Chinese New Year – an Introduction
Chinese New Year is the most important of all traditional Chinese holidays. Also called as the Lunar New Year or Spring Festival, Chinese New Year traditionally begins on the first day of the first month of Chinese New Year calendar and continues till 15th to make it the longest and most important festival in the Lunar Calendar. As Chinese New Year is based on the Lunar year, the dates of the Chinese New Year keep changing every year.
The Chinese calendar follows a 12-year pattern, each of which is named after an animal, starting with Rat, followed by the Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat or Sheep, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig. The tradition of Chinese New Year is century old, which has gained significance due to several myths and traditions. The behavior of the people as well their belief got reflected on the customs of the ancient Chinese New Year.
The Celebration
The Chinese New Year is characterized by visits to relatives and friends. The practice is known as “New Year Visits”. People wear new cloths to celebrate the occasion. Surroundings also get decorated, where one can find the dominance of the color red. Married and elders distribute red packets to the juniors and children.
One the eve of the Chinese New Year, Chinese people thoroughly clean their house in order to prepare it for the celebration. It is also believed that all the bad luck of the previous year get washed away by this way. Some families give the walls, doors and windows a new coat of red paint. Homes are decorated with the paper cutouts of traditional auspicious phrases and couplets.
As everyone gets ready for the Chinese New Year celebration, all eyes on the Chinese New Year’s Eve dinner, which is one of the biggest events of Chinese New Year. The dishes are comparable to the Christmas dinner in the West.
The Fun-filled 15 Days
The Chinese New Year is full of fun and enjoyment. It is also full of various activities. On the first day of the festival, everyone welcome the deities of the heavens and earth.
- On the first day, many, especially Buddhists restrain from meat consumption. On this day, families visit the oldest members of their extended family.
- On the second day, married daughters visit their birth parents. On this day, Chinese also pray to their ancestors.
- The third and fourth days of the Chinese New Year are the days on which people do not visit relatives and friends.
- On the fifth day, the people in northern China eat Jiaozi.
- The seventh day of Chinese New Year is the common man’s birthday, when everyone grows one year older. It is traditionally known as renri. People eat raw fish salad and yusheng on this day.
- On the eighth day, people celebrate God of Heaven or Tian Gong.
- On the ninth day, people offer prayers to the Jade Emperor of Heaven.
- The next day is the Jade Emperor’s birthday.
- The thirteenth day of the Chinese New Year is dedicated to the General Guan Yu, known as Chinese God of War.
- The fifteenth day is celebrated as Yuánxiao jié.
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