INTRODUCTION 1 Background of study

1 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 Background of study Culture or cultures derived from Sanskrit which buddhayah, which is the plural form of buddhi mind or intellect is defined as the things pertaining to the mind and human reason. Lim Ai Meng says that is derived from the cultivation of culture and power. Budi is a sense that a spiritual element in culture, whereas the mean power of any act or endeavor as a physical element, so the culture is defined as the result of reason and human effort. Culture is a way of life that developed and owned jointly by a group of people and passed down from generation to generation. Culture formed a complex of many elements, including religious and political systems, customs, languages, clothing, buildings, and works of art. Culture is a holistic lifestyle, culture is complex, abstract, and broad. Many aspects of culture also determine communicative behavior. The elements of the socio-cultural spread and includes many social activities humans. The meaning of Imlek for the society of Chinese in Medan is remainder of the ancient Chinese tradition. Before 1985, Imlek was celebrated by the Chinese a large scale, but afterwards the celebration becomes simple although it still retains its social ritual meaning for them. Certainly, the celebration of Imlek New Year has changed. In China, Imlek New Year is no longer celebrated as a ceremonial tradition to welcome the Chinese New Year anymore, because the government has adopted 1 st January as the formal New Year. Nowadays, people celebrates Imlek New Year only as a Universitas Sumatera Utara 2 Festival of Spring season to welcome the first day of Spring season. However, it does not mean that the tradition of celebrating Imlek New Year has gone at all. Most of the Chinese still believe that the rules of tradition influence their life. According to the traditional Chinese lunar calendar, Imlek New Year is celebrated by Chinese in the first day of the first moon whereas in the official calendar, it is celebrated at the end of January it may come in the first of February. According to the official lunar calendar, Imlek New Year does not take place in a certain date because in Chinese traditional calendar, there are twin months in each three years. For example, if in 1990, there were double may then in the next three years, the same twin months will appear again.

1.2 The Problem of study

Based on the Background above, the problem of study is What is the Meaning of Imlek for Chinese Society in Medan ?

1.3 The Scope of study

There are many things that can be discussed about Imlek New Year, but it is takes a lot of time. Writer limits the writing just to The meanings of Imlek for Chinese people in Medan.

1.4 Objective of study

The object of writing this paper is to describe The meanings of Imlek for Chinese people in Medan. Universitas Sumatera Utara 3

1.5 The Purposes of study

This research is done on a purpose for young generation to understand the basic meaning of Imlek celebration. The day to describe the whole preparation need to do to celebrate the Imlek.

1.6 The Reason for choosing the Topic

One of the reasons why the authors are interested in researching the meaning of the Imlek Chinese community in Medan is because society in general has been carrying out Chinese Imlek Year with joy. This celebration previously associated with Buddhist religious beliefs. But the Chinese people are mostly ethnic majority is Hokkien, which is still good Buddhist religion and have embraced other religious beliefs, still celebrating the Lunar joyfully.

1.7 The Method of study

This research is qualitative. This report was written by descriptive. The data obtained through interviews and a few books that are relevant to the topic. The main data source is through informant interviews and through several references, the authors getting some information for research topics. Universitas Sumatera Utara 4 2. GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF IMLEK 2.1 History of Imlek