April 4 has always been Children's Day in Taiwan, since 1949 anyway. It is now combined with Women's Day (originally March 8) on theory that mothers and children should spend the holiday together. The gift-giving tradition, however, still continues: Tamsui Elementary School announced on March 11 a list of Children's Day presents to each grade, chess sets and marking pens, mostly:
On this day, pupils would gather at morning assembly and be lectured on by local dignitaries, mostly assuring the kids that one day, they shall become 國家的主人翁 (masters of the nation), etc. This is followed by distribution of the eagerly awaited presents. Then the rest of the day off.
The choice of the presents is still up to local gov'ts and/or individual schools. This year, in a deviation from the tradition, Taichung City decides that the "gift" shall be for each elementary school to adopt a stray dog/cat - to show the students how precious life is. Adding to this, some schools have elected to also distribute small tokens, e.g., pocket tissues.
Back in the 1950s in Tamsui, it was instant gratification, small slices of the savory 米糕 (rice cake, originated in Foochow) wrapped in blood-red paper, donated by local businessmen:
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| The memorable 米糕 |
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Happy Children's Day!
My schools must have missed celebrating the Children's Day or I was a space cadet. And those rice cakes look awfully like the Cantonese dim-sum 發糕. I thought rice cakes were 年糕 or 碗稞 or 麻糬. Nevertheless I relish them all.
回覆刪除Herman, you guys were robbed. "四月四日兒童節" is etched into every kid's mind since birth.
回覆刪除This type of rice cake is usually seen at the time of 拜拜, a bit sweet but not overly so. Usually in white or brown, depending on the sugar used.