Eighth day of the Chinese New Year celerations: Celebrating the Birthday of Rice.

It is said that Kwan Yin, the Goddess of Mercy, had such great compassion for humans that she squeezed milk from her breasts so that they could fall to the earth and become rice. She continued squeezing even after she had no more milk and began to bleed, that is why some grains of rice have streaks of red on them.

Photos:A bove, my old, traditional collar de mazo honoring ten gods and goddesses; Below, a new collar de mazo honoring 43 gods and goddesses.