Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Hey people ! Today I will be blogging about different cultural aspects of Singapore.
Have you ever wondered why there is no single race living in a Housing Development Board (HDB) flat?
This is due to the racial riots that scarred Singapore in the 1960s.
Therefore, the HDB has sought to bolster ethnic harmony within public housing estates by implementing a law that every estate must have a diverse mix of races.
Do you know that every 7th month in the Chinese Lunar Calendar is known as the Hungry Ghost Festival?
In Chinese Tradition, on the fifteenth day of the seventh month in the lunar calendar is called Ghost Day and the seventh month in the lunar calendar is regarded as the Ghost Month (鬼月), in which ghost and spirits, including those of the deceased ancestors, come out from the underworld. During the Qingming Festival the living descendants pay respect to their ancestors and on Ghost Day, the deceased visit the living.
Reference: http://images.google.com/images?um=1&hl=en&rlz=1T4RNWE_en___SG255&q=ghost+festival+&btnG=Search+Images
However, have you ever wondered why the Chinese have to burn incense paper?
The main aspect of the Ghost Month is ancestor worship, where traditionally the filial piety of descendants extends to their ancestors even after their deaths. They pay respect to their ancestors by offerings such as food offerings, burning incense, and burning joss paper, and paper items made in the shape of clothes, gold and other fine goods. Meals would be served with empty seats for the deceased in the family as if they are still living.
Reference: http://images.google.com/images?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rlz=1T4RNWE_en___SG255&q=incense%20paper&um=1&sa=N&tab=wi
I hope that you will look at the Chinese Culture from a different perspective. Catch us again next week for further updates on other Arts, Culture and Heritage.
4:25 PM