Double Happiness (Because It is The Love Month)

    This symbol is synonymous with love and can be seen always in Chinese weddings. This symbol represents the Chinese character喜 which reads as 'xi' in mandarin. The double version is pronounced as 'shuang xi'. I'm not really a Chinese language expert but I came to know this through online research. 'Xi', means joy in the English language. This symbol is usually seen during marriage celebration. Following the customs this symbol is often pasted in homes, and even in the matrimonial bed is practiced today. This symbol is believed to be an auspicious one by the Chinese people. The paper cut symbol that is posted around is always color red, since red is considered lucky, and red symbolizes happiness according to the Chinese belief.  For me, when I look at a symbol, it is indeed double, because a person is marrying another person. So they are not going to be single anymore, but double! They have found each other, so the happiness of the person is multiplied twice! This is just my personal opinion with regards to this popular symbol.

Last year I bought a double-happiness necklace from my officemate. I really love it even if I don't believe in charms. For me, this is just a beautiful jewelry that is fit to be worn. According from an article in sanaakosirickylee.wordpress.com , a single man or woman who wants to find their true love can wear this symbol.

(in photo: Chinese couple bobbing heads, with a white-gold Chinese double happiness necklace in the middle).

How did this tradition started?

"A student traveling to the capital to take exams. He falls ill and takes refuge with an herbalist with a beautiful young daughter. They fall in love. As he leaves for exams, she gives him a poetry couplet to match that deals with a natural topic. The young man leaves. He gets the top scores on the exam and meets the emperor. The emperor chats with the young man and asks him to help him complete a poem. His girlfriend's couplet perfectly completes the emperor's poem. The young man is rewarded with a senior government position and the couple can have a gala wedding. To salute their luck they create a wall hanging with the happiness symbol doubled to show everyone their good fortune." (from: luckfactory.com) 

Even if its the end of the love month, February. Let us live life with full of joy, vigor and love. Always stay happy everyone!

Movie Review: To Live

I just watched a Chinese movie recently, another film by Zhang Yimou. I have seen some of his movies and almost always the lead star is the popular Chinese actress Gong Li. This is evident in his previous films which I have seen, The Red Sorghum, and Raise the Red Lantern. The Red Sorghum movie, the way I remember it. It is about the arranged marriage of a young village girl to a rich old man, owner of a distillery. I like the way the movie depicts the provincial way of life. How Chinese life in the rural was like back then. And like most of Zhang’s film, mostly it ends tragically. While Raise the Red Lantern, is another memorable movie for me. (I apologize if I cannot give the full summary of the two movies because I have seen these two movies wayback, years have passed). Moving on, Raise the Red Lantern, reminds me of just one word, concubine. In Chinese period dramas like the Scarlet Heart, the emperor, or his siblings do have concubines. The concubines live in a mansion, they each have their own apartment or house, and if the master spends time with them during the night that is when the lantern is lit up. There is a lot of intrigue in this movie, and what you suspect at first, may not be what it seems. It is also a good movie, even if it doesn't have a happy ending still. Among all of Zhang Yimou's film, I like The Road Home best, the lead actress is Zhang Ziyi. It tells of the love story of a school teacher, and a young village girl. 

Back to my movie review, To Live is a movie that tells of the story of a family in pre and post revolution in China. I am not that knowledgeable about the history of China, from dynasties, up to the present time ruling. But I know a bit about the Chinese civil war, separation of China (Chinese Communist Party) and Taiwan (Chinese Nationalist Party), This movie is about the struggles of a rich man, who is addicted to gambling, and the trials that he and his wife has to endure. This is another bitter-sweet film. The movie is over two hours long, but I didn't get bored watching it. If you want to learn more about the Chinese life, culture and history. The three films that I mentioned are all worth-watching. Grab a popcorn, and your favorite drinks. Enjoy watching!