What is Chinese New Year? 7 things you should know about the popular festival

(CNN Spanish) — At this time, millions of people around the world are busy preparing for one of the most important festivals of the year, the Lunar New Year, which marks the first new moon on the lunar calendar.

This year it falls on February 10, marking the beginning of the 15-day Spring Festival.

Whether you’re unfamiliar with Lunar New Year or need a refresher, this guide will shed light on some of the most common traditions associated with this celebration that spans many countries in Asia.

What is Chinese New Year?

In fact, this is not its official name: in China, the celebration is known as the Spring Festival or Lunar New Year. Briefly, they begin on the second moon after the winter solstice, a date that can range from late January to mid-February in the Gregorian calendar.

Nor is even a single day celebrated. Chinese New Year celebrations begin on the first day of the first lunar month of the Chinese calendar and last for 15 days when the full moon arrives. This is the time when families usually gather and travel long distances home to see their loved ones. This tradition was threatened by Corona virus for two consecutive years. For many people, this is the only time of the year when they have to return home and bring a bag full of gifts.

How is it celebrated?

A large family reunion dinner is usually held on Lunar New Year’s Eve, which falls on February 9 this year.

The menu is carefully chosen to include dishes associated with luck, including fish (the Chinese word also sounds like “surplus”), puddings (a symbol of progress), and foods resembling gold ingots (like dumplings). Substances are included.

In China, the foods served at these classic dinners vary from north to south. For example, Northern Chinese eat dumplings and noodles, while Southern Chinese cannot live without boiled rice.

But no matter which dish you prefer, the Lunar New Year meal is a feast of fun.

Each of the 15 days of the festival has its own traditions. For example, on Chinese New Year’s Eve, families gather to have dinner together. There is also a custom of staying at home to seek good luck or visiting in-laws. Additionally, children and single adults are given money in red envelopes, called “Hong Bao”. In recent years, gift giving has shifted toward digital.

The tradition of launching fireworks comes from the tradition of burning bamboo stalks to ward off evil spirits, such as the half-dragon, half-lion monster “Nian”, which according to legend comes out of hiding on the Lunar New Year to attack people. Is. , But his ears are his weakness, so in ancient times people used to set fire to bamboo stalks to scare him. Ultimately this led to fireworks.

And the Lunar New Year culminates with the Lantern Festival, celebrated with a nightly parade and display of decorated lanterns. The main event of this day is the Dragon Dance: beautiful dragons made of paper, silk and bamboo are placed overhead and are seen dancing during the parade.

Why is it the year of the dragon?

Although incredibly complex, the Chinese zodiac calendar is described as a 12-year cycle, represented by 12 different animals, in this order: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse. , Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig. ,

Your personal zodiac animal sign is determined by your birth year, which means 2024 will welcome many baby Dragons into the world. Those born in 2025 will be snakes, etc.

Its followers believe that for each sign of the Chinese zodiac, fortune will largely depend on the position of the Tai Sui, a collective name for star deities who are believed to rotate parallel and in the opposite direction to Jupiter. Are.

Different geomancy experts may interpret the data differently, but there is generally consensus on what the year means for each zodiac animal based on the position of the stars.

Why do they burn crackers and wear red clothes? meet nian

There are countless folk tales related to the Lunar New Year, but the myth of “Nian” is one of the funniest.

Legend has it that Nian was a ferocious underwater beast with sharp teeth and horns. Every Lunar New Year’s Eve, it would crawl on the ground and attack a nearby village.

On one such occasion, as the villagers were scrambling for cover, a mysterious old man appeared and insisted on staying despite warnings of impending doom.

The villagers were surprised that the old man and the village survived completely safely.

The man claimed that he frightened Nian by hanging red banners on the door, burning firecrackers and wearing red clothes.

That’s why wearing fiery colors, hanging red banners, and lighting firecrackers or fireworks are Lunar New Year traditions that are still followed today.

New Year preparations and traditions

Besides all the fun, Lunar New Year can actually take a lot of work. The celebrations usually last for 15 days (sometimes even more) and various functions and activities take place during that period.

It all starts about a week before the New Year.

Festive cakes and puddings are made on the 24th day of the last lunar month (February 3, 2024). Because The word for cake and pudding is “sing” in Mandarin and “go” in Cantonese, which sounds similar to the word “stop”.

As a result, it is believed that eating these dishes will bring improvement and growth in the following year.

And don’t forget our friend Nian. No Lunar New Year preparation would be complete without hanging the aforementioned red banners with auspicious phrases and idioms (called fai chun in Cantonese, or chunlian in Mandarin), starting at the front door of the house.

These will do double duty: ward off nian and invite good fortune.

Not all prep work is fun. According to Lunar New Year tradition, major house cleaning should be done on the 28th day of the last lunar month, which falls on February 7 this year.

Do not take out the garbage. The reason? It is said that this way you eliminate luck and prosperity. You enjoy time with your family, especially your in-laws and your partner’s relatives, during the second day, which is considered the beginning of the year.

On the other hand, it is better not to meet anyone on the third day. According to tradition it is a day of debate. You can celebrate till the seventh.

The goal is to rid your home of any bad luck that has accumulated over the past year.

And don’t clean anything again until February 12th, otherwise you’ll erase all the good luck that came at the beginning of the new year.

On a related note, some people say you shouldn’t wash or cut your hair on the first day of the New Year.

Because The Chinese character for hair is the first character of the word prosperity. Therefore washing or cutting it is considered to wash away one’s luck.

You may also want to avoid shoe shopping throughout the lunar month, as the word for shoes (hai) sounds like lose and sigh in Cantonese.

Celebration

The first days of the Lunar New Year, especially the first two days, are often a test of stamina, appetite and social skills, as many people have to travel and visit their family, other relatives and friends.

Bags filled with gifts and fruits are given to distribute to visiting households. In return, visitors will be rewarded with gifts after exchanging talks over Lunar New Year delicacies.

Married people are also required to distribute red packets to those who are not yet married, both children and young single people.

It is believed that these envelopes, known as hongbao/lai si, can protect children by warding off evil spirits called sui.

Day 3: Visit a temple

The third day of the Lunar New Year (which falls on February 12, 2024) is called “Chi Kou/Sek Hau” or Red Mouth.

It is believed that the chances of arguments are high on this day, so people will stay away from social gatherings and go to temples instead.

At the same time, some people will take the opportunity to make offerings to ward off any possible bad luck. As mentioned above, for many people the Lunar New Year is a time to consult the stars to find out what the future holds for us in the coming months.

Every year, certain Chinese zodiac signs clash negatively with the stars, so visiting the temple is considered a good way to resolve those conflicts and bring peace in the coming months.

Day 7: City Birthday

The seventh day of the Lunar New Year (February 16, 2024) is the day when the Chinese goddess Nuwa is said to have created humanity. That is why it is called Renri/Jan Jaat (people’s birthday).

Different communities in Asia will serve different birthday meals on that day.

For example, people in Malaysia enjoy yisang, or a “richness mixture” of raw fish and grated vegetables, while the Cantonese eat sweet rice balls.

Day 15: Lantern Festival

The highlight of the entire Spring Festival, the Lantern Festival, is celebrated on the 15th and last day (February 24, 2024).

Called Yuan Xiao Ji in Mandarin Chinese, it is considered the perfect end to weeks of preparation and celebration for the Lunar New Year.

The Lantern Festival celebrates the first full moon of the year, hence its name (yuan means beginning. xiao means night).

This date marks the farewell of winter and the beginning of spring.

On this day, people light lanterns as a symbol of dispelling darkness and bringing hope in the coming year.

In ancient Chinese society, it was the only day when young girls were allowed to admire lanterns and meet boys. As a result, it has also been called Chinese Valentine’s Day.

Today, cities around the world still hold fairs and huge lantern displays on the last day of the festival. Some Chinese cities, such as Chengdu, even host spectacular fire dragon dances.

Why are Chinese years identified with animals?

Chinese legend has it that the Buddha called all the animals to meet on New Year’s Day and named the coming years after the 12 animals. So the animals in the Chinese calendar are dog, pig, rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey and rooster. Tradition also says that people born in each animal year have some personality trait of that animal.

–This text was originally published in January 2023 and updated in February 2024.

With reporting by Nectar Gan, Lily Lee, Maggie Hiufu Wong, Maggie Hiufu Wong And David Culver, all of CNN.