A birthday to remember

You may have recalled reading in a previous post (Tuesday, April 27, 2004) about how my grandmother (my dad's mom) purposely forgot many of her children's birth dates. My father was of course one of the children for whom his birthday is forever lost.

When my father emigrated from China to Taiwan around 1944, my grandfather had to give the officials a birthdate for each child for their immigration papers. For my father, he picked the date July 11, 1936. That of course means that my father, we'll be symbolically celebrating his 68th birthday this Sunday. At least in Western years. In Chinese years, he'll be celebrating his 69th birthday, since the Chinese believe you are already a year old when you come out of the womb, having spent your first year of life in the mother's womb.

Chinese people don't traditionally celebrate their date of birth, at least not until they turn 60. Prior to the age of 60 everyone celebrates getting a year older during the Chinese New Year celebration. After the age of 60, it's considered that you've completed a cycle of life, so the 60th birthday celebration is the largest. Each year after that is part of your second cycle and each year is celebrated. Chinese birthdays are celebrated with long-life noodles, peaches, and lucky money.

So, this Sunday, we'll celebrate my dad's 68th birthday, wish him long life, and many years to come in the second cycle of his life.