Year of the Monkey

2/10/2016 (Permalink)

Chinese New Year Facts

Chinese New Year, also known as Spring Festival, is the most important traditional festival in China. It is a time for annual family reunion, which is as important as Christmas Day in western countries. Here are some fun facts about this holiday:

2016 New Year falls on February 8th (Monday), and the celebration will last for 15 days till February 22nd (Lantern Festival).

When is exactly Chinese New Year?
The festival dates change every year as it is defined by the lunar calendar, falling on a day between mid-January and mid-February.

How long is the festival?
It starts from the first day of the first month of the lunar calendar and continues for 15 days to the Lantern Festival. The peak time of the entire celebration is on Chinese New Year's Eve and the first day.
Longest public holiday in China
Most employees will have 7-12 days off the work, and students have one month winter vacation off.
 

It is a worldwide festival for a sixth of the globe.
It is not only celebrated in China, but also observed in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Vietnam, Singapore and some other Asian countries as well as Chinatowns around the world.
 

Why is red color so popular?
House decorations for the holiday use red widely in pictures, paper cuttings as well as spring couplets. The fact is that red though considered a warning color in western countries, is the token of fortune, wealth and prosperity in China, which can ward off evil spirits and bring good luck.

Why the celebration is also called “Guo Nian”?
“Nian”is the Chinese word for year. In folk culture, the Spring Festival celebration is also called “Guo Nian” (meaning “passing a year”). In Chinese New Year story, “Nian” is a fierce and cruel monster which eat livestock and kids, but it is scared about red color and cracker sound. Therefore, people use red decorations and fireworks to drive away “Nian”.

Spring Festival starts a new zodiac year.
Every year comes with a new zodiac sign. Based on the lunar calendar, an entire cycle of the lunar calendar is completed every 60 years, and 12 years is regarded as a small cycle. Each of the 12 years is defined by a different animal sign: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig. To make up the full 60 year cycle, each year is also associated with ‘Yin’ or Yang, and one of ‘Wood’, ‘Fire’, ‘Earth’, ‘Metal’ or ‘Water’.

The whole country is on the move.
No matter where someone is, they will attempt to return home for a family reunion. The world's largest human migration takes place annually in China famously known as Spring Festival Travel Rush. A billion people take planes, trains, buses and cars to reunite with their families.

Different festival foods in south and north China
This is a very interesting fact – in northern China, people used to having dumplings served at the reunion dinner; while people from southern China prefer rice cakes (Niangao) made of glutinous rice flour.

Lantern Festival marks the end.
The Lantern Festival comes on the 15th day of the first lunar month, with people usually enjoying a lantern fair or watching a Shehuo folk performance on the streets.

New clothes and red underwear
On New Year's Day, everyone will dress in new clothes to welcome a brand-new age in all respects. Red underwear is also a must, believed able to bring good luck, wealth and longevity, especially for middle-age people.

Kids get red envelopes as gifts.
Red envelopes stuffed with cash are the most popular gifts during the festival. Children will receive lucky money from grandparents, uncles, aunts and other elders who have started to earn their way. The amount of money varies according to the giver's financial status.

House cleaning on Dec. 24th
There will be a year-end cleanup taking place in every household on the 24th of the last lunar month before the holiday, which is an activity to expel misfortune and poverty.

Reunion dinner is a ritual.
The reunion dinner on New Year's Eve is a feast to commemorate the past year. This is the most important time to be with families.

Largest usage of Firework on this Planet
According to the legend, the monster “Nian” is afraid of loud sounds, so people set off fireworks to scare it away. Today, fireworks are an indispensable part of the celebration to liven up the air of Spring Festival, creating the biggest firework show on New Year's Eve.
 

The most watched TV gala on New Year's Eve
As the most watched TV program, the gala is a must after the reunion dinner for a Chinese family. The four-hour long program collects various well-selected performances, targeting audiences in different gene.

While watching all of the wonderful displays of fireworks be aware of fire safety:

Contents and Picture Credit: www.americanpyro.com and www.travelchinaguide.com