Easter is one of the major religious events of Roman Catholicism and other Christian groups. It celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ after being dead for 3 days as a result of his crucifixion; it also marks the end of Lent, a season of prayer, fasting, and penance. In the west, symbols like chocolate eggs and Easter bunnies proliferate during this time of year, and families wear new clothes when they attend church and decorate the house with new items to represent a new beginning. Easter is known as a movable feast: it does not fall under a fixed date but is rather determined by a lunisolar calendar in the Christian liturgical year.

Some major Asian cities do not observe Easter. In places like Japan, South Korea and Hong Kong, there is nary an image of an Easter bunny or activities like the Easter egg hunt during this time of year. This is curious, as these cities treat Christmas, another Christian event, as a big deal, marking it with traditional symbols like Santa Claus, fir trees, and lots of gift-giving. One explanation for this is that Christmas is more of a festival than a ceremony, and its commercial aspects are more in tune with the Japanese, despite having only a small population of Christians in this country. Hong Kong is more aware of Easter, due to the influence of the school system: a majority of children attend Catholic and Anglican schools. Yet there are still no signs of Easter on the streets and shops. Even in South Korea, where half the population is Christian, there is hardly any mention of this holiday. Nevertheless, if you want to wish a Japanese with a happy Easter, say, “Isuta Omedetou!”; in Cantonese, the greeting would be, “fuhkwuhtjit faailohk!”; and in Korean, say, “haengpoghan puhwarcheori toesikir!”.

In China, Easter coincides with the passing of the spring equinox, and the three symbols of Easter (egg, rabbit and baby chicks) hold significance in the Chinese culture, as well. According to ancient legend, the world was formed from the egg of chaos, while chicks and rabbits occur in many art forms as symbols of life and birth. The art of painting on eggs are also a part of Chinese culture, where eggs are drained before being gently applied with fine line art of women, sceneries, and other images of beauty. Jade and wood are carved to represent the “dragon egg”, gifts which are then given as wishes of growth and many children. To greet someone a happy Easter in Mandarin, say “fu huo jie kuai le”, which means “happy festival for the sign life”.

One surprising country where Easter is rapidly becoming observed is Vietnam, a land where the anti-religious policy of communism held sway for decades. Today, Vietnam is a place where the Church is growing vigorously, with six million Catholics at present and growing everyday. Religious freedom is gaining small concessions, talks are being held between the Vatican and the Vietnamese government, and most of all, the Vietnamese Christian community is showing signs of its determination to thrive despite being under fire from the establishment. To greet someone a happy Easter in Vietnamese, say, “Mù’ng lé phuc sinh!”

The Philippines has a strong Easter tradition, observing both the spiritual aspect of Lent with the commercial aspect of Easter Sunday.  The colorful Moriones Festival in Marinduque, depict the fierce roman soldiers as they participate in the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. The Cutud Lenten rites in Pampanga, on the other hand, feature local villagers in the act of self-flagellation, and penitents are literally nailed to crosses. The majority of the country are Catholics and they attend masses throughout the holy week and celebrate Easter Sunday by going to mass in new clothes and coming home to a feast. Many Filipinos will appreciate it if you greet them a “Happy Easter” in English.

India celebrates Easter with fanfare and energy, despite having a minor Christian population. Cities like Mumbai, Goa and the northeastern states like Meghalaya and Mizoram make intricate preparations for the festivities, and worshipers fill up churches for special masses and rites. Good Friday is a mandatory public holiday, and Easter eggs and bunnies are sold in stores, and people exchange these with one another. Christians begin the Easter observance for forty days during Lent, which is a time for fasting and penance. During the last week of the Lenten Season, the people attend church on Good Friday and everybody is given a drink prepared from leaves and vinegar. On Holy Saturday, no mass is held for the entire day: only at 10 in the evening do people gather to observe the Easter vigil, lighting numerous candles as a symbol of the resurrection.  Some communities practice the ceremony of paschal bread, which is cut after dinner, dipped in sauce, and shared among family members. On Easter Sunday, families break the fasting with a bountiful breakfast.

Posted in Asia, Events

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