Loss of Tradition

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A tradition is a belief or behavior passed down within a group or society with symbolic meaning with origins in the past. Effective traditions promote a sense of identity and a feeling of belonging. When I was younger, I remember that during every Chinese New Year’s eve everybody in the family, both immediate and extended, would be expected to gather in my house for reunion dinner, no matter how busy they are. Reunion dinner is not just an annual gathering of relatives and having a simple dinner but rather a symbolic meaning of togetherness. Relatives who don’t see each other as often can catch up with each other’s lives and through this dinner, strengthen bonds with one another. We would stay up late and count down towards the New Year and give one another blessings for the New Year. But why is it that as the years pass us by, traditions are gradually lost and/or not practiced by the younger generation? The tradition of celebrating Chinese New Year, to be as noisy as possible, is, according to tales and legend, to chase off the evil spirits as encapsulated by Nian, a mythical beast. Once seen to be the norm, the tradition of extended family members gathering has deteriorated. People now opt for a simple quiet meal with the immediate family. Even for my family, some of my aunts have also opted to have their reunion dinners in their own homes instead of spending it with the rest of us. Why is this so? I believe that this loss of tradition is due to a lack of purpose. According to tales and legends, Nian, the mythical beast, would come on the first day of New Year to eat livestock, crops, and even villagers. The villagers eventually found out that red and loud noises scares Nian away, thus starting the tradition to make as much of a din as possible during Chinese New Year. Through generations and generations, people follow this tradition instinctively but as

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