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Since today is officially the Chinese New Year (it’s the Year of the Rat), I thought it would be fun to write about some of my experiences while living in Taiwan back in 2000.

I was stationed in the city of Hsinchu for about three months while building one of the many semiconductor manufacturing facilities located in the Hsinchu Science and Technology Industrial Park.

It was my idea all along (before I had ever heard of blogging) to eventually write a travel book, or series of books, called Travels with Bob. So while there, I journaled extensively about my experiences, mostly in the form of emails to Mrs. MZM (who unfortunately had to stay home).

Alas, the travel book never materialized (although you never know; it might be revived one day). In the meantime, and thanks to the Internet, I invite you to travel along with me.

[Editor’s Note: This is part one of a two-part post. Stay tuned tomorrow for the exciting, thrill-packed, er, Part 2]

A Little Background

The Chinese New Year is the main holiday for this entire part of the world. In fact, most people plan their annual vacations around it. But not everyone stays put; many folks go to places like Thailand, Indonesia, or Australia.

Traditionally, this holiday is usually spent with families (but then, aren’t most?) Luckily, most people get at least a few days off from work (unless they’re in retail – but more on that later). Some workers get as many as ten days, and nearly all students are off from school, too.

Like Mardi Gras, the Chinese start their celebrating about two weeks early. Also like Mardi Gras, it’s one long party! And just to keep things lively, fireworks are as common as fleas; it was an unusual night when at least a few big boomers didn’t go off.

Of course, the Chinese don’t celebrate Christmas. But, I was surprised to find they treat it almost exactly the same way Westerners do, including a Santa-like figure that shows up at your door with money or gifts (everyone exchanges gifts, just like we do in the West).

Instead of gifts, though, sometimes they give each other “good luck money”: money placed inside small red envelopes, with good wishes for prosperity, peace, and success written on them.

To add to the festive look, all the bigger stores display their Christmas decorations until the New Year’s celebrations are over (usually sometime in February – I wish Mrs. MZM would let me keep the Christmas tree up that long *sigh*), and holiday music still sounds from the muzak systems. (Actually, it’s kinda fun listening to Chinese versions of familiar Christmas carols.)

It’s also one long shopping spree, too - unlike in the U.S., nearly all stores stay open for business throughout the holidays. Many keep later-than-usual hours to take advantage of the extra crowds walking around at night. (Why do they walk around at night? Stay tuned to tomorrow’s post for that one!)

Finally, The Day Arrived

New Year’s Eve was a many-hours-long succession of spectacular fireworks, hand-thrown firecrackers, and late night shopping downtown. Of course, I heard fireworks going off every now and then over the last two weeks, but on this night it’s pretty much a constant background noise.

Along toward midnight, they got more frequent, and much, much bigger. They didn’t have a big organized event like we might have back home, though; people just set them off whenever and wherever they wanted. Every now and then, a whole string was set off, lasting as long as several minutes. You could hear the echoes roaring and rocking back and forth among the downtown buildings.

Finally, it all ended about 1:00 am. I guess everyone must have gone to bed because I didn’t hear a single pop after that (also unlike back home)! But the next morning (which was the actual New Year’s Day), I was awakened about 10:15 (OK, so I slept late!) by a tremendous racket. (Not exactly my favorite way to wake up, but it certainly got my attention!)

Just a few blocks from my hotel (although it sounded like the room next door!), a band of colorfully-costumed drummers performed right in front of the main entrance to the SOGO store (a large Japanese department store). Evidently organized by the store management, there were also two official-looking characters standing beside the still-closed doors.

Well, the drummers did their thing (making quite a racket with the echoes and all), and while this was going on, several people set off long strings (about 50 feet long) of fireworks. Absolutely deafening! Everybody was obviously having a great time, though; even though we all had our hands over our ears…

Each long string of firecrackers took almost two minutes to finish, drummers banging away in spectacular cadences all the while. It was fantastic – they were really quite good. Finally, as a finale (the traditional ending), one last blast went off underneath a small decorated paper box, shooting it about 20 feet into the air.

The Dragon Dance

Then, the drummers moved aside to make room for a dragon dance. Usually, the dragon figures are made of paper, and can be as many as 50 or more performers long. This time, though, there were only two men per dragon (I found this video clip – very much like the one I saw), so it was an, er, “short” performance (Bwa-ha-ha-ha! Sorry.)

Of course, the dragons were quite colorful and elaborate – their eyelids and ears flapped away at the kids in the audience, giving them a thrill and making them and their parents jump back, laughing. They danced, jumping up high and dipping down low, and then it looked like the two dragons began to get a bit friendly, wrapping their necks together and bumping heads.

After a time, a man ran out in the street and placed a large red pail containing fruits and vegetables on the ground in front of the two dragons. He offered a pineapple to one dragon, who took it in his mouth. The other dragon was offered a different vegetable (it looked like a fat white carrot). (The pineapple represents hospitality, and the other one represents prosperity.)

The dragons then began taking turns bending low over the pail, while the crowd (obviously knowing what to expect) surrounded them, gathering right up close. Suddenly, one dragon jumped up, and candy flew out over the crowd! It was hilarious; everybody went absolutely nuts, adults and children alike! After a few minutes, the other dragon did the same with his pail, resulting in a melee of epic proportions.

Finally, the two officials from the store walked up to the dragons and offered each of them “good luck” money envelopes, then officially opened the store for the day. The crowd gathered thickly around the doors as they opened, pouring in like a human waterfall. You’d think it was a girdle sale at Macys!

[That’s all for today! Come back tomorrow for Part 2 – the Hsinchu Night Market.]

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