Ever experienced the ceremony of Lo Hei? It’s a Chinese New Year tradition that originated from southern China and was brought to Malaya (Malaysia & Singapore) by Chinese immigrants back in the 1920’s.  On Thursday, February 19, about 50 students and staff celebrated Chinese and Korean New Year on campus. The celebrations included the food-tossing ceremony, Lo Hei, alongside traditional music, decorations and other activities.

The tradition of Lo Hei or Lo Sheng stems from the phrase’s Cantonese meaning of ‘tossing up good fortune’ using Yee Sheng or Raw Fish Salad that symbolises ‘an abundance of wealth and long life’. The word hei or ‘rise’ is in reference to a thriving business or prosperity and thus its popularity amongst the business community during the Lunar New Year. Consisting of white and green radish, carrots, capsicum, turnips, red pickled ginger, slices of raw fish (commonly salmon), crackers, topped with fragrant dressing of plum sauce, five spice powder, sesame oil, this dish is usually served as an appetiser. Families and friends gather to toss the ingredients while saying well wishes out loud to usher in good luck. It is believed the higher you toss the ingredients in the salad, the greater your fortunes will be.

Student and Alumni Engagement Coordinator, Tom Chan, says learning about different international customs like Lo Hei is key for  students who will graduate and move on to work in an increasingly globalized and multicultural business environment. Celebrating national holidays is part of Acsenda’s emphasis on promoting international thinking and cross cultural awareness. It also helps international students feel more at home.

Watch a video of the event at The Province web site: http://www.theprovince.com/Video+Traditonal+Chinese+Year+ceremony/10827480/story.html