27feb，14，10
Version 3 Vol. #8 February 14th, 2010
Greeting from the Unique City of San Ming, China,
San Ming Times 

Happy Chinese New Year!

Bang! Bang! Bang! Boom! These sounds filled the night air as we celebrate the Chinese Lunar New Year in San Ming China. It seemed the whole city exploded in a beautiful array of fireworks as the New Year was born. There are no laws regarding the size of the fireworks so we had some really big bangs! If you want to be précis it is the 4,707th year. Many Chinese people clean their homes, cut their hair, and buy new clothes for the New Year. They also prepare big feasts of duck, chicken, lamb, squid, shrimp and every other living that is eatable. I walked through San Ming in the evening I have seen many people burning golden paper. It is believed that by burning this paper they will be blessed with real gold.

In with the new “tiger” year and out with the old year of the “ox”. The Chinese calendar has twelve rotating animals for every year. I am happy to see the year of the ox go because I was born during the year of the ox and it is Chinese traditional that if it is the animal year of your birth you are required to wear red underwear. I do not know, but I am glad I am no longer required to wear red underwear. In the last several weeks there have been many weddings all over the San Ming city, for many people in China do not want to get married during the year of the tiger. It is considered bad luck.
Thanks for you prayers and support,
Stephen Burkholder