8, 2016 at 11:48 pm

    Don’t forget the New Year lasts 15 days. There’s always time to eat.

    Year of Ox / Bull – it is the second animal in the cycle.

    After monkey, you have chicken, dog, pig. Then the cycle starts again with rat.

    Reply
  3. Gem says

    February 9, 2016 at 1:58 pm

    I’m also a monkey. I’m not really into red at the moment so I might have to brave the year of misfortune. I suspect it came a year early though so maybe I’m an overachiever?

    Reply
    • Janet Williams says

      February 9, 2016 at 2:55 pm

      CCTV has an interesting article for those born in the Year of the Monkey: Is your Chinese Zodiac sign the monkey? Then heed this advice!

      Red is the colour to wear during the Chinese New Year (15 days) for everyone in general. A lot of young people these days wear whatever they want, but black / white are still considered the colours of mourning. If you do visit the elderly, respect them and wear red or pink will make them very happy. If you wear black, the elderly may be upset as it may bring bad luck to them.

      The origin and significance of red comes from the legend of the ‘nian’ beast – the beast was defeated by the colour red (red calligraphy scrolls) and sound (from firecracters, and burning bamboo). To celebrate Chinese New Year means to defeat the beast and start a life with luck and prosperity.

      Reply
  4. Ruby says

    February 9, 2016 at 10:05 pm

    We had duck (though not crispy) we bought from the Chinese supermarket. It came with neck and head attached. We didn’t eat these, though they did make it to the table.

    Reply
    • Janet Williams says

      February 9, 2016 at 10:23 pm

      To have the duck’s head and neck attached still is quite unusual I think. I bought one whole roasted duck before from China Town – to amuse my mother in law. I bet some people don’ like to have an eye contact with the duck on the table. However I do like buying a whole fish. Its head is rather delicious.

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Search

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to Chandler's Ford Today blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Archives

Top Posts & Pages

999, 111, 101, 112? Emergency Numbers You Must Know
Quizzes and Word Games
101 Things to Put into Room 101
Photography on the Isle of Wight
Blog
Home
David Beckham's Chinese Tattoo
A Dinosaurs' Garden
Buddhist Rituals
New 0300 Phone Numbers for Hampshire County Council

Categories

Tags

arts and crafts books Chandler's Ford Chandler's Ford Today Chandler’s Ford community charity Christianity Christmas church community creative writing culture Eastleigh Eastleigh Borough Council education entertainment event family fundraising gardening gardening tips good neighbours Hiltingbury Hiltingbury Road history hobby how-to interview Joan Adamson Joan Adelaide Goater local businesses local interest memory Methodist Church music nature news reading review social storytelling theatre travel Winchester Road writing

Recent Comments

  • John Roberts on Gladly, the Cross-eyed Bear and Other Mondegreens
  • Allison Symes on Zest In Fiction
  • Mike Sedgwick on Zest In Fiction
  • Allison Symes on Zest In Fiction
  • Lynn Clement on Zest In Fiction
  • Bram van Reemst on Peculiar British House Numbering System

Regular Writers and Contributors

Janet Williams Allison Symes Mike Sedgwick Rick Goater Doug Clews chippy minton Martin Napier Roger White Andy Vining Gopi Chandroth Nicola Slade Wellie Roger Clark Ray Fishman Hazel Bateman SO53 News

Forty Years in Chandler’s Ford – a Journal by Joan Adelaide Goater

Forty Years in Chandler’s Ford – a Journal by Joan Adelaide Goater

Growing up in Chandler’s Ford: 1950s – 1960s by Martin Napier

Growing up in Chandler’s Ford: 1950s – 1960s by Martin Napier

My Memories of the War Years in Chandler’s Ford 1939 – 1945 by Doug Clews

My Memories of the War Years in Chandler’s Ford 1939 – 1945 by Doug Clews

Chandler’s Ford War Memorial Research by Margaret Doores

Chandler’s Ford War Memorial Research by Margaret Doores

History of Hiltonbury Farmhouse by Andy Vining

History of Hiltonbury Farmhouse by Andy Vining

My Family History in Chandler’s Ford and Hursley by Roger White

My Family History in Chandler’s Ford and Hursley by Roger White

Do You Remember The Hutments? By Nick John

Do You Remember The Hutments? By Nick John

Memory of Peter Green by Wendy Green

Memory of Peter Green by Wendy Green

History of Vickers Armstrongs (Supermarine) Hursley Park by Dave Key

History of Vickers Armstrongs (Supermarine) Hursley Park by Dave Key

Reviews of local performances and places

Reviews of local performances and places

Copyright © 2022 Chandler's Ford Today. WordPress. Log in

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.