Wishing You Happy & A Prosperous Chinese New Year 2016

2016 Chinese New Year falls on February 8. It is the Year of the Monkey according to the
Chinese zodiac. The monkey is a clever animal. It is usually compared to a smart person. 

During the Spring and Autumn Period (770 - 476 BC), the dignified Chinese official title of marquis was pronounced 'Hou', the same as the pronunciation of ‘monkey’ in Chinese. The animal was thereby bestowed with an auspicious meaning.

We are very blessed to live in Malaysia as a Malaysian Chinese where we celebrate the Chinese Lunar New Year peacefully with all our fellow Malaysian from different races and cultural backgrounds.

This Chinese New Year also reminded me of my genealogical roots from China. My grandfather and grandmother both came from China. My father was born in Malaysia and I belong to the second generation Chinese born outside of China.

The Chinese New Year, being one of the traditional festivals is the best time for Family Reunion. It is the time for the whole families to reunite together. Unity in the family is highly valued by the Chinese families all around the world.

Talking about unity reminds me of a story that I want to share with you.  We all know that you can easily break one chopstick, but it's quite difficult to break a bunch of chopsticks. This is so called "unity is strength", and this story has been handed down generation after generation. 

Once upon a time, there is an old man who had twelve sons, every one of them has one merit or another, but they always fought against each other to be the best. At one of the Chinese New Year Reunion Dinner, the old man who is in his old age, at the dinning table gave one chopstick each to his sons, and ordered them to break it. 

The sons did easily. Then he gave them each a bunch of chopsticks, and again asked them to break it. But the sons found it was very difficult to do so, almost impossible. The old man did not utter any other words accept asking his sons to start eating together. All of his sons understood what their father was trying to teach them. 

From that night onwards, they stopped fighting each other and started to work together in unity as a big family. 

Wishing you all a Happy & Prosperous Chinese New Year blessed with a united family. Unity is Strength. God Bless.