For the Chinese, the family is regarded as the primary unit of society. A birth within the family therefore holds special significance for the community, and is associated with a number of rituals. Although traditional birth observances have largely given way to ...
In many Indian Hindu families today, traditions and customs still play an important role in life. Indian weddings, for instance, consist of many traditional customs and ceremonies that the bride, bridegroom and their families have to go through before and on the ...
Yusheng (鱼生; yusang in Cantonese), meaning “raw fish” in Chinese, is a salad dish comprising thin slices of raw fish and various seasonings that are mixed together as diners toss the ingredients. It is a dish usually eaten during Chinese New Year. Traditionally ...
The Mandarin orange (Citrus reticulata) is a tropical and sub-tropical tree belonging to the family Rutaceae. Associated with good fortune by the Chinese, it is a features prominently in local Chinese New Year celebrations. The fruit is high in Vitamin C and its ...
Zhong Yuan Jie (中元节), also known as the Hungry Ghost Festival, traditionally falls on the 15th day of the seventh month of the lunar calendar. In Singapore, the festival is observed throughout the entire seventh lunar month, which is usually around the month of ...
Chinese New Year is celebrated by most Chinese in Singapore. The first day of the lunar new year usually falls between the winter solstice (dongzhi) and spring’s beginning (lichun). This typically falls between 21 January and 20 February each year.
To the Malays, a birth is regarded as a gift bestowed by God. They believe that a child brings blessings and sustenance to the family. Babies are deemed pure, like a piece of white cloth, and parents play an important role in nurturing the child. At birth, the ...
Betel chewing was known in the colonial days as betel-nut chewing. The art of paan or betel chewing dates back to the pre-Vedic Saivite Harappan empire, and the activity is also known as makan sireh in Malaysia and Singapore. It requires three different plants ...
A hongbao (or ang pow in Hokkien) is a gift of money packed into a red packet. Red is considered a symbol of luck, life and happiness. Hongbaos are given as tokens of good wishes during auspicious occasions such as Chinese New Year and weddings.
Firecrackers are called baozhu (爆竹) in Mandarin, meaning “bamboo explosions”. In ancient China, bamboo stems were burnt to create small explosions in order to drive away evil spirits. In later times, the lighting of firecrackers signalled a joyous occasion and ...
The Malays think of death as part of a life cycle predestined by God. Malay Muslim funerals follow specific Islamic rites in accordance to syariah (religious laws), and are solemn and dignified affairs. The body of the deceased must be treated with honour and reverence, ...
In an Indian household, as with all cultures, the arrival of a new baby is an occasion for much joy and celebration. The customs and traditions start before the baby is born and may continue for up to a year after birth. Various rituals and customs mark this period ...
The Mid-autumn Festival (or Zhong Qiu Jie in Mandarin), also known as the Mooncake Festival, falls on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month. It is called the Mid-autumn Festival because the 15th day is the middle of a month, and the eighth lunar month is in the ...
The festival Vesakhi (or Baisakhi) is the Sikh New Year. It typically falls on 13 April annually, or the first day of the Sikh calendar. Instituted by the 10th Guru, Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji, the festival commemorates the occasion in which five brave Sikhs offered ...
Ponggal or Pongal, also known as Makara Sankranti, is celebrated in mid-January by South Indians as a festival marking the rice harvest. Pongal, a mixture of sweet boiled rice is made and offered to Surya, the Sun God. The name is derived from the Tamil word pongu, ...
Located at 43 Bukit Pasoh Road, Ee Hoe Hean Club is one of the oldest clubs for millionaires in Singapore. Founded in 1895, it was a social and business club where like-minded Chinese businessmen networked and exchanged ideas. The club became the headquarters of ...
The Singapore Poh Leung Kuk (保良局), or “office to protect virtue”, was established by the Chinese Protectorate in 1888. It grew out of one aspect of the protectorate’s work: controlling prostitution through registration and inspection to prevent the spread of venereal ...
The Chinese Protectorate was established in the Straits Settlements in 1877 to address matters concerning the Chinese community. Its main functions included establishing a pool of civil servants conversant in the Chinese language, managing newly arrived coolie ...
Ngee Ann Kongsi (义安公司) is a charitable welfare organisation set up by the local Teochew community in around 1830 to look after the needs of Teochew migrants. Derived from its properties and ventures, its income is mainly disbursed to fund schools and other charities. ...
Chinese wedding customs and tradition generally vary according to dialect group. Although modernisation has resulted in the simplification of traditional marriage rituals, a Chinese wedding is often not considered complete until the couple have performed the customary ...