PETALING JAYA, Feb 10 — With a history that dates back more than 3,800 years, Chinese New Year and its many traditions have brought families together throughout the centuries.

There are also a host of rules and superstitions that come with the season in the quest to increase one’s luck in the coming year.

Break with tradition and bad luck might just follow you around for the rest of the year.

But what happens when you throw in an unprecedented pandemic in the equation?

This Chinese New Year, reunion dinners are only permitted for families residing within 10 kilometres of each other — that would mean many families won’t be reunited for the all-important event.

As it is customary in some households for children and grandchildren to serve tea to their parents and grandparents on the first day of the Lunar New Year, it’s just one of many traditions that won’t be taking place for many due to travel restrictions.

Chinese cultural expert and Malaysian Chinese Museum curator Lim Kah Hoe told Malay Mail it was important for people to place the health and safety of elderly family members amid Covid-19.

"Be responsible to your family, society and country,” he said.

For conservative folks who believe in following Chinese New Year customs to a tee to ward off bad luck, trying to make sense of changing traditions brought on by the pandemic might be difficult.

Malaysian Chinese Museum curator Lim Kah Hoe says putting health and safety first reflects the ideology and values of Chinese traditions. — Picture from Unsplash

But Lim said it was important to understand why these traditions were practised in the first place.

"Let us not forget that traditions and customs are mainly to protect people from the bad and to enhance the growth and peace of the family.

"Therefore, by forgoing certain customs for the sake of family’s health and safety, such decisions in fact reflect the ideology and values of Chinese traditions,” he said.

The festivities might be pared down due to the movement control order but that doesn’t mean familial bonds are weakened.

"As the Chinese saying goes, a harmonious family will prosper in everything (jia he wan shi xing), so let’s be grateful and cherish the moment with our family no matter where we are,” Lim said.

He added that in recent years, many families have travelled abroad to celebrate Chinese New Year but a celebration at home should be just as meaningful given the times of uncertainty.

"We can still prepare a feast, unlike having a large reunion dinner in restaurants in the past,” he said.

Fortunately, Lim added, living in an era of high technology makes it easier to stay connected.

"We can celebrate the New Year together by making video calls and return home when the pandemic is over.”