Chinese New Year

The basis of a Chinese calendar is the amalgamation of lunar and solar movements in the astronomy. The lunar cycle lasts exactly for 29.5 days and so to catch up with the solar cycle, an extra month is added once in every few years—seven years out of a 19-year cycle. This is why, according to the solar calendar, the Chinese New Year falls on a different date every year.

Celebrated internationally in large populations areas in ethnic Chinese manner, Chinese New Year is considered to be a prime holiday for the Chinese as well as similar cultural groups which are greatly influenced in terms of philosophical thinking, religious outlook, and language in general like the Bhutanese (see Losar), the Koreans, the Miao (Chinese Hmong), Mongolians, the Nepalese, the Tibetans and the Vietnamese.

History

According to a popular legend, in the ancient China , Nian (Nyan), a man-eating rapacious monster from the mountains, could break into the people’s houses silently and thus an embodiment of threat for the Chinese. Later on they learned that Nian was sensitive to the color red and loud noises, so they shooed it away with explosions, fireworks and the generous use of the color red. GuoNian as the festival is called actually means Passover the Nian that then led the way to the first New Year celebrations.

Another popular legend states that Chinese New Year Eve or ChuXi as it is known in Mandarin Chinese is celebrated to ‘Chu’(get rid of) ‘Xi’(name of an infamous man-eating beast that is on prowl every year on New Year Eve). The Xi arrives, Chinese people use firecrackers to scare it away and once it is gone, people join together to celebrate for another year of safe and sound life.

Tradition

Both the Eve and the New Year Day are celebrated as a family affair, depicting a time of reunion and offering thanks to all those who matter. It is customarily highlighted with an auspicious ceremony to pay respect to the Heaven and to the mother Earth, to the god of the household and to the family founders.

The Chinese New Year starts with the New Moon on the first day of the New Year and ends on the full moon 15 days later. The 15 day celebrations end with the ceremony called the Lantern Festival, which is celebrated with lantern displays and children carrying lanterns in a procession at night.

Activities

Red packets containing money or its means are circulated out from married couples to unmarried people and especially children. Chinese New Year is celebrated with red firecrackers (the deafening noise is suppose to scare away the evil), dragon and lion dances (to bring in the goodwill). The game of mahjong is also played in some families. New clothing is also worn on the first day.

Must eat dishes

Chinese New Year Markets

Open-air markets are set up usually around the New Year by vendors to sell goodies related to New Year comprising of floral products, toys, clothing, gifts and decor items. The ritual of shopping for the perfect peach blossom is in no way far removed from the Western tradition of buying a Christmas tree.