Chinese New Year lasts 15 days, and its last day is regarded as Chinese Valentine’s Day. For the Chinese in Southeast Asia, we’ve got a couple of homegrown traditions that aren’t practised by the wider community.
Like throwing oranges into a river on the day, dressed in red attire for good luck. This practice apparently originated in Penang, Malaysia, and sees women gathering on a bridge to throw Mandarin oranges inscribed with their names and phone numbers into the river below.
It’s been said that if the floating oranges are retrieved, you’ll meet your future match soon. Cleverly, prospective suitors have also been known to gather under the bridge to fish for oranges.
Penang lecturer and author Khoo Boo Eng said that the Hokkiens have the expression Tim kam choaw ho ang (which literally means, throw oranges and marry a good husband). For guys, it’s pak lokor chua ho boar (beat the drum to get a good wife)!
“I heard these sayings when I was young. At 12, I would go to the Esplanade to watch youngsters throw oranges into the sea. Men in sampan would be waiting for the big haul,” Khoo said.
“They would net up the oranges and wash the salt water off and sell them at the market. In those days, nobody wrote their names and contact numbers (on the oranges). They would let fate take over.”
“These days, some people would hesitate to volunteer such personal information, for fear of harassment or attracting the wrong company.”
Mashable writer, Alicia Tan, noted that the ritual did have some effect when she carried it out. “With my relationship status going from attached to single recently, I was needless to say the best candidate at Mashable Asia to test the custom’s powers,” Tan said.
“Plus, this is not my first time throwing oranges, either. Last year, I went to the same bridge with a bunch of friends to try our luck in finding love. The skeptic in me puts it down to pure coincidence, but many of us did find boyfriends soon after.”
It is however important to abide by the rules of dressing in all red if the ritual is to be successful
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