Lunar New Year, the World's Largest Event Homecoming

executive summary by darmansjah

Since the recent weeks, the trappings associated with the Year of the Golden Hare began popping up in malls and shopping centers in various countries. Year of Rabbit Gold is expected to be a quiet year, according to the character of the rabbit, which is expected to bring good to all people.

Chinese or Lunar New Year is the moment of a meeting of all family members once a year. That is why, in China most people celebrate Chinese New Year at home.

And, since last week, China's surge of people who had returned home starts seen at railway stations (KA). The atmosphere is like a homecoming atmosphere before Lebaran in Indonesia. People flock to the train station. However, in a country with a population of 1.35 billion people, the atmosphere was very excited.

Imagine the Chinese New Year this time residents who had returned home it was fantastic amount, ie an 230-million people, almost equal to the total population of Indonesia. Increased about 12.5 percent of the number of travelers a year earlier. No wonder the activities of homecoming every year in China was mentioned as the annual migration of the largest in the world.

Therefore, the Government of China to add 293 train every day to help accommodate additional passengers about 26 million people. Traveling freight train stopped for a while in order to provide opportunities to train that brings travelers to multiply the frequency of his travels.

And, mainland China is so big that it can drive back home very much and long. The Yongfen, a travelers, traveling by train as far as 1946 kilometers and takes about at least 30 hours.

In the last five years, there is accretion along the 15,000 kilometers of railway tracks throughout China. In addition, there are 480 high-speed trains which operate together with the 8540 series of regular trains.

Indonesia

In Indonesia, in various regions of the atmosphere of Chinese New Year has begun, especially in malls and shopping centers. Ornaments shaped red and gold rabbit on display everywhere.

In various preparations to welcome the Lunar temple was already being felt. Red ornaments, cookie baskets, angpau, lanterns, firecrackers, sugarcane, and the lion dance is characteristic of the Chinese New Year celebrations.

Since 2000, Chinese New Year can be celebrated and made a lively and open in Indonesia. Therefore, in addition to physical preparation is everywhere, in the mass media have also started enlivened with advertisements related to the Chinese new year and the sayings of Gong Xi Fa Cai, a Happy Chinese New Year phrases spoken by descendants of the people China's celebrate. Figure rabbits began to appear everywhere.

All that can not be separated from the role of President Abdurrahman Wahid who is now no longer among us. Previously, for nearly 33 years, Chinese New Year is celebrated only in the family environment.

Allegations of Chinese involvement in the events of September 30th Movement of 1965, about 45 years ago, made Acting President Suharto (then) issued a Presidential Instruction (Instruction) No. 14 of 1967 on Religion, Belief and Customs of China that prohibits religious ethnic Chinese celebrate Confucius Chinese New Year in society, but quite in a family environment. And, since then, in Indonesia, Chinese New Year is celebrated on a limited basis in a family environment.

Abdurrahman Wahid, who served as President from 1999-2001, through Presidential Decree (Decree) No. 6 / 2000, repeal of Presidential Instruction No. 14/1967 on Religion, Belief and Customs of China, Confucianism and the people allowed to conduct religious activities, including celebrating the Chinese New Year.

And, since then, Lunar again openly celebrated and widespread. President Abdurrahman Wahid did not stop there, he followed up by issuing a Presidential Decree No. 19/2001 which inaugurated the Lunar New Year holiday as facultative, only for those who celebrate it. The following year, President Megawati Sukarnoputri Lunar set as a national holiday. (JL)