Things We Should Know About Chinese New Year
Chinese new year is just around the corner, for this year it falls on 5 February with the year of pig. We can start to see Chinese decoration along the streets, foods and goods purchase all around, some people start to moving back to hometown to celebrate with family. Chinese New Year definitely is a lively celebration with red, noises and smiles.
Let’s look at things we should know about Chinese New Year
Spring Festival
Chinese New Year is also referred as spring festival in modern China. It is the indication of new lunar year according to Chinese lunar calendar. Lunar calendar has the same 12 months per lunar year but with only 29 or 30 days per month, thus every 3 years lunar year has a 13 months. Spring festival is also representation of new beginnings and fresh starts.
No Fix Date for Chinese New Year
As we know Chinese New Year is dated according to lunar date and leap year every few years, making Chinese New Year has not set date on our solar calendar. In lunar calendar, Chinese New Year is the first day of the first month in lunar calendar. However Chinese New Year can be predict is around the mid of January to mid of February on the solar calendar and in 2019, it is fall on 5 February which is also the first day of first month.
Mythology
In the tales and legends of, the start of Chinese New Year will appear a mythical beast called “Nian”, fierce and would eat the villagers especially children. Thus, the villagers came up an idea to revenge on this mythical beast by using red color and firecrackers which “Nian” afraid of. Villagers succeed and the culture of wearing red, hanging red and putting firecrackers all around during Chinese New year has passed on until today. Lion dance we see today is the symbolism of “Nian”.
Zodiac
Every Chinese New Year celebration also indicate the change of zodiac year. Quite similar to our constellation with 12 different stars, lunar calendar also has 12 zodiac but it is in year cycle. 2019 is pig year and your zodiac year is bad luck. Whoever in his/her zodiac year would pray for good luck, wear red and follow any Feng Shui guidelines to increase the charm.
Prohibition During Chinese New Year
There are many prohibition during first few days of Chinese New Year such as no sweeping floor or throwing garbage out of the house. The reason is you will be moving your good luck or fortune out of your house. Not allow to wash or cut hair during the celebration because “hair” in Chinese word is “Fa” which is similar with the word of “fortune” in Chinese. No arguing and unlucky words for harmony and happy celebration for new and fresh starts.
Chinese New Year is The Period of Gather
Families and friends often use this period of time to gather up and social for closer relationship. They will chit chat, play around, eat and drink and even gamble to increase the bond of each other, sharing the joy to every inch of the air. The single individual will get red envelope from the senior or married as a symbol of luck and bless.
Lantern Festival
Lantern festival is the last day of Chinese New Year, it is the 15th day in first month of lunar calendar which for 2019, it falls on 19 February. In lantern day, people will prepare a dessert called “TangYuan”, it is a glutinous rice ball with many kind of fillings.
Greetings
How can we skip the greetings for such joyful celebration. The normal greeting when we meet each other is “XinNianKuaiLe”, which means “Happy New Year”. “GongXiFaCai” is wishing him/her to have a great fortune and wealthy. “ChangMingBaiSui” is wishing the elder longevity. “WanShiShunLi” is wishing someone “All is well”.
Now wishing everyone Happy Chinese New Year, live in joy and live life to fullest!