Page 25 - NIH Bulletin Vol. 21: January - June 2023 NIH Way Forward

Vol : 21 • January - Jun 2023 •

A delicious spread of Chinese dishes
was served to guests in a buffet style.
Around 12.00 noon, the organising
committee gathered the VIPs for
a special Prosperity Toss session,
commonly called ‘Yee Sang’ or ‘Lou
Sang’ in Cantonese. The Prosperity
Toss is a dish that is commonly
served among reunions during CNY.
Armed with a pair of chopsticks, the
VIPs tossed the ingredients as high as
possible in the usual Prosperity Toss
fashion while saying out wishes of
bountiful luck, health, and prosperity
to be blessed upon everyone. A spread of delicious Chinese food served during the celebration.

Following the Prosperity Toss, the ICR
organising committee wheeled out a
birthday cake for Puan Safriah, as her birthday
coincidentally falls on the CNY celebration
date. Everyone began singing the familiar
birthday song for her, which was then followed
by a brief cake cutting ceremony.
At approximately 1.00pm, guests were
entertained by two Prosperity Bingo game
sessions, led by Nicholas Hing and assisted by
Prosperity toss in motion among VIPs. Dr. Loo Ching Ee. Participants were handed
a sheet of paper that had a five-by-five grid
printed and were instructed to write out
randomly in each cell a number from 1 to 75,
without repetitions. Numbers were randomly
drawn out for the participants to cross out
on their bingo sheets. The first three players
who had a series of numbers which were
crossed out perpendicularly or diagonally
were urged to yell “Huat!”, which meant
“Prosperity” in Chinese. Prizes were presented
to all six winners for the two game sessions,
and this marked the end of the gathering. The
A surprise birthday cake for the NIH Registrar. celebration ended close to 2.00pm.

ICR family group photo.

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NIH Bulletin | National Institutes of Health