Comments on: My 28(29)th birthday

By: john riley

john riley — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 00:04:23 +0000

I have recently married a lady from china. She still lives there. Her birthday by our calendar system is April 20th. But she says that she does not celebrate her birthday until sometime in May. I am trying to find out which day in May she would celebrate it. Can you help me.

By: 豪杰

豪杰 — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 00:14:31 +0000

From http://ecumenicalbuddhism.blogspot.com/2008_02_07_archive.html:

Seventh day of the new year

The seventh day, traditionally known as renri 人日, the common man’s birthday, the day when everyone grows one year older.

It is the day when tossed raw fish salad, yusheng, is eaten. This is a custom primarily among the overseas Chinese in Southeast Asia, such as Malaysia and Singapore. People get together to toss the colourful salad and make wishes for continued wealth and prosperity.

For many Chinese Buddhists, this is another day to avoid meat.

By: Sue

Sue — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 10:58:54 +0000

I’m not (that) old, but when I ask a Chinese person’s age, I normally ask their Chinese Zodiac sign (你属什么的？）. This way, you can easily work out the age, and get a real answer especially for ladies above certain age nowadays (western influence here)

I’m aware of 虚岁，实岁，but never used 虚岁myself, nor have any people I know around me. I’m from Chongqing area. However, last year, I heard for first time in Chongqing that men is to celebrate their x10 birthday the year before (i.e. celebrate 70’s birthday when they actually turn 69 （周岁）。But women celebrate their x10 birthday when they actually turn x10 周岁。 So that means men celebrate their 虚岁生日，women celebrate their 实岁生日。I forgot to ask why.

I do have a theory about the 虚岁 though。I heard it somewhere that the zero concept was understood way after other numbers such as 1, 2, 3. So perhaps the 虚岁concept came before 实岁，at the time when people only know to start counting from 1. Just a wild guess.

By: dd

dd — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 07:34:48 +0000

, one based on the gregorian calendar, and one from the lunar calendar. so i thought this was a common phenomenon that chinese people all over the world. then when i asked some beijing friends over lunch one day, they said that they only celebrate their gregorian calendar birthday! how strange is that? i’m more chinese that

By: danjo

danjo — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 07:20:43 +0000

Interesting post, I’ve been confused about this topic despite asking Chinese friends about it several times, and I didn’t know the Chinese terms. If you like 崔健 (I kind of like his cover of Communist anthem 南泥湾 as well as 一无所有 for its involvement with the Democracy movement) I would also listen to 许巍, such as the songs 曾经的你 and 完美生活. Also, 在雨中 by 汪峰.

By: shockresist

shockresist — Sun, 23 Dec 2007 18:56:37 +0000

based a recent experience i had with some beijing college students, i find this experience funny. i’m of chinese descent, so i’ve always celebrated two birthdays, one based on the gregorian calendar, and one from the lunar calendar. so i thought this was a common phenomenon that chinese people all over the world. then when i asked some beijing friends over lunch one day, they said that they only celebrate their gregorian calendar birthday! how strange is that? i’m more chinese that the “real” chinese.

and happy birthday ben! have a happy christmas eve, and a merry christmas!!

By: canrun

canrun — Sat, 22 Dec 2007 10:57:39 +0000

Atta Boy!

Though your comment drips with sarcasm, I was only following your request:

“Can canrun or anybody else recommend some good cui jian tunes? I have downloaded a few from baidu, but they were not the groundbreaking Chinese rock I had anticipated, and please note my liberal use of the word “groundbreaking.”’

Anyhow-bout’ bloody time! You were forcing me to do my best Nanheyangrouchuan imitation! I’m off for some good Richard Clyderman-inspired relaxation now…

By: edjusted

edjusted — Sat, 22 Dec 2007 04:01:32 +0000

I’m Chinese, but I’m not entirely clear on the reasoning, but I think Roxie has it: you’re one when you’re born, and you add a year during Chinese New Year, and that’s it. Your “real” birthday doesn’t really matter after you’re born.

Also, I notice that people (older people especially) seem to ask me my zodiac animal (sorry, I don’t have Chinese installed on this comp) instead of asking my age. Of course, that could just be an easy way around the whole confusion!

By: Benjamin Ross

Benjamin Ross — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 17:21:32 +0000

I have checked with a Chinese friend (thanks Julia) who has told me that it is definitely 虚岁not 属岁. I guess I could partially blame my over-exposure to Fujian pu tong hua, in which xu, su, and shu, are essentially the same. As for the character 属, I have no idea where I came up with that, so thanks to everybody for pointing out the error.

By the way, I want to encourage everybody who reads this blog to back away from your keyboard and take a moment of silence to thank canrun for his 崔健 recommendations……………………….Canrun, thanks for all you do for me. If it weren’t for your lofty recommendations, I would still be jamming out to 刀郎.

By: canrun

canrun — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 09:34:59 +0000

Hopefully, in the spirit of your birthday you’ll finally thank me for my 崔健recommendations…

Really, man…I don’t ask much. But I’m ALL about doing the right thing.