About Tai(Shan) New Year (Part-3)

The New Year Festival

According to the Shan Calendar the New Year is the first day of the “Lurn Seing – the first month”.

To hold a ceremony or festival are base on their healthiness. But however at least the traditional ways should be preserved.

The New Year Eve

The New Year eve was the last day, the full waxing moon day of the 12th month. It was called “Hup Seing” to welcome the 1st month “Lurn Seing”.

On the last day of the 12th month they get up early and make good deeds according to their religion. The Buddhist get up early, pay offering and homage, pray for good health and longevity. Share their merits for all living beings.

When a festival was to be hold, all the people join in the paying homage and offering in the monastery or the fair ground. In the afternoon, they prepare traditional foods for the night, which was donated by all the folks in the communities.

The old folks had to teach and lead the young generation not to forget the traditional ways. Learn to love and help each others.

There was old saying “When someone is building a house, at least you must help a thatch and when someone is cultivating at least you must help in planting seedlings” Taught the Shan to have a team spirit.

In this night the old folks tell stories for the young about the past by reading in the old scripts, to love their nation, own culture, own literature and taught to be brave and useful to his own kins.

The traditional ways about the new year, about the calendar, the tattooing and the traditional way of the Shans.

As it was the time of cold season, they build fire, to keep them warm until midnight, keep singing and dancing in welcoming the New Year.
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