THE local Chinese community celebrates Chinese New Year today with the 1.4 billion other Chinese in China and around the world, ringing in the Year of the Ox and looking for the silver lining in what has been forecast to be a rather gloomy year amid the contagion of the credit crunch emanating from the West.
However, on the eve yesterday, families got together, like Mr Tan and his family (picture), for the very important reunion dinner and to thank ancestors and the gods for their blessings and protection as the old year gives way to the new.
A local lecturer at Universiti Brunei Darussalam, who requested anonymity, said that the celebration for her focuses more on family and friends rather than on religion.
"We are not so religious and this year we are not going to celebrate too much," she said.
"(This evening) we will have a get-together as with other families from here and those from overseas," said the lecturer, adding that her family might hold open house in a week for friends and relatives.
For Yapp Eeh Fah, the celebration calls for a merry gathering with family and friends.
"In the past three years I was abroad, I didn't celebrate Chinese New Year with the family," he explained.
"In preparation, we cleaned the house, moved some stuff around and later, we will be bathing with pomelo leaves," said the 25-year old.
According to Chinese belief, pomelo leaves are used to wash away bad luck so as to start the new year with good luck.
Following the tradition, Eeh Fah and his family will pray for good luck to his late grandfather and to the "sky god" and "land god". "We would light incense sticks and stick them in a pot," he said.
When asked if the rainy weather would have any effect on their celebration, he said:
"It would be something to complain about, but not something that would hamper celebrations, I guess."
The wet season certainly has not dampened Jerry Hui's spirit for Chinese New Year. In fact, "it would be a merrier occasion than last year", he said, optimistically.
The teacher from Kg Lamunin in Tutong described his Chinese New Year eve celebration as simple. "Tonight, we will have traditional Chinese dinner as usual with family and relatives and then just sit around and talk," he said.
This year, his family has opted for simpler decorations for the house.
"We didn't buy much, probably because of the recent floods."
What better way to usher in the new year than with the setting off of fireworks as Yu Wan, a resident in Kg Sg Liang, said as he was looking forward eagerly to the fireworks last night.
"This is to send out the old year and welcome the new year," he said.
He also said that every door and window will be opened at midnight to let go of the old year along with any bad chi. "Chi is energy which could be either good or bad," explained the Science teacher.
Legend has it that in ancient times, Buddha asked all the animals to meet him on Chinese New Year.
Twelve came, and Buddha named a year after each one. He announced that the people born in each animal year would have some of that animal's nature.
Those born in the Year of the Ox tend to be painters, engineers, and architects.
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