Chinese New Year, the Singaporean way

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More than 70 percent of Singapore’s population is ethnic Chinese, so the lunar New Year is celebrated on a large scale in the city-state. Street markets line the historical district of Chinatown, buildings are decorated in red, and families come together for meals and gatherings.

But Chinese New Year in the Lion City isn’t quite like anywhere else in the world. From street parades to celebrations at home, here’s what makes the Spring Festival uniquely Singaporean.

A mix of Chinese traditions

Native Shanghainese Lin Fang has been celebrating Chinese New Year since she was a child. But she had never heard of “lao yu sheng” until she moved to Singapore 20 years ago.

The colorful raw fish salad is a staple at Chinese New Year gatherings here, and each of its toppings has a particular significance. Peanut crumbs and flour crackers symbolize gold and silver, or prosperity, while the plum sauce dressing offers a blessing that life will always be sweet. Diners toss the salad with chopsticks while making auspicious wishes for the year ahead.

Lin Fang and her family celebrate the Chinese New Year by tossing the yu sheng salad. /CGTN Photo

For Lin Fang and her family, the Chinese New Year has become a mix of local and Chinese customs. The “yu sheng” has become part of their annual celebration, along with a classic reunion dish from Shanghai called “Quan Jia Fu.” The family also stocks up on Chinese New Year cookies and decorates their home with fresh flowers and plants, just like their Singaporean neighbors.

Despite the different customs here and abroad, the spirit of Chinese New Year remains the same. It’s about the blessings of good health, fortune, and celebrating with family.

Singapore’s annual Chingay parades into the future

With martial arts, multicultural dances and colorful floats on display, the Chingay is a vibrant street parade held every Chinese New Year. While it usually features traditional performances, this year’s Chingay also looks towards the future.

In a segment called Smart Nation, Everyday Life, performers use props such as electric scooters, dancing robots and tablets. The theme is part of Singapore’s drive to be a smart nation－and there’s room for everyone, with an equal number of youth and seniors in the Smart Nation act.

Julian Aw, director of Singapore Chingay and Events Network, said, “We introduce the theme of Smart Nation through an all-inclusive performing contingent comprising youths, seniors and the physically challenged, engaging technology through different platforms… to show how technology helps to improve our daily lives.”

Performer Tan Zing Jaul, who is 65 this year, hopes his peers will learn to use smart technology such as social media and cashless payments.

He said, “I encourage seniors to take up all this tech for the future. Singapore is going into the 21st century; they will have more tech coming in. So if seniors don’t know how to use all these gadgets, it will be very difficult for them in the future."