Thoughts in the Silent Night
LiBai
The moonlight is shinning through the window,
And it makes me wonder if it is the frost on the ground,
Looking up to see the moon .....
Looking down I miss so much about my home town.
Wishing everyone a joyous and harmonious mid-Autumn Moon Festival
May the family spirit of brotherhood and friendship, fostered by colourful lanterns and delicious moon cakes; bring peace, happiness, harmony and fellowship to all people everywhere.
The joyful Mid-Autumn Moon Festival, which is the third and last festival for the living, is celebrated on the fifteenth day of the eighth moon, that is around the time of the autumnal equinox. It is also regarded as the 'Harvest Festival'.
Many folks refer to it simply as the "Fifteenth of the Eighth Moon". The festival day always occurs sometime between the second week of September and the second week of October of the western Gregorian calender.
This year, 2010, the Mid-Autumn festival falls on 22nd September.
Moon cakes, measuring about three inches in diameter and one and a half inches in height are a little like fruitcakes in taste and consistency, but with their brown crust they resemble meat pies.
These cakes were traditionally made with melon seeds, lotus seeds, almonds, minced meats, bean paste, orange peels and lard.
One or more golden yolk from a salted duck egg is often placed at the centre of each cake, and the golden brown crust is decorated with symbols of the festival.
The Shanghai moon cake, however is a different shape, it is almost spherical and a paler colour.
Traditionally, thirteen moon cakes are piled in a pyramid to symbolize the thirteen moons of a "complete year," that is, twelve moons plus one intercalary (additional, or interpolated) moon, which is added to balance the lunar and solar years.
Clouds gather in the sky,
The moon sings a song of the Motherland.
We bring a word of greeting—
How Have You Been?
Hoping you understand the Truth,
Wishing you good health!
1st Irish Pub Joke
'Nah...' your man says, ' I'm preferrin' that ye bring 'em three at a time. You see, me and me two brothers would meet at a pub and drink and have good times. Now one is in Australia, the other in Canada and I'm here. We agreed before we split up that we'd drink to each other's honour this way.'
'Well,' says the bartender, 'that's a grand thing to do, all right. I'll bring the pints as you ask.'
Well, time goes on and your man's peculiar habit is known and accepted by all the pub regulars. One day though, he comes in and orders only two pints. A hush falls over the pub. Naturally, everyone figures something happened to one of the brothers. A group of the regulars corner the bartender and finally persuade him to find out what happened. With a heavy heart, the bartender brings the two pints and says, 'Here's your pints... and let me offer my sincerest condolences. What happened?'
The Irish man looks extremely puzzled for a moment, and then starts laughing.
'Oh, no, no, no! 'Tis nothing like that. You see, I've given up drinking for Lent...'
2nd Irish Pub Joke
The Englishman looks disgusted, pushes his pint away and demands another... the Scotsman picks out the fly, shrugs, and takes a long swallow.
The Irishman reaches in to the glass, grabs the fly between his fingers and shakes him as hard as he can, shouting 'Spit it out, ya bloody bastard! Spit it out!'
3rd Irish Pub Joke
Once outside he stands up but again falls flat on his face. He crawls home. Reaching the door he tries to stand up, and yet again, falls flat on his face. He crawls through the door and up the stairs. When he reaches his bed he summons the last of his strength and tries one final time to stand.
It's no use. He tumbles into bed and is soon sound asleep, only to awaken the next morning to the sound of his wife standing over him shouting.
'So... you've been out drinking again!'
'How did you know?' he asks, his head hung in shame.
'The pub called-- you left your damn wheelchair down there again!'
A Irish toast to everyone:
My friends are the best friends
Loyal, willing and able.
Now let’s get to drinking!
All glasses off the table!
Here's to a long life and a merry one.
A quick death and an easy one.
A pretty girl and an honest one.
A cold pint-- and another one!
Sláinte!
Nemo risum praebuit, qui ex se coepit
Nobody is laughed at, who laughs at himself.
The Chinese believe that the first king of China was the Yellow King (however he was not the first Emperor of China).
The Yellow King became king in 2697 B.C. therefore China will enter the 4707th year on 14th February 2010.
The Chinese Year uses the cycle of 60 Stem-Branch counting system, and the Metal Tiger is the 27th Stem-Branch in the cycle. Since, (60 x 78) + 27 = 4707, therefore 2010 is the Metal Tiger year, which is the 4707th Chinese Year.
| Jiǎzǐ (甲子) sequence 27 | Stem/ branch 7/3 | Gānzhī (干支) Gēngyín (庚寅) | Year of the Metal Tiger | Continuous
| Gregorian 2010 | |
|---|
| | New Year's Day (Chūnjié, 春節) 14th February | |
Some folks may insist that the year 2010 is the 4708th Chinese year.
This is a possible explanation as to why this is:
The Yellow King's inauguration was held in the spring of 2697 B.C.
The day which was used as the first day of the year was the Winter Solstice, which was around 23rd December 2698 B.C. Today's New Year’s Day on 1st January was unknown at the time of the Yellow King.
If we were to count those extra eight days in 2698 B.C., then year 2010 is the 4708th Chinese year.
2010 is the year of Tiger.
Some people say 2010 is a Golden Tiger, White Tiger or Metal Tiger year.
HAPPY LUNAR NEW YEAR TO EVERYONE
May the year ahead be healthy, joyful, harmonious, peaceful, prosperous, unequivocally wholesome and kind.
Gong Xi Fa Chai
The Mid-Autumn Festival, also known as the Moon Festival, or in the Chinese Language, Zhongqiu Jie - 中秋節, is a popular harvest festival celebrated by many people, not only in China but also in Malaysia, Singapore, Japan (Tsukimi festival), Korea (Chuseok festival), and also in Vietnam (even though they celebrate it differently there), and amongst their communities worldwide; it dates back over 3,000 years.
Fiat lux
Let there be light
VESAK GREETINGS TO ALL
Wishing Everyone a Blessed
Wesak (Vesak)
Visakah Puja
Vaishaka
Buddha Purnima
Visakha Bucha
Saga Dawa
佛誕 (fó dàn)
Phật Đản
วิสาขบูชา
Years of the Rat
1912, 1924, 1936, 1948,
1960, 1972, 1984, 1996,
2008 or 4706
Those born in the Year of the Rat are noted for their charm and attraction for the opposite sex.
They are hard workers, who are aiming to achieve their goals, acquire possessions; they are likely to be perfectionists.
They are basically thrifty with money.
Rat people are easily angered and may be over critical.
They are imaginative, have big ambitions and are usually successful.
They are most compatible with people born in the years of the Dragon, Monkey, and Ox.
Looks like me and sounds like me?
Wishing all readers of this blog,
A Very Happy, Prosperous and Healthy Year of the Brown Earth Rat 2008
新年快樂
Xīnnián kuàilè; Sin-nî khòai-lo̍k; San nin faai
過年好
Guo Nian Hao
恭喜發財
Gōng Xǐ Fā Cái; Keong Hee Huat Chye;
Kiong-Hí Hoat-châi; Kung Hei Fat Choi
