After the Lunar New Year, Dong Zhi is the most important date in the Chinese calendar. Dong zhi literally means ?the arrival of winter? and coincides with the Winter Solstice. This is the time when night is the longest, daylight shortest, sunshine weakest and marks the beinning of winter.
This is the time farmers celebrate the year-end harvest. This is also the last festival of the year where the entire family will gather to give thanks to a bountiful year with a feast and eating the tang yuan, a dessert of glutinous rice balls and syrup.
The Tan Clan Association in Penang observed the Dong Zhi yesterday with offerings and prayers at the Clan Hall, known as the Eng Chuan Tong Tan Kongsi, at Beach Street. Later in the evening there was a dinner at the premises that my neighbours with the Tan surname and I attended.
That was the first time that I had been into the Clan Hall or attended any of its activities. It was an eye-opener to be in the presence of so many people carrying the same surname as I. It was a jovial and boisterous affair with good food, good company and interesting karaoke performances by clan members and entertainers in attendance.
