Offer pears for money, pineapples for prosperity

People read their fortune in the Year of the Horse will go according to their Chinese zodiac. (CDN PHOTO/ JUNJIE MENDOZA)

Do good deeds, speak  good words, and think good thoughts.

That, plus offering food and gathering family members together, are what people must do to welcome the Chinese New Year, according to Buddha’s Light International Association (BLIA) Cebu Chapter.

Whether of Christian or Buddhist persuasion, people should offer fruits to obtain wisdom and enlightenment, BLIA president Susan Tan said.

Four kinds of fruits must be offered at the center of the table in every home. All kinds of fruits will do, said Tan, because fruits in general mean good health and unity for families.

BLIA treasurer Anita Go, however, suggested apples for safety, oranges for good luck and pears for money.

Tan also said the most important fruit to prepare,  especially for businessmen, is pineapple which stands for prosperity. Traditions during the Chinese New Year are not only for the Chinese but also for Filipinos, she stressed. They have traditions of honoring Buddha, for example. Christians can also make use of the occasion to honor God and as an opportunity for the whole family to gather.

Go added that the offerings and rituals are just part of the celebration, as blessings and successes in life will only come to people who do good to other people.

“We follow the three rules: Do good deeds, speak good words, and think good thoughts to others,” said Go.

The Fo Guang Shan Chu Un Temple along V. Rama street in Cebu City will be open to the public when they welcome the Chinese New Year which will start at eight o’clock tonight.

The temple is open to everyone. Those who want to offer food at the altar may bring back home the food that they offered so that the entire family can partake and eat the offering.

An exhibit of more than 50 figurines and paintings of horses will be opened today at the temple.

Master You Lin, officer-in-charge of the Chu Un Temple, said they came up with the “Noble Steed Exhibit” to reflect the gentle and giving nature of horses.

“These horses are from the private collections of Chinese families in Cebu. We had this idea to show how to share happiness to others by displaying these collections,” says Master You Lin.

Several figurines of horses in blue, green and white are on display. The items are made of jade, porcelain and bronze. Paintings of horse-driven carriages are also part of the exhibit.

RELATED STORY:

Francis Gaw: fengshui master and psychic