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>> Hello and welcome to Complete Merchandise's new video blog, where we will be regularly
uploading new videos for every popular event throughout the year.
Today I'm at Forbidden City, in Knaphill, to find out more about the Chinese New Year.
It's a little bit chilly...I'll meet you inside. >> (Chinese) Happy New Year that is Chinese
words, yeah and (Chinese) that is normally Chinese people like to tell. My name is John
Ip. This is Forbidden City Chinese Restaurant. >>How are you today, John?
>> Yeah, I'm fine thank you, Michael, nice to see you.
>>So what is it about Chinese New Year that's really meaningful to you? What is the purpose
of Chinese New Year to you? >> Oh its a start fresh of every year. So
the Chinese people will believe that if last year you do something that's not very good,
this year you need to think about >>Fresh start?
>>Fresh start, work hard more . Yeah. So everyone believes that. Yeah, they will say .....(Chinese)
The spring is a planning for whole year >>Right, okay.
[Laughs] >>How long does Chinese New Year normally
last for? How many days? >> Urm..Normally they, they will thinking
about a month. >>One month?
>>Yeah, one month. Still called (Chinese) that is New Year's month. Yeah? But we normally
start from the first day and the half moon. >>Oh, okay.
>>About fifteen days. It's about two weeks and one day. Yeah, in the half moon they are
very happy to, they make quite a lot of different characters, the lighting. The lights shows
forever, but that is a long history but not as popular in China, they still until about
fifteen >>Oh, Okay. So it's no secret that New Years
over here are always on the same day. What I find really interesting is how the Chinese
New Year falls on a different date. Why is that?
>>The Chinese calendar is count by the moon. >> Oh I See
>>If you look at the Chinese calendar something that is very interesting, every fifteen, the
middle of the month, just like middle August, that should be a full moon.... So they count
as a different. They count by the moon, but on the otherhand every sixty years, 6 0 , they
will one circle again they will same day with your normal in the world calendar.
>>Oh, I see. Same as here every sixty years. >>Yeah, every sixty years the first of January
is the same day with the Chinese New Year. >>Okay, yeah.
>>Interesting, yeah! >>It is, really interesting.
[Laughs] >>So how do you personally celebrate Chinese
New Year? How do you do it? >>Normally, with family altogether with lunch.
Important is New Years eve, but I've got business so sorry, but with all the customers it's
very busy here, so very happy, but after we go home. Important we don't eat any meat,
normally we eat some vegetables. We've got (Chinese) That is the first start, some vegetables.
After the first day we eat everything. Chicken, fish...and the prawn.
>>This looks lovely! [Laughs]
>>You try that? >>Yeah, I will later! I'll try that later.
>>Dishes are important. Prawn we call "Har" so its "Hee Hee Ha Ha" that means happy. Chicken
is more important, chicken every day "Chicken noise". Fish called "yu"(chinese) that mean
good for saving up the money, saving some money.
>>So they all have meaning? >>All have meaning! Yeah. The east mushroom
its called (Chinese) that is very good when you eat more, your job is good, you'll go
up, everything is right. >>I'll remember to eat more then!
>>You need to eat more! >>So for your business, how does Chinese New
Year affect it? Is it more busy? >>This few years, a little bit different,
the English people are quite interested in the Chinese New Year. They always ask me "When
are you celebrating Chinese New Year?" "You got new dish?" You got anything, something
special?" Normally we do Lion Dancing. >>In here?
>>In here! Yeah. The last couple of years, I tell you I've been doing that. Normally
got two day. >>For fifteen days?
>>No, inside the fifteen days! >>Okay, I see. That would be hard work!
[Laughs] >>Normally on the Sunday the family will coming.
The customers , the family will come with children. They are very happy.
>>Oh, so it's very elaborate, very social? >>Oh yeah. Very happy. Lion Dance, boom boom
boom. [Hand movement]
>> All around here. Makes it more nosiy, but makes it very happy. Good for business.
>>So for Chinese New Year, what is your favourite part out of the whole thing? What would you
say is the best thing that you can sell to all our viewers?
>>[Pause] I think it's the first day. >>The first day?
>>Yes, the first day. We wake up, oh totally different. The first day of the year. I get
one year older. [Laughs]
>>A new start! [Laughs]
>>Well thank you, very much for that. It's very interesting.
>>Okay, thank you, Michael. >>So here with me, we have the owner's son,
Adam, to find out what the younger generation think about Chinese New Year... So, what does
Chinese New Year mean to you, personally? >>Personally, like my father, Chinese New
Year means a fresh start... so it's kind of leaving behind all the bad things and moving
on. >> I personally love and I'm sure everyone
loves birthdays, Christmas because you get loads of presents. It's the best part. So
what about this event. Do you get gifts? >>Yeah, it's not so much a gift, it's more
a giving of good fortune that comes in the form of red envelopes. You can get a little
bit of extra money. >>Little bit extra pocket money, okay! So....
for Chinese New Year, tell me what is your favourite thing, if you had to sell it to
our viewers, what would it be? >>Favourite thing about Chinese New Year has
to be uniting your family who live all over the place, in just the one place. Everybody
gathers round for a meal. >>So it brings family and friends together.
>>It's just nice. >>Wicked, yeah. Well thank you very much for
that. >>My pleasure.
>>So, thanks to Forbidden City for giving us more of an insight on the Chinese New Year.
(Chinese) to you... And I'm going to get on with what I really came for. See you later!