Happy New Year! It's coming up in a couple of days for people of Chinese heritage, and it's one of those holidays, like Christianity's Easter, which varies in date each year. The Chinese calendar is based on a combination of lunar and solar movements. The lunar cycle is about 29.5 days. In order to "catch up" with the solar calendar the Chinese insert an extra month once every seven years out of a 19-year cycle. This is the same as adding an extra day on leap year, but surely a bit more noticeable! And that's why, according to the solar calendar, the Chinese New Year falls on a different date each year. It starts with the eve of the new moon in late January or early February and ends on the full moon 15 days later.

This will be the year 4,700 in the Chinese calendar, and my Multifaith Calendar tells me that the beginning of it will be celebrated by Chinese and others of different religious backgrounds. Although there are religious elements in this holiday, it's more about being Chinese than about being Buddhist or Confucian or Taoist. To me that suggests the very fuzzy divisions which exist in the West too, between religion and culture, our view of the world and our ethnicity. We certainly see this vividly in the United States, where patriotism is so mixed up with moral views, attitudes to other nations, beliefs about what ultimately matters and who's good and evil, despite the supposed separation of Church and State.

Apart from the fact that Unitarians recognize wisdom from the world's religions as one of the sources of our own tradition, and respect the diverse cultures of the world, there is, I think, good reason to be interested in Chinese tradition because it's so rapidly becoming a major part of Canadian life. The 1996 census - the most recent results we have -- show that after French and English, Chinese was the most widespread mother tongue in Canada, being the first language of 715,640 people. That in turn reflects the fact that of the top 10 places of birth for immigrants living in Canada in 1996, totalling nearly 5 million people, Hong Kong and the People's Republic of China were fourth and sixth respectively, accounting together for more than 9% of total immigration, almost half a million people. Chinese people are not a small group within our country, but an essential and valued part of Canada's identity.

It hasn't always been so, alas. The history of the Chinese in Canada is the history of a people who were powerless and discriminated against, a people who persevered against hardship and humiliation. It's the history of a people who sacrificed the present because they had faith that life would be better for future generations. There were Chinese in Canada by the late 1700s, and then as now many of them had borrowed money from relatives and friends to pay for their passage from China. They would work hard and save their money to repay the loans and to support the families they'd left behind. In the 20th century, "chain" migration became a commonplace phenomenon.

The scenario was that the emigrant came on his own and worked until he had saved enough to return to China for a bride, or to bring his family. Despite the differences in the economic backgrounds of the emigrants, they all clung to their cultural heritage, so that once the immigrants were in Canada, Chinese ways of thinking and doing things were frozen in time and space. The features of many Chinese communities, with their divisions between the merchant class and labourers, and the importance of the Confucian order in human relationships, were a close parallel to China's rural village society.

Ah - I mentioned "the Confucian order in human relationships". Whereas the other two major religions of China, Buddhism, and Taoism, have attracted many followers in the West and have become quite familiar to us, very few of us have much idea what Confucianism is all about. It began at a time in human history which was quite extraordinary for the birth and development of religious thought and philosophical ideas worldwide. Confucius (the English pronunciation of a Chinese name) was born in 551 BCE in what's now Shantung Province.

He lived during the Chou dynasty, which was a time known for its moral laxity. He's known mostly for his writings, which deal mosly with individual morality and ethics, and the proper exercise of political power by the rulers. Beliefs take a very decidedly second place to practice in Confucian thought. Most Unitarians can probably relate to that! Moreover, in China, and some other areas in Asia, the social ethics and moral teachings of Confucius are blended with the Taoist communion with nature and Buddhist concepts of the afterlife, to form a set of complementary, peacefully co-existent and ecumenical religions. Oh, if only Christianity and paganism, for example, had been able to work out such mutual appreciation!

Confucian ethical teachings include the following values:

A deep respect for ritual, propriety, etiquette, - "doing things right".
Love within the family - the love of parents for children and of children for their parents.
Righteousness, honesty and trustworthiness.
Benevolence, humaneness towards others - this is considered the highest Confucian virtue.
Loyalty to the state - something close to the kind of patriotism I mentioned earlier.

These values translate into Confucian practice in the form of everyday ethics and in rituals which have been in place since the time of the Han dynasty (206 CE), particularly those around birth, marriage, and death.

The distinction between Confucian ethics and traditional concepts of religion can be seen in some of the common practices around death. When someone dies, the family starts mourning and puts on clothes made of a coarse material. The corpse is washed and placed in a coffin; mourners bring incense and money to offset the cost of the funeral; food and significant objects of the deceased person are placed into the coffin. Nothing too surprising so far, but note this: a Buddhist or Taoist priest (or even a Christian minister) performs the burial ritual. We sometimes think we have "hyphenated" members - Unitarian Christians, Pagan Unitarians, Unitarian Humanists and so on. Well, in China there's nothing unusual about Buddhist Confucians or Confucian Taoists, mixing up some of the world's greatest religions! What's more, there are six schools of Confucianism, numerous kinds of Buddhism, and I'm not sure about Taoism but I'd be willing to guess that they're not all identical. China demonstrates, I think, that even if religious unity is unlikely, appreciation of religious diversity can flourish! Perhaps one of the most important things we can learn from Chinese thought is "both/ and" not "either/ or"!


Back for a moment to the story of Chinese immigration to Canada. For about 30 years in the late 1800s, Chinese immigrants were permitted to enter and leave Canada without restriction. Then the federal government began to restrict Chinese immigration by means of a head tax. That ended with the Immigration Act of 1923 which virtually prohibited any Chinese immigrant from entering Canada. Naturally, the Chinese population across Canada went down, and some of the settlement clusters known as "Chinatowns" disappeared forever. After the Exclusion Act was repealed in 1947, the admission of Chinese immigrants resumed.

The Chinese, like other immigrants who came to North America in the 19th century, came with the hope of seeking a better life or finding a fortune in the New World. However, unlike European immigrants who were accepted as permanent immigrants, the Chinese were always viewed as temporary workers, to be used in low-paying and dangerous jobs. Consequently, they were blamed by the labouring class for lowering wages. (Hmmmh, maybe not much has changed about that!) They were brought in as cheap labour, and Chinese people soon became the scapegoat of the times. Every social ill was blamed on them, including epidemics, overcrowding, opium smoking, prostitution, and corruption of all kinds. The financial costs and social hostility discouraged many Chinese from bringing their families. In fact, normal family life was restricted to a small elite group, with most Chinese immigrants, mostly men, living as bachelors. Since many of them had wives and families to support in China, they lived in crowded boarding houses for economy's sake.

At the end of the great period of railway construction, and partly because of the growing hostility towards the Chinese in British Columbia, many Chinese moved eastward across Canada; to establish Chinese settlements east of the Rockies. Wherever they went, they were discriminated against, in just about every sector of society. In fact, no other immigrant group has ever been subjected to the same legislative controls - from the restrictions on occupational competition, exclusion from immigration and the withdrawal of citizenship rights. In spite of the essential contributions made by the Chinese in developing Canada's pioneer industries, they were hardly ever viewed as social equals. Some of you are probably thinking that much of this history applies to many other immigrant groups; that's true, I believe, and teaches us a lot about our human tendency to xenophobia - fear of difference. I think it's also important to recognize the unique characteristics of each story: the Chinese story, like the other stories, is special.

In spite of the racist discrimination they faced, Chinese Canadians were determined to do their fair share in the broader Canadian effort in wartime. The Canadian government didn't want to draft Chinese Canadians into active service, because they were afraid that the Chinese would claim the right to vote if they were allowed to carry arms. (What an outrageous idea!) The Chinese themselves were of two minds. One side argued, "No vote, no fight." The other side was "Fight now, vote later." Many in this group applied to the American armed forces, where they were acceptable. But the debate goes on, doesn't it, far beyond any ethnic or minority group - do we change things best from the inside or the outside, by going along with the system and trying to influence it, or by refusing to participate in institutions which don't see us as equals?

The long struggle for civil rights mobilized Chinese people in Canada into a tight-knit and cohesive group, just as was the case with the Black struggle for civil rights in the United States. (Incidentally, February is Black History month, and I've been struck by the thought that to honour the struggles of one minority group is in a small sense at least to honour them all, however distinct their various histories are.) Each successive generation of Chinese in Canada, as in the case of other ethnic groups who've suffered discrimination and hardship, has sought to rectify the wrongs of past that had been done to their elders and to the pioneers who came as cheap labourers. And as our now Governor General Adrienne Clarkson remarked on a visit to China in 1979,

"I know that as a Chinese who has an irrevocable commitment to the West I am a source of pride [in China] because I have done well and because they know all those coolies and laundrymen and lonely old men running restaurants could have done it just as I did if they had had the chance..."

I'm so glad she didn't say, "if they were like me," but "if they had had the chance." So many people just don't have the chance. Now, with that bit of background, let's get back to Chinese New Year! Legend tells of a village in China, thousands of years ago, that was ravaged by an evil monster one winter's eve, and again the next year. Before it could happen a third time, the villagers devised a plan to scare the monster away. The color red was believed to protect against evil, so red banners were hung everywhere. Firecrackers, drums and gongs were used to create loud noises to scare the beast away. The plan worked and the celebration which followed lasted several days while people visited with each other, exchanged gifts, danced and feasted together. This story has been recalled ever since, in the celebration of Chinese New Year.

In China now, and in Canada, New Year's Eve and New Year's Day are still celebrated as a family affair, a time of reunion and thanksgiving. Preparations tend to begin a month before the big day, when people start buying presents, decorations, food and clothing. (Yes, it's commercial!) A huge clean-up gets underway a few days before the holiday begins, when houses are cleaned from top to bottom, to sweep away any traces of bad luck, and woodwork is given a new coat of paint, usually red for good luck. The doors and windows are then decorated with paper cutouts with themes such as happiness, wealth and longevity printed on them.

The New Year's Eve ritual was traditionally highlighted with a religious ceremony in honor of Heaven and Earth, the gods of the household and the family ancestors. The religious observances may have diminished, but the honouring of the ancestors is still an important part of the tradition. Departed relatives are remembered with great respect because they were responsible for laying the foundations for the fortune and glory of the family. Their continuing presence is acknowledged with a dinner (usually a feast of seafood and dumplings) arranged for them at the banquet table; their spirits, together with the living, are believed to celebrate as one family. It's usual to wear something red as this colour is meant to ward off evil spirits; black and white are out, as these are associated with mourning. At midnight, the sky everywhere is lit up by fireworks, then lights are kept on for the rest of the night.

Early on the day itself, just like Christmas morning, an ancient custom called Red Packet, takes place, which involves giving children money in red envelopes. The amount is usually an even number as odd numbers are regarded as unlucky. Then the family begins to go from door to door with their greetings, first to their relatives and then their neighbours. Like the Western saying "let bygones be bygones," at Chinese New Year, grudges are supposed to be cast aside.

The fifteen days of the holiday are rather like the twelve days of Christmas, only more so, with specific observances for each day. The first day is dedicated to "the welcoming of the gods of the heavens and earth." Many people abstain from meat on this first day of the new year because they believe this will ensure long and happy lives for them. On the second day, the Chinese pray both to their ancestors and to all the gods. They're extra kind to dogs that day, because it's kept as the birthday of all dogs. The third and fourth days are for honouring parents-in-law. On the fifth day people stay home to welcome the God of Wealth; visiting families and friends that day will bring both parties bad luck.

On the sixth day, though, the Chinese happily resume visiting back and forth, and also visit the temples to pray for good fortune and health. The seventh day is the day for farmers to display their produce, and it's also considered the communal birthday of all human beings. Noodles are the traditional birthday food to promote longevity and raw fish are eaten for success in life. On the eighth day there's often another family reunion dinner, and at midnight special prayers to the God of Heaven. The ninth day is to make offerings to the Jade Emperor, and on the tenth day you should invite more friends and relatives for dinner. Visiting and dinner parties go on through the eleventh and twelfth days, but after so much rich food, on the thirteenth day you should have simple rice congee and mustard greens to cleanse the system. Then the fourteenth day is for preparations to celebrate the Lantern Festival, to be held on the final night, the fifteenth, with singing, dancing and lantern shows.

Someone has pointed out what a great opportunity Chinese New Year provides for westerners. By this time of the year, most resolutions made on December 31 have been forgotten or placed in a cupboard marked "maybe next year." However, all hope is not lost, as there's a second chance to start afresh by tuning in to this celebration on February 12th. The underlying message of the festival, as of all great holidays, is one of peace and happiness. And mixed up with all the legends and beliefs which might be considered superstitious is the hope that this peace and happiness, which has been so elusive in the past, now has a fresh possibility of achievement, just because this is a new year, a blank sheet, a fresh start.

May it be so for us. May we renew our hopes for peace and happiness, strengthen our resolve to bring them about, honour the ancestors (familial and spiritual) who have laid the foundations for us, and then celebrate with joy all the richness with which we already are blessed.