Publication: The New Paper, p 13 Date: 5 February 2011 Headline: Blur about taboos?

I

3 t taboos. Many youngpeople I f .1 rest yourselt Rice should be

cooked and left in the rice cooker overnight on the eve of Chinese New Year. Why: This ensures that the family has

polled unaware of CNY -

customs and taboos REPORT: KOH HUI THENG kohht@sph.com.sg I No visiting on the third day of

Chinese New Year. Why: It is believed that bad luck will 3efall those whom you visit that day. I OR many young people, Chinese New Year is

about visiting relatives, eating a lot and collecting hongbao.

~ u t probe them a little more about the customs and traditions associated with the holiday, and many will admit that they are clueless.

The New Paper compiled five Chinese New Year traditions from Chinese culture experts and asked 100 people aged 16 to 24 if they were aware of them.

Only 29 said they knew three or more of the tradi- tions, while 16 had never heard of all five. (See report below right.)

The poll also showed that hardly anyone knew that it is taboo to use knives to cut food on the h t 'day because it would "cut away" kinship and friendship.

University student Audrey Lim, 21, who was ma- ware of all five customs, said: "My family doesn't prac- tise them. I have survived 21 years without knowing, so

knives to cut food on the fmt day. Why: This will "cut1 away kinship and .

friendship. I

I guess it doesn't affect me." Miss Rachel Lian, 22, a university student, also had

not heard of any of the customs. "I was not brought up with them," she said. "It is good to know, but not all things are passed down through the generations."

ST FILE PICTURES

Cultural studies experts we spoke to were not sur- prised bvthe hdinps.

Dr Lee Guan K&, director of the Nanyang Techno- logical University's (NTU) Centre for Chinese Lan- guage and Culture, said it is expected for younger generations to place less emphasis on following cer- tain customs.

"If your parents don't emphasise traditions, the children are also unlikely to practise them," she noted.

d i b a *MY man8 brop to the ma-fi60 I*ws6?rlroll

& d h s t d8y o t c h b a m m w Ye~~,Italrromargirs -

soareLhing wadwill comie ofthe ixwibnt. Why: Saying bad things 'trv~uld bring bad luck.

While certain customs become diluted, the more widely practised ones will be preserved "in keeping with the times", Dr Lee added.

For instance, famdymembers sti l l make it a point to gather for reunion dinners. The difference? Previously, families would eat at home, but many people now dine at restaurants instead.

To prevent traditions from becoming obsolete, Dr Hoon Chang Yau, assistant professor of Asian Studies at the Singapore Management University (SM' , sug- gested that gatekeepers like Chinese language teach- ers, temple custodians and clan associations reinvent traditions so young people can relate to them more easlly.

"For example, merchants appeal to the young by featuring characters like Bugs Bunny from the Looney Tunes cartoon series on hongbao packets and orna- ments for the upcoming Year of the Rabbit," he said.

Enlist social media to preserve customs, Dr Tobias Rettig, SMU's assistant professor of Southeast Asian Studies, pointed out

Bloggers who capture traditions like lion dances can share the footage on YouTube or similar platforms, he said. The videos are a useful way to inform people from different parts of the world about Chinese New' Year practices.

However, for some young people, like translator KuaYu-Lin, 24, this may not be necessary.

"I've heard about all these traditions fiom my moth- er and some through (others), and yes, it's important. It's part of our Chinese culture."

-Additional reporting by newsroom interns

m Graedpremb and pareats distzfhte hamgbaa te the pungex genezation on Chinese NearYear's &ve ma the htbr can sleep with the hongbao inthet po*eb. Why: This practice ensures the

1 young person will have money over the year.

Poll of 100 people a 16-24. Number of polled who,Jypyr: . > . , - .

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Source: The New Paper O Singapore Press Holdings Limited. Permission required for reproduction.