Chinese Traditions: The Lion Dance

The Lion dance is one of the many Chinese traditions that you can find in the Chinese culture. Over the centuries little has changed in this traditional Chinese dance.

The definition of lion dance from wikipedia

Lion dance (Simplified Chinese: 舞狮; Traditional Chinese: 舞獅; pinyin: wǔshī) is a form of traditional dance in Chinese culture, in which performers mimic a lion's movements in a lion costume.

The lion costume may be operated by a single dancer, or more frequently by a pair of dancers. The single dancer springs about while energetically moving and shaking the head and operating the jaws and eyes. The pair of dancers, forming the back and fore legs of the beast, mimic the motions of a single animal as they move between platforms of varying elevations. The dance is traditionally accompanied by gongs, drums and firecrackers, representing the descent of good luck.

The History

The lion dance originated in China close to a thousand years ago. The lion is traditionally regarded as a guardian creature. It is featured in Buddhist lore, being the mount of Manjusri. There are different variations of the lion dance in other Asian cultures including mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau, Japan, Okinawa, Korea, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Singapore, with each region possessing their own styles.

Chinese lion dances can be broadly categorised into two styles, Northern (北獅) and Southern (南獅).

Northern dance was used as entertainment for the imperial court. The northern lion is usually red, orange, and yellow (sometimes with green fur for the female lion), shaggy in appearance, with a golden head. The northern dance is acrobatic and is mainly performed as entertainment.

Southern dance is more symbolic. It is usually performed as a ceremony to exorcise evil spirits and to summon luck and fortune. The southern lion exhibits a wide variety of colour and has a distinctive head with large eyes, a mirror on the forehead, and a single horn at center of the head.

The Lion dance is often confused with the Chinese Dragon Dance, which features a team of around ten or more dancers. The Lion Dance usually consists of two people.

I still remember when I was a little kid, I loved watching the lion dance. If we pass through a house and there is a lion dance performance going on in the house, I would ask my dad to stop the car and I will watch the dance with awe. My mum re-called that there was once when I was still a kid no more than 10 years old I guess... I would nag my parents to buy me those small lion... and I am quite a demanding kid too. They wanted to get me the kiddy type I guess and I answered them.

Little Edwin : I don't want this one, I want the eyes can snip snip one.....
Mum : eyes can snip snip?
Little Edwin : Neh the eyes can snip snip one... this one the eye cannot snip snip one.
Mum : (Finally she gets what I meant)... oh it is the eyes can blink not snip.
Little Edwin : oh...I want that one...the eye can blink blink one...

or this could be my answer.
Mum : (Finally she gets what I meant)... oh it is the eyes can blink not snip snip.
Little Edwin : .......................

My dad also got me a tape where it plays the drums, gongs, cymbals together and I would take my lion head and dance around as if I am a pro... (bleh >.<") come to think of it, very embarrassing... ha ha. Not only that when relatives who comes and visit our house I would put the tape and dance for them... I would follow what the professionals do. But when they ask me to join the real thing I would run and hide...cause I felt shy.... gosh... do I even have this 2 words "shy and embarrass" in my dictionary when I was a kid. But I outgrew all this soon. Never the less, I still like to watch people performing the lion dance. But I don't stop the car on purpose just to see it. Unless they are beautiful girls... LOL.... sheesh.... I am getting more perverted each day.

Well here are some photos that I have taken this Chinese New Year. So enjoy.... oh ya not forgetting the video.

The performers

Fooling with the photos....

**lefr... should be the word Left... sorry typo

The Video

Virus attack!!

NOOOO!! to think that I have just reformated my computer a few days ago.... and today the virus scanner tells me that it has found virus in my com again!

Well actually the other day I just reformated my C drive only not my entire computer... but that is bad enough. I assumed that since my D drive is my storage area there won't be any virus attacked there... tsk tsk...how naive can I get... in the end D drive was the worst affected so now here I am sitting getting ready to clean my computer again... this is going to be another long night... =(


The weather is being kind to me too... strong wind and torrential rain....

blek.....>.<" last reading 268 threats!!! all healed successfully... but why take the chances =)

*Ahemz...* Due to the recent reformated pc I have yet to install my photoshop. So these images are generated by paint =)

Back to reality

Kuching City @ night

Sighs after a long holidays it is time again to return to the harsh reality.... so I guess it is back o my books and my work... the only thing is this sem I have to work really hard. If I fail any of my subjects again I'll get excluded from my uni's course sighs.... So i have to gambateh...

So far I am back to the life of working and studying but if i can't cope with my studies I might have to give up on my part-time job... oh well just hope I can do well. Gambateh Edwin-san

Happy Chinese New Year!! 新年快乐

Wow! time sure passes by very fast... in juts a blink of an eye another year has passed and now this is already the second month of 2007. It is also the second day of Chinese New Year. Well in this entry I would like to wish very to have a prosperous year ahead, may you have a smooth year ahead of you. 祝大家 新年快乐, 万事如意, 年年有余, 恭喜发财, 心想事成.





Cool New Graphics - MySpace/Friendster

And now a video showing at the struck of 12 midnight...this is how Kuching looks like when the new year starts... simply beautiful... even though fireworks and firecrackers are ban in Malaysia but this is still a common scenario when CNY is near. Enjoy!!

an unexpected "Love Note"

Life sure can be interesting at times... and I mean really interesting. Today was another "interesting" day for me. I had to send my friend to the airport today as he's going back to Sabah for the Chinese New Year. So he left his car in the care of my hands.

After a pretty good and satisfying breakfast but really awful "special coffee" at E-taste coffee shop... we went to the airport.

After the redevelopment, the new Kuching International Airport (KIA) has a two-tier traffic flow system. Like most major international Airport throughout the world Departure and Check-in is located at the top-floor. In the case of KIA it is located at the 3rd level. We just parked the car at the curb side as we won't take long, I decided to bid him farewell at the gate so after check-in we walk to the Gate/ Departure Entrance A which mostly is for International flights and flights outside Sarawak.

The new terminal for Kuching International Airport (KIA)

After that, a walk back to the car. and at the windshield there was an unexpected "love note " waiting for me. It was no normal "love note". It was a "love note" from JPJ the road authority of Malaysia or something like that. To translate it better I got fined for parking at the yellow line! I never know JPJ was that efficient!! and come on I just went down for a few minutes have a heart!! Why put such a big fine on me... I guess I'll be super broke now.... T-T

"love note" from JPJ =.="

Life certainly is interesting....

Song Kheng Hai Hawker Centre

It has been quite some time since the last time I have been to Song Kheng Hai Hawker centre. Yesterday, My Mum, Sis, Uncle and I dropped by there to eat something. I must say I certinly missed some of the food there. Most notably the Kio Chap Mee (tomato Noodles) and the drinks there. Sad that by the time I was there the Char Kueh already finished.

If you take a walk around you will find many stalls selling food and drinks. For me personally most of my favourite stalls are located near the front where they are facing Chinatown. One of them would be Seng Lee. Seng Lee is a stall that basically sells drink or cold desserts, Local desserts that is. Their ABC, Ang Tao Peng etc are one of the best in Kuching, If not the best.

Stall No: 2 Belongs to Seng Lee they serve wicked Ang Tao Peng (Ice Dessert) Ang Tao Peng

Yesterday we managed to try something new again, I think it is a new stall for the guy is promoting the menu. One of it that he is promoting is Kong Pia. Kong Pia is a Foochow dish, the main origin will be from Sibu where majority are Foochows living there. Kong Pia consist of a Bun top with sesame seed, the bun is being sliced into half and inside they put in some meat with sauce. The Kong Pia that we had there was quite good.

Kong Pia

One of the food I must have when I am there is Kio Chap Mee (Tomato Noodles), and there is only this particular stall which the Tomato Noodles they serve are the type I like. This stall is stall 25/26 the name of the stall is called Ah Lau. I just love their tomato noodles. Instead of using like what most people will do these days, they deep fry the noodles until it is crispy and then they top it with tomato gravy...those are the ones I don't like. I like the one that Ah Lau does they fry the noodles first and then later on they cook the sauce and then pour it over the noodles. Somehow I think the noodles taste better this way. So if you are at Song Kheng Hai do try Ah Lau's Tomato Noodles.

Ah Lau's Delicious Tomato Noodles

To top it all I ordered another drink, It is a combination of sea coconut and lemon. The owner was pretty generous with the lemon slices for he gave me 2 thick slices of lemon. The sea coconut was superb. The drink is very cooling, it is sweet and taste a bit sour because of the lemon. The sea coconut is crunchy so it is very nice. This stall which sells this drinks is located next to Ah Lau if I am not mistaken. Their Sugarcane drink is to die for, it is freshly juiced and you can add in coconut fillings too.

Sea coconut with Lemon

And to top it all I found this adorable car parked at the car park.It may look ancient but hey it still works!! belongs to an old man living in the shop lots behind the car.

Hey I may look old but I am still strong!! =D

A Taste of Working 2 Different Jobs

November 2006, I started working at the Junk Restaurant, Then In January 2006, my tuition centre called up and offered me a tutoring position for upper primary and lower secondary English Language. Naturally I accepted the offer for tutoring has always been my part-time job to earn me my pocket money.

Soon I decided to try something, well... you can the greed for more cash made me do this. I decided to keep my work at the Junk restaurant and at the same time doing my tutoring job. I end up working at Junk on Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday and on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday would be my tutoring days.


So far I felt quite comfortable doing these 2 jobs at the same time. Even though they are totally different jobs, I have learned to blend into it quite comfortably. But I must admit that at times I do feel tired and sometimes discouraged to go work but overall I am happy that I am doing 2 jobs.

Junk Restaurant (top) and Top Students Tuition Centre (Bottom)

But sad to say after this month I'll have to quit my job at the Junk Restaurant, as mentioned in my earlier post, I have done badly in my exams. So on February much of my time would be spend on doing my revision. But sometimes a thought would pass my mind...I am so used being busy and working 2 jobs at one time, would I get used to it once I quit? Well I guess I would but that would need a bit of time adjustment. I surely would miss all my buddies in the Junk.

2007 INTAKE CALL OR REGISTER NOW @ TOP STUDENTS TUITION CENTRE!!

Stuck with Decisions

Have you ever in life did so badly in your exams and you felt really bad, you just don't know what to do?

Well I have, ashamed to say this, I have failed every single subject that I have taken for last semester and it was just horrible. Now I am facing exclusion from my Uni... and my mum is worried sicked about my studies. All of you must be thinking hard there, how in the world can this guy fail all his subjects? Simple question Simple answer... I was not well prepared for my finals. I was half playing half studying.

But now I have learned my lesson and I know my mistake so I will and I must change my old ways! (well easier said than done) but I swear I will do and try my best.

Now my family is asking me to reconsider taking up accounting, they are afraid that I can't take it. Well I can take up accounting why can't I? If other people can do it, I can do it too right? furthermore I believe I have done pretty good in my bookkeeping in Diploma. One of the main reasons that I am being asked to reconsider is because in the first place accounting was not a course that I actually opted for, put it this way I was kind of being forced to take it.

But after getting a taste of accounting I kind of like it... weird huh? Well one reason why I liked it is because by studying accounting I have a wider choice of career which I want to take up when I graduate. One of the choice that is available for me would be working in an Airline Company.

For years I have been an aviation enthusiast... I love to go to airport to do aircraft spotting during my free time. I basically read aviation magazines mainly on aviation business. One of my role model is Mr. Tony Fernandes the owner of Malaysia's mega Low Cost Carrier, Air Asia. From my understanding Mr. Fernandes is some what like me and aviation enthusiast but graduated as an accountant and worked for Warner music. One day he decided to shift his career from working and managing warner music to managing and owning his very own airline. Until today he is very successful, under his hands Air Asia has flourish.

In 2004 Air Asia placed an order for up to 80 Airbus A320 aircrafts (pictured), which in late 2006 the number of order was increased to a 100 aircrafts.

At first, I was stuck with a lot of decisions whether am I suppose to continue on with accounting, it was a tough decision that I had to ponder for a few days. But finally after getting some advice from a very good lecturer of mine, whom I will still see again this semester has certainly made decision making a lot easier.

Can you guess what is my final decision? ;-)

Well if you have guessed that I am still continuing as an accounting student than you are most certainly 100% correct!! I decided to pursue my career as an accountant! thanks to Mr. Fernandes and my Lecturer.

Air Asia's aircraft photo taken from Air Asia

Mysterious Vanishing of RM 10

I know this post is a it late but was too busy to post it up. so post it up now

Thursday, 11 January 2007. This day didn't end well for me. It ended like hell! My friends ask me to join a gathering, the very first venue was at a coffee shop near the 3rd mile Mc Donalds. But due to a sudden heavy downpour one of my friend decided not to join us, thus, the venue was changed last minute to this "Fusion" restaurant not far from 3rd Mile called The Colours.

Well I arrive there around 10pm found my friends and sat down and looked at the menu, first of I decided to order some nice fruit drink cause the name looks soo nice so I wanted to try it, so I placed my order but to find out that all the fruit juices and drinks are not available... never mind than, I scanned through the menu again to look for some other tempting drinks only to find that the menu is really over-priced.... guess what a can of coke cost RM3.80!!! Might as well I go and buy it from the supermarket or Kopi tiam (Coffee shop in Hokkien) ... in a supermarket I can get it for like RM1.05 and coffee shop like RM 1.60 which is considered quite expensive.

Well I\in the end i settled for an Italian Soda... which was not very cheap either,,, but no choice... better than nothing aye...not forgetting something the waitresses there have some major problem in standing still, the waitress that took our order was shaking her hips and legs and was hitting me and man was I getting annoyed, if it was a hot chick doing that I don't mind but it was a fuggly beotch (sorry ok not beotch...coz I was not that fond of her ok but she was fuggly).

Well my friends were hungry so they ordered some food namely chicken chop and lamb chop or something. The food was disappointing though.... I tasted it after my friend said it was tasteless... well it was practically tasteless!! Junk's menu maybe expensive but the food I get is not this crap!

But the highlight of the night was... Well when we were ready to go and was paying for out food and drinks. Something weird happened we ask the cashier to separate the bill cause some of our friends are still chatting there... first she said can we pay all at once for it is a tedious job to seperate the bill.... wtf.... this type of cashier can go to hell. Never mind so in the end the bill was separated so we paid... half way through the process another annoying waitress (beotch) just squeezed in between my friend and I without saying "EXCUSE ME"... this was how rude the waitresses are there. Suddenly after what seems like 2 minutes I noticed my RM10 was gone. So I kindly asked the Cashier.

ME: Excuse me, I am sorry but how much did I give you just now?

Cashier (beotch): I don't know. (She was still holding a wad of cash in her right hand)

ME: Can you please check for me I think I gave you extra.

Cashier (beotch): I don't know I already mixed the money in the cashier ( still holding a was of cash in her hands)

ME: Can you please check?

Cashier (beotch) : Sorry I can't the only way I would know is when I close the cashier

And after a long argument a guy (which I presumed was the manager) said when they close their cashier at 3 am they would let me know... but in the end they didn't. Some more the cashier never returned my change.

The following day I went back... and the whole place was filled with unfamiliar faces... so I told them then they called the boss and I talked to the boss yada yada.... and fuck him he said "My employees won't dare to cheat" but again I insisted on checking again. ( The boss didn't know what happened)... then a few hours later he called and told me that there was no extra money in the cash register... I just said ok sorry to bother. But in my heart I was saying....

"You fucking asshole, wait until close cashier for sure she can just sneak that RM10 out and said there is no extra... duh!!!!!" oh well... that teaches me a lesson always check the amount of money that I am paying before I pay to the cashier.

and furthermore.. I swore that I will never ever step into the colours again.... since the change of management... I think the service sucks.... and food wasn't that great and Overpriced!!

La politique de lieu de travail (workplace politics)

Hmm… Have been a busy for these past few days and thus, that is why I had not blog for quite some time. So here is a new entry from me.

After years of working as a part-timer, I’ve learned a lot. How different companies operates differently from one another.

I’ve also noticed that in any workplace there is bound to be something that is called the workplace politics. I usually get along with my colleagues real well but there are times when I do dislike some of my colleagues. I guess it is natural to have conflicts…

Recently I worked part-time at the junk. The first day working there seems ok, well everyone seems nice and without doubt everyone is friendly there. After working for sometime there I have finally realized something, there are many stories in the junk that made the employees there looking junky. I am not being mean or anything but it does seem this way.

I also learned about employees who generally don’t get along which each other, I also learned who I don’t really like and those lazy bums who love to delegate their work to others.

Even the tuition centre that I worked in also has some politics inside. Seems like one day when I graduate and start to work full time I will face more of this, but I’m sure I’ll be used to it by then as long as you ignore it and work like it is nobody’s fucking business all should remain peaceful unless someone kicks you on the ass and that spells war.

Stuntman ending up with a "stunt" phone

Yesterday, I tried to be a stunt man but I ended up having a stunted phone and a stunted leg. I fell down and hit my left thigh and the poor little hand phone which unlucky was inside my left pocket got crushed by heavy me.

Don cha wish your handphone was like mine?

New cool Design from Sony Ericsson..you believe it?

My LCD screen literally was in pieces and then liquid inside the LCD screen flowed out, giving my screen a cool rainbow effect. Ok it was not cool, repairing is gonna cost me a bomb.... sighs there goes my December's pay.

Damn unlucky! Sighs... No phone to use now...but it is a good thing also... save my phone credit cannot make calls and all. =P

Kolo Mee!!!

Say I am greedy a glutton, whatever but I just can't help it, from young I am a Kolo Mee lover. To tell you this Kuching's Kolo Mee is the best!!! and some places in Kuching serves excellent mouth watering Kolo mee.

yummy bowl of kolo mee from sekama

So far a few places serves delicious kolo mee, for one is sekama and another behind star cineplex and Tabuan Jaya's Ah Ping Kolo Mee.

Delicious Wanton (dumpling)

Basically this is how kolo mee is made, first the noodle is being cooked inside boiling water, get ready a bowl, inside the bowl add in fried onions, white vinegar, pork oil, Ajinamoto/salt. The noodle is then dip into cold water and back into the boiling water for a minute or so and then into the bowl with the ingredients inside mix it properly. Than add tasty Barbecued pork and sprinkle some white pepper powder and also minced pork meat and finally sprinkle some spring onions on top and Voila a bowl of Kolo mee.

You want some? =P

But I was too lazy to do it on my own, plus I don't know if the one I cook is edible or not, so better not risked my stomach getting pump =P... so instead I went to Sekama and bought a nice packet of kolo mee.

Crab Talk

No Crabs were actually harm in this production... well except for one... But I swear I was not the one who harmed it!!

1 More paper 2 GO!

Finally Only 1 more paper to go... I must persevere I must be strong I must face it with full courage.....

Mommy!! Hellllllllpppppppp!!!! dammit so many thing to cramp inside my poor brain!! Ughs!! Blek!

Spider-Plant Man

LOL...first we have spiderman now we have sipder-plant man!! by Rowan Atkinson

Part 2

Warning!! Finals Comin Up!

Wakao!!! Die la me this time.... Finals are comin up real fast and am I still so cool about it... shit shit.... gotta study gotta study... but leh my lazy worms are stronger than my will power...

Sum-more 1st day 2 papers... OWNING!!! (from dota ;p)

blek!!