austraLasia
1414
Gung hay fat
choy! Happy dog year! Spring
Festival!
28th January 2006, anywhere in
the Chinese diaspora -- With bird flu on the rise, there's an audible
sigh of relief amongst several billion Chinese, and nations which hold to the
Lunar Calendar, as the Year of the Rooster gives way to the Year of the
Dog. The origins of Chinese New Year celebrations are lost in antiquity,
but the story of Nian the man-eating monster, seems to be part of
it. To tell it very briefly, Nian would appear on two occasions in the
year, this lunar beginning of Spring being one of them (try telling people in
much of Europe at the moment that it is Spring!). A villager worked out
that it was more the panic surrounding Nian's appearance that destroyed people,
not so much Nian himself, so he organised people to come together, make noise,
bang drums, let off fire crackers and have much revelry. Nian got so
scared by it all that he fled, was tracked down and killed.
Amen.
In Vietnam they call this time 'Tet', but no matter
where one is, Saigon, Singapore or Sydney, the Chinese New Year is an important
occasion for celebration, and one fifth of the world's population is celebrating
it, after all. In Korea, dogs will certainly be more circumspect on this occasion; they would prefer 'dog's best
friend' to share his table with the dog rather than share the dog with the
table!
However, while it seems an almost unconscionable switch of topic, we are brought back to
earth in all the revelry precisely by a Salesian working in China, in Macao
actually, who writes on behalf of those for whom he works day in and day out -
Hansen's disease sufferers, or leprosy as many used know it. Fr Robert
Tonetto addresses his letter to 'dear confreres in Asia', wishes everyone a
happy Spring Festival then hopes that his topic might find widespread
dispersal. He attaches a letter from Cardinal Barragan, head of the
Pontifical Council for health pastoral care. In that letter, and in a much
more recent one that I have found since, the Cardinal outlines the history of
Catholic pastoral work for Hansen's disease and its sufferers. We cannot
say much about this here but Don Bosco is very active on their behalf in
China. The point of all this is that January 29th, Chinese New Year day
is, this year, the 53rd World Leprosy Day. The disease is on the decrease,
thank God. The number of sufferers has halved over the past six
years.
"On 29 January, in particular, we invite our
communities to "remember" during the Eucharistic Celebration of the Total Body
of Christ present in so many people and in families that still suffer because of
the disease of leprosy, with the hope and wish that the Eucharist, the
actualization and expression of the saving love and solidarity of God for us and
for all men, becomes a spring of our greater love and solidarity towards people
suffering from, and sick with, leprosy, a spring that is able to build up a more
just, a more fraternal, mankind, a mankind at peace". Thus says the
Cardinal. The English is torturous, and his use of the 'spring' metaphor may not
have been offered in any connection with the Spring Festival, but the
coincidence is providential. Leprosy is a terrible disease. 24
nations worldwide have to deal with it and India alone has 500,000 news cases
per annum.
The Chinese temper their animal symbol each
year with one of the basic elements like fire, water, earth, metal,
wood.... This year 2006 (or is it 4703-4) it is not just any dog, but Fire
Dog, an irresistible, adventurous, charismatic dog. This dog only comes
around every 60 years and is meant to be unusually prosperous, an improvement in
the human condition. Let's hope so!
VOCABULARY
circumspect: wary, on the lookout
unconscionable: not right, not
just
_____________________
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