Lunar Year Customs – Spring Rice (農曆正月習俗之春飯)

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Spring Rice (春飯), in Chinese known as Chun Fan, in Hokkien known as Choon Pheng. A very Ancient Tradition Hokkien Custom or in some other contexts known as Fan Chun Hua (飯春花) aka Pheng Choon Huey.

On the Eve of Lunar New Year, every Hokkien Family will need to prepare a bowl of Rice. This bowl of Rice must be cook from a new bag of raw-rice, after the rice is cooked, scoop freshly from the top layer while its hot and then, place the rice into a clean Red-bowl.

On top of the rice, a Paper-form Flower is being placed, this Paper-form Flower is known as Chun Hua (春花) aka Spring Flower or Blossom Flower of the Spring Season. Besides that, 2 same-size Red-dates (紅棗) must be stick into the rice.

When can one self get the Paper-form Flower?

Just go to any Incense-shops, you will be able to see the different forms of Chun Hua being displayed for selling.

If you are preparing a BIG bowl of Spring Rice, then you can get a bigger size Chun Hua, but not all shops will have that size for you.

So after prepared?

Once the Spring Rice is prepared, it will be placed onto the Main Altar at Home or the Desk in the Main Hall of the House. Some Hokkiens will also dedicate a bowl to the Ancestors, this is encouraged.

So what does this Spring Rice represents?

Due to the Pronunciation of Chun aka Spring in Hokkien got the same Pronunciation as Chun aka Leaving, Overflow or Excess in Hokkien, Hokkiens prepared this bowl of Spring Rice to represent all over the year, the family will be bestowed with Overloading Wealth & Food.

Not only that, Flower as to represent Good Career Luck, in Chinese known as Jin Shang Tian Hua (錦上添花), whereas Red-dates to represent bearing more Children aka Zao Sheng Gui Zi (早生貴子).

So do we eat the Spring Rice?

No, this bowl of Spring Rice is supposes to be placed on the Main Altar or at Home till the 4th Day of Lunar New Year.

Only after the 4th Day then the Spring Rice will be removed, this is to represent Chun aka Leaving Over or Excess.

For some Hokkiens, they will pour the Rice out to check on the color-change at the bottom of the Rice.

If the color is Bright-red (大紅), meaning that, that year, the whole family will be blessed with Good Luck.

If the color is Dark-red (褐紅), meaning that, that year, the whole family will be blessed with Medium Good Luck.

Whereas, if the color is brown or dark brown (褐或黑褐), that the family will have to work harder for Good Luck to be bestowed on.

So how to dispose the Spring Rice?

Some Hokkiens will burn the Rice while they are offering incense-paper while ushering the Deities back. If not, just wrap in a plastic bag and dispose into the Rubbish-chute.