Preparing for Jade Emperor's Birthday

The Jade Emperor's birthday is on the ninth day of the Lunar New Year, which is tomorrow. This festival is commonly celebrated on a grand scale by the Chinese diaspora from Fujian province. On the night of the eight, an altar is set up with offerings, waiting for the stroke of midnight so as to be the first to offer prayers to the Jade Emperor on his birthday.

A combo miku (re tortoise bun) selling for RM88!

Today I went to Jelutong market in Penang with my mum to get some fruits, and found the market busy as ever with stalls selling everything that you need for the celebration like sugarcane, traditional cakes and even roasted suckling pig.

Dried dates and pickled fruits as offering to Jade Emperor.

A lady picking up 'ang koo kuih', and the look on the seller's face counting his profits is priceless.

This little piggy didn't come home from Jelutong market - RM208 per piggy!

Sugarcanes going like hot cakes.

I have also prepared some Chinese red papercuts. These are used to dress up fruits and stuff being put on the offering table. For me, it is more like to 'cover up' or makeover fruits that have minor blemishes or look uninteresting.

Here's some of my papercuts - to dress up the ugly persimmons.

Tadaaa!!! She looks pretty now, and red.

A pomelo with a red cap.

There is a procession to bring the Jade Emperor image from Hean Boo Thean Temple to Chew Jetty today at 3pm (26/02/2015). Thereafter, at Chew jetty, the altar will be set up for people to offer prayers from midnight onwards, so do have a look if you are there. And this joss paper pineapple that I made myself (289 pieces and two days work!) will be sent off in a big bonfire of josspaper tonight.

We call him Mr. Wilson, and he will get burnt tonite.

My Litte Fig Trees

Here's an update on some of the figs that I am growing. They love the sun, and with ample water and fertiliser, their productivity is unbelievable. These are all green/yellow figs. Together with B110 that is also bearing fruit, I seemed to be having a green fig run this time around.

White Sicilian Fig - there are 13 developing synconia. They take about 3 months to ripen.

Another 6 on a side shoot.

2-3 more on a smaller, lower shoot

Above is a White Sicilian Fig that I have posted before in this post. With the end of the rainy season, the new growths are carrying 21 little figlets. This is just from a one year old fig 'tree' planted from cutting.

This is supposed to be LSU Gold, even though the source of the cutting isn't too sure. But the stalkless or 'necked' synconia reminiscent of Col de Dama figs and the rather flattened shape are characteristics of LSU Gold. I just have to wait for it to ripen.

This is somewhat 'necked', ie the fruit does not have a visible stalk - LSU Gold

Another view of the developing synconia.

Hopefully in about one and a half month's time, I get to start picking these figs, and before the birds get to them.

Happy Chinese New Year

Wishing all my friends and family a Happy Lunar New Year. May the Year of the Goat bring you happiness, prosperity and good health. Gong Xi Gong Xi.