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| Image from malaysiakini.com |
Chinese traditions are deeply rooted on implicit significant that is not so easily understood by outsider. The meaning of AngPow is just not a “Red” packet. It has farfetched meanings as to who are the giver and the recipients. They mean entirely different things. Although simple enough AngPow contains money, the significant is not its monetary content but gestures and merits, which is very “Zen” alike which is also blended with “Karmic” significant. Unlike trade where one gives away a form of a service or goods in return for a considerable sum of money, giving and receiving AngPow means entirely different things.
For a Chinese Metaphysics consultant receiving AngPow from its Client signify beyond just completing its due diligent, but the essence that what has been taken away from the act has been replenished back for the prosperity of both the giver and the receiver so that there is no Karmic bond between the act, the actions and the results of it.
For a married couple to give AngPow to singles during Chinese New Year is not just an obligation but a gentle reminder for children to remain innocent and lovely while single to be upgraded to be a giver coming year. Receiving AngPow from an elder or senior means a well being for longevity to the giver and proper growth for the receiver. Definitely not everybody can simply give and receive.
Similarly so, when one receives education from a master, in return of a tea ceremony is an AngPow given from the master to his pupil. Other paraphernalia are bowl, chopstick, cane and so forth which bear many forms of significant.
The current fiasco in Malaysia, detail read HERE, is the amplification of the lack of understanding and the superficial knowledge of the Chinese traditions. By virtue of giving the supposedly AngPow in white envelope, it is no longer AngPow but PekKim or precisely, White Money, some form of donation for the purpose of funeral. If it is given during a happy event, it meant to say the giver is “cursing” the recipients and if the recipient is elderly, it meant to greet short life and sorrowful event. It is not too surprise when it all comes from a nongovernmental organization with racial motives and it happens after 50 years of independent of Malaya and for donkey years, the Chinese has been living in harmony with the locals since the time of early Chinese Dynasty in the Malay Archipelago, there is simply no excuse of not knowing the Chinese traditions and pretending to be liked one, dishing out “angpows”!
Next time, when someone gives AngPow, better think twice and for our fellow practitioners, it is not the content that matters but the significant of the packet bearing its RED.
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