Sister So Shun Ching was giving red eggs today in celebration of her granddaughter turning 1 month.
This intrigued me, so I asked what was her purpose in doing this?
This is what I have learned.
It is all about the birth and the naming of a baby.
One wouldn't normally think an egg and naming babies have anything to do with each other. However, in China, there is a very significant reason for relating these two things.
Traditionally, a newborn was not given a name or formally accepted into the family until one month of age, because infant mortality rates in China were high. A baby who reached one month of age was more likely to survive, and so the event was celebrated by having a Red Egg & Ginger Party.
This is a time when proud parents introduced their new baby to friends and relatives, and the baby was given a name.
The naming of the baby was very important because the Chinese believed that one's name can influence everything that happens in life. In selecting a name, it was up to the family to decide if the given name will be the child's formal name or a 'milk name.'
The milk name is a nickname used until the child starts school, or even up until marriage. Often a girls' name was chosen for a boy, because it was thought that a male child was the 'special prey of evil spirits' and that these spirits will be tricked if the boy had a girl's name.
A child's formal name was usually picked by it's grandparents or in some areas, a fortuneteller. This was the name presented during the Red Egg and Ginger Party.
Red is significant because it represents happiness and good luck.
Eggs are significant because they symbolize fertility and the renewal of life. Their shape is associated with harmony and unity.
Ginger is important because in the yin (cold) and yang (warm) balance of Chinese food, ginger adds a touch of 'hotness' to the nutritional needs of the new mother, who is tired and weak after giving birth.
Guests received red-dyed eggs and ginger at the party.
The baby naming ceremony has been an important part of the Chinese culture throughout history. It is not as widely celebrated now as it was in traditional times, but it is still practiced by some.
There are other traditions surrounding the baby's birth, up through adulthood, but the naming ritual takes precedence over them all.
This intrigued me, so I asked what was her purpose in doing this?
This is what I have learned.
It is all about the birth and the naming of a baby.
One wouldn't normally think an egg and naming babies have anything to do with each other. However, in China, there is a very significant reason for relating these two things.
Traditionally, a newborn was not given a name or formally accepted into the family until one month of age, because infant mortality rates in China were high. A baby who reached one month of age was more likely to survive, and so the event was celebrated by having a Red Egg & Ginger Party.
This is a time when proud parents introduced their new baby to friends and relatives, and the baby was given a name.
The naming of the baby was very important because the Chinese believed that one's name can influence everything that happens in life. In selecting a name, it was up to the family to decide if the given name will be the child's formal name or a 'milk name.'
The milk name is a nickname used until the child starts school, or even up until marriage. Often a girls' name was chosen for a boy, because it was thought that a male child was the 'special prey of evil spirits' and that these spirits will be tricked if the boy had a girl's name.
A child's formal name was usually picked by it's grandparents or in some areas, a fortuneteller. This was the name presented during the Red Egg and Ginger Party.
Red is significant because it represents happiness and good luck.
Eggs are significant because they symbolize fertility and the renewal of life. Their shape is associated with harmony and unity.
Ginger is important because in the yin (cold) and yang (warm) balance of Chinese food, ginger adds a touch of 'hotness' to the nutritional needs of the new mother, who is tired and weak after giving birth.
Guests received red-dyed eggs and ginger at the party.
The baby naming ceremony has been an important part of the Chinese culture throughout history. It is not as widely celebrated now as it was in traditional times, but it is still practiced by some.
There are other traditions surrounding the baby's birth, up through adulthood, but the naming ritual takes precedence over them all.
2 comments:
Nicole (McKinnon) Swenson has posted about this on her blog, when they did it for their little guys :) I've always been envious of all the many traditions of other ethnicities, and wanted some unique traditions as well. I've been trying to investigate some from our heritage. Though I am extremely grateful we don't have the tradition of giving our firstborn to grandparents.
What a neat tradition. I too am with Meagan, it is so neat to see and learn about all the traditions these other ethnicities have. I think with us Americans, since we are such a hodge podge of many different cultures, that we don't have all the traditions that other countries have. Guess it's time to start some of our own. =]
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