Library Owl

2011 is the year of the rabbit in Chinese zodiac. (Since I can't find a more politically correct term for the zodiac thing, I'll go with "Chinese" zodiac here. Forgive me and enlighten me if one has better translations.)

The following are the cards I sent to international friends abroad. I'm enclosing a more detailed meaning and pronounciation list of the Mandarin words here for all the friends. Wish you a great year ahead.

(Just to be noted, the designs of the cards belongs to the printing companies. I'm just using the photos to bring some Lunar New Year feelings.)

Before starting to introduce the pronunciation and translation, I am thrilled that those who received the cards have informed me that they liked them. Most important of all, I learnt interesting cultures and customs from them as well. Here is a pecial thanks to Parisa, who has kindly answered my questions about Iraian cultures in New Year's time. I'm also really grateful that Elsa, who is on exchange in Japan, sent me a Japanese greeting postcard. Of course, a big hug for dear professor, Kathie, who kindly sent me her new book enclosed with a lovely note.

1. 吉羊如意 Ji-Shiang-Ju-I

These are the letters carved in the middle of the card. The second letter "shiang" was represented by the Mandarin character "yang" here. "Yang" means "goat" in Mandarin, and often regarded as a symbol of good fortune. The meaning of these four words means to have good fortune and hope that one would have a smooth life ahead.

2. 賀新年 Ho-Shin-Nian

These are the golden characters next to the golden rabbit holding a coin, which means "Happy New Year".

3. 迎春納福賀新年 Ying-Chun-Na-Fu-Ho-Shin-Nian

These are the ones just underneath the second sentence. "Ying-Chun" means to welcome the spring. "Na-Fu" means to take in lots of good fortune.

4. 華開富貴 Hua-Kai-Fu-Kui

These are the characters in the oval golden seal on the left of last 2 sentences. The character "hua" actually means flowers in Mandarin. "Hua-Kai" means the flowers bloossom. "Fu-Kui" means fortune or riches. The whole sentence can be regarded as while the flowers bloossom, great forune would come along.

1. 賀年 Ho-Nian (The big black characters.)

"Ho" means to greet in Mandarin. "Ho-Nian" means New Year's greetings.

2. 大吉 Da-Ji (the little golden characters in the oval shape seal.)

"Da" means big, while "Ji" means "luck". The combination of them stands for being very lucky.

3. 多福 Doe-Fu (the red characters in golden cirlces.)

"Doe" means "a lot of", and "Fu" means "good fortune or luck". It's a way to wish for great fortune or being lucky in the future.

4. 恭賀新禧迎春到，四季平安好運來。Kong-Ho-Shin-Si-Ying-Chun-Tao, Ssu-Ji-Ping-Ann-Ho-Yun-Lai.

It's like a sonnet or a kind of poetry in Mandarin. There are two sentences. The first one is to congratulate the coming of the spring. The second one is to wish for good luck and fortune for the following seasons. 

1. 迎春 Ying-Chun

"Ying" stands for welcome someone or something. "Ying-Chun" means to welcome the spring.

2. 兔年行大運 Tu-Nian-Shing-Da-Yun

"Tu" means rabbits in Mandarin. It's a way to say hope you have a great fortune in the year of the rabbit.

3. 年年皆如意 Nian-Nian-Jie-Ru-I

It means to have smooth life for every coming years.

4. 金兔報喜發大財，年年好運年年旺。Ji-Tu-Bao-Shi-Fa-Da-Tsai, Nian-Nian-Hao-Yun-Nian-Nian-Wang.

The first sentence said that the gold rabbit would bring good news and make the recepient rich. The second one is to wish the recepient has good luck and be prosperous every year.

This one is the only one without a rabbit since the bookstore has ran out of above selections. But I didn't manage to put some rabbit stickers on the card. This card features in the firecracker used during Lunar New Year. This one is full of Mandarin characters and is the hardest one to explain it all.

1. 大吉大利 Da-Ji-Da-Li

The phrase means to have great fortune.

2. 吉祥 Ji-Shiang

This phrase is about the same as the above one, and also use as adjectives to describe fortunate things.

3. 招財 Chao-Tsai

Hope for more wealth.

4. 永保安康 Yun-Bau-Ann-Kang

This is the one I love most. It hopes the recepients to be safe, sound and health all the time.

5. 好運來 Hao-Yun-Lai

Good luck.

6. 新春 Hsin-Chun

Just means the spring, or the beginning of the spring.

7. 富貴 Fu-Kui

Wealth.

8. 福 Fu

Fortune or luck.

9. 炮竹聲聲響新春，財到福到吉祥到。Pau-Chu-Sheng-Sheng-Hsiang-Hsin-Chun, Tsai-Dao-Fu-Dao-Ji-Shiang-Dao.

The full sentences said that the noise of the firecrackers is resonating during the new year, which brings with great fortune, riches, and luck.

Wish everyone has a smooth, sound and prosperous year ahead.