Spring Cleaning

When I walked down Ipoh Lane this morning, I could see stalls selling bamboo leaves. It reminds me of the Spring cleaning done by the Chinese to usher in Chinese New Year which falls on 7 February.

When I was still in the primary school, I used to help my mother clean the house with bamboo leaves tied to the end of a long bamboo pole. I used the leaves to get rid of cobweb on the inner side of the nipah roof. At that time, the roofs of houses consisted of nipah leaves. The use of bamboo leaves was suitable then. However, modern houses have asbestos ceilings which are usually cleaned with feather dusters or wiped with damp cloth. The use of bamboo leaves is just something traditional.

During Spring cleaning, all other old and unwanted things are discarded in the spirit "old out, new in". In this respect, houses and gates are repainted and new clothes are bought.

Spring cleaning symbolizes leaving the old year with all its old things and bad habits to beckon the new year with new hopes and good things to come.

Happy Spring cleaning to the Chinese.