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About the Chinese New Year
by W.Holidays
Fireworks, dragons, lions, and Nian gao all signify the start of Chinese New
Year. The Chinese New Year is an important holiday and is
celebrated all over the world. There are similar celebrations
in Japan, Korea, and Vietnam known as the Lunar New Year or the Spring
Festival.
The Chinese New Year follows the lunar calendar so it does not fall on
the same date each year, although it is always in January or
February. A long time ago the emperor determined the start of
the New Year. Today, celebrations are based on Emperor Han Wu Di's
almanac. It uses the first day of the first month of the Lunar Year as
the start of Chinese New Year.
Traditions observed during the new year stem from legends and practices
from long ago. Legend tells of a village in China, thousands
of years ago, that was ravaged by an evil monster one winter's night.
The following year the monster returned and again ravaged the village.
Before it could happen a third time, the villagers devised a plan to
scare the monster away. Red banners were hung everywhere. The
color red had long been believed to protect against evil. Firecrackers,
drums, and gongs were used to create loud noises to scare the beast
away. The plan worked and the celebration lasted several days during
which people visited with each other, exchanged gifts, danced, and ate
tasty comestibles.
Celebrations today are both literal and symbolic. Spring cleaning is
started about a month prior to the new year and must be completed
before the celebrations begin.
Red packets called Lai See Hong Bao (or Hongbao) with money tucked
inside are given out as a symbol of good luck. The amount is an even
number as odd numbers are regarded as unlucky.
Lions are considered to be good omens. The lion dance is repels demons.
Each lion has two dancers, one to maneuver the head, the other to guide
the back. Business owners offer the lions a head of lettuce
and oranges or tangerines. The offerings hope to insure a
successful year in business. Lettuce translates into "growing
wealth" and tangerines and oranges sound like "gold" and "wealth" in
Chinese. The lions eat the oranges, then spew them up and out
into the hordes of people who eagerly tried to catch the them. After
eating the lettuce, they spit out it out in a thousand pieces.
During the New Year celebrations people do not fight or be mean to each
other, as this would bring a bad, unlucky year.
Everyone celebrates their birthday this day and they turn one year
older.
Foods during the holiday hold symbolism as well. Red meat is not served
and one is careful not to serve or eat from a chipped or cracked plate.
Fish is eaten to ensure long life and good fortune. Red dates bring the
hope for prosperity, melon seeds for proliferation, and lotus seeds
means the family will prosper through time. Oranges and tangerines
symbolize wealth and good fortune. Nian gao, the New Year's Cake is
always served. It is believed that the higher the cake rises the better
the year will be. When company stops by a "prosperity tray" is served.
The tray has eight sides (another symbol of prosperity) and is filled
with goodies like red dates, melon seeds, cookies, and New Year Cakes.
The Annual Reunion Dinner is held on New Year's Eve. This is an
important part of the celebration. Families come together and eat
together. The food is symbolic. Many dishes have ingredients that
sound the same as good tidings.
modified June 24, 2008
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