Celebration of Chinese new year in Cambodia

Chines New Year The Chinese New Year is the festival for Chinese, Vietnamese and Cambodian-chinese people to celebrate on january 28 2006 not only in China, but also other countries. For Cambodia, it was seen that before celebration of new year, Cambodian-chinese people had decorated their houses with colorful lights, flowers and swept their home as well. By the way, Some people always purchased black sugar cane and pomegranets to bring lucrative besiness, happiness and prosperity in the coming years. Before one day of starting celebration of new year, most Cambodians left the capital of Phnom Penh to visit their relatives countrysides in order to usher the new year. The photo of lion dancing from Sophonrith.

Before and after the new year festival, there were often some incidents happened in Cambodia. Cambodain people always said that “Chinese New Year, Khmer got drunk“. Why I raised this term to say because during celebration, Khmer who has not chinese blood was invited to have lunch or dinner. And then they always drink beer and wine to welcome new year.

According to local newspaper report, a man living in Oudong district, Kampong Speur province, beated his wife with plastic chair at around 10 pm on January 28, 2006. one day later she died in local hospital, and leaving his 6 children without mother. When he got drunk during the day of new year celebration. He was arrested by police on January 30, 2006.

After a few days of new year, some schools in Phnom Penh closed because students skipped school. and other schools were closed from Saturday. My friend, Sopheaktra as teacher at SITC told me that his school closed from the day of celebration and School restarted next 4 days. And he added that it is not the school regulation to close, it was because students did not come to school.

I live in Phnom Penh far away from my parents, that day I did not go my downtown to visit my parents and relatives. I just only lighted incense stickes to bless my ancestors at my Phnom Penh home. But I joined in having lunch at my friend’s home with other friends. During our lunchtime, some of friends of mine got drunk.

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7 Comments Already

Lina Said,

February 2nd, 2006 @4:49 pm

hahahaha..you or your friend that got drunk?…hahahahaha

vutha Said,

February 2nd, 2006 @4:55 pm

Hey Lina,
Yes, some of my frineds got drunk. To me, I did not drink so much because I had stomachache. And I did not join in having dinner at Channa’s home.

Wanna Said,

February 3rd, 2006 @1:30 pm

Mong Say is a lucrative job. The Chinese takes the money to upgrade their schools, but not to build roads into them.

February 4th, 2006 @8:41 pm

During Chinese new year, cambodian-chinese people always pay for dragon dancing or lion dancing (Mong Say) to dance in front of their houses or shopes because they believe that new year will bring happiness, business and prosperity in the coming years.Most of Mong Say dancers are Cambodian people studying at Chinese School. Income of Mong Say will be support thier assciation and school…etc.

Beth Said,

February 7th, 2006 @2:36 pm

Thanks for this post!

February 8th, 2006 @8:34 pm

I find their activities selfish. They only upgrade their schools, churchs, while the road/environment into/around their schools/churchs are mostly in poor condition.
Many Khmer kids really need schools well eqquipped like theirs.

February 8th, 2006 @8:54 pm

That is fact, They find to make money to build their school, church in an attempt to spread their language, culture in all countries over the world. Did you use to hear of “China Town”?. The weak point of Khmer leaders is that they have built school in rural areas but they do not ecourage teachers, do not pay high salary to support their family enough, do not equip materials sufferciently. So school establishment built does not give education to our younger children effectively. I hope government will strengthen quality of education system, increase teacher’s high salary.