Everyone who celebrate Chinese New Year wears red to welcome the new year. This holiday is celebrated on Tuesday, February 5th and I am going to share information on Chinese New Year and what people groups celebrate it, there is a lot of information on the history and what is the purpose of the holiday, and the different things done during the holiday.
There are a lot of countries that celebrate this holiday such as: South Korea,Vietnam, Laos, Singapore, Philippines, Indonesia, Mauritius, Malaysia, Thailand, and Japan. Chinese New Year’s Day is called “Guo Nian” in Chinese, which can mean celebrate a new year or overcome Nian. The character “Nian” could mean a year or ‘The monster Nian’. In ancient times, there was a monster named Nian with a long head and sharp horns. “It dewelled deep in the sea all year round and only showed up every New Year’s Eve to eat people and livestock in nearby villages.”
Therefore, on the day of New Year’s Eve, people would flee to remote mountains and to avoid being harmed by the monster until an old man with white hair and a ruddy complexion visited the village. He refused to hide in the mountains along with the villagers, but successfully scared away the monster by pasting red papers on doors, burning bamboo to make a loud cracking sound, lighting candles in the houses, and wearing red clothes. When the villagers came back, they were surprised to discover that the village had not been destroyed.
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“There is a lot of history behind this holiday for instance, Chinese New Year got started with the fight against a mythical beast called the “Year”. They have what they called a religious ceremony which was observed during the Shang Dynasty(1796 B.C-1122 B.C.). It also varied from mid-winter to early spring. Buddhists are the people that celebrate this holiday. The Buddhist, are the ones that observe the rituals of Chinese New Year.These rituals began more than 4,000 years ago.
There are many different things done during this holiday. For example, red is the main color for the festival. Lanterns hang in streets and red couplets hang on doors. “Most decorations are done a month before, but home decorations are traditionally done on New Year’s Eve.” A New Years Eve dinner is called a ‘Reunion Dinner’. “The reunion dinner is the most important dinner of the year.” Most people stay up late on New Year’s Eve to welcome the New Year. “After the reunion dinner, families normally sit and watch the Spring Festival Gala.” “The Spring Festival Gala is one of the most watched tv shows in China.”
At the same time most people send red envelopes or short messages to acquaintances by phone. It has been a Chinese tradition to set off fireworks and firecrackers. From the first minute of their new year billions of fireworks go up in China at 12pm.
We celebrate this holiday because throughout the centuries this holiday is when the farmers could rest from there work on the field. “With a calendar dating from the third millennium BCE, building ancient customs of new year celebrations may vary from region to region, village to village, and even family to family.” “A lot of shops sell gifts, new clothes, and festive food.” The streets are filled with the sounds of firecrackers and seasonal greetings. Families would travel to their other family members houses to celebrate the new year. All over China during Spring Festival, trains,buses, and river boats are packed with travelers.
“The Spring Festival causes the largest human migration in the world.” While most young parents live in cities their elderly parents live in rural villages, which causes a migration of epic proportions every year during Chinese New Year. This epic migration of people in china, heading back home to their parents for vacation is called “chunyun”, or Spring Migration.
“Even during normal days, public transport in China is operating at its maximum capacity.” The subways are usually jam-packed with people barely squishing past the door. “As per a 2015 statistic, around 1000 tickets were sold every second and train tickets had to be purchased 60 days in advance.”
The Chinese Calendar dates are traditionally based on changes of the moon, not the sun. The new year starts at the beginning of this lunar moon calendar and ends with lantern festival. Many chinese children dress in new clothes to celebrate Chinese New Year. Fireworks are used to drive away the evil spirits in China. Fireworks are launched to celebrate the coming of the new year as well driving away the evil. It is believed that the first person who launches the fireworks in new year will get good luck. “Chinese New Year decorations are in red color upside down fu,dui,lian,lanterns,and paper cutting.”
New Year’s Feast is a family gathering to honor ancestors and to share an elaborate feast of typically either or nine different dishes. It is one of the most orchestrated events. A whole chicken or duck symbolizes happiness and the end to the year. Dumplings or jiaozi symbolize prosperity and wealth because the shape is similar to ancient chinese currency. Jiaozi which is a long noodle symbolizes long life and rice which brings well being and good fortune.
Shrimp or prawns symbolizes happiness. A whole fish symbolizes happiness and prosperity. It is often eaten last and left unfinished so that happiness and prosperity may be carried into the new year. Any dish that includes lettuce is thought to bring growing good fortune and oranges mean completeness and wholeness.
“In Northern China, dumplings are a popular food during Chinese New Year. In the south, it’s more common to see nian gao, a chewy pellet made from glutinous rice.” Mandarin oranges, which are considered a symbol of good fortune, are also commonly eaten, displayed, and gifted.
The Chinese New Year tradition is to wear red. Red symbolizes prosperity and good fortune. It is customary to wear red for the New Year’s celebrations and is also thought to ward of evil spirits.
Chinese often hang couplets on either side of their doors. Couplets are long scrolls or posters featuring Chinese characters, typically for luck and happiness, in elegant calligraphy. Paper cuts are also a commonplace decoration and are a fun way for children to be involved in decorating. Displaying fresh flowers is also a traditional way to decorate as they symbolize the arrival of spring and a new beginning.
On New Year’s Day, Chinese observe the ancient custom of Hong Bao, which means Red Packet. Adults give children money in red envelopes to symbolize wealth and prosperity in the coming year. “It is also common for elders to bestow the same gift upon unmarried couples.”
On New Year’s Day it is customary to visit your relatives, beginning with the eldest first, as a family to offer your New Year’s wishes for good fortune and prosperity. Continue on to your other relatives, and then friends, and neighbors, offering good wishes. This is a time of year when grudges are forgiven and a new year begins.
There is a traditional dance that goes on during Chinese New Year. This dance is called “The Lion and Dragon dances.” This is a colorful traditional dance which is said “To bring good luck.” It is performed outdoors to accompaniment of drums and cymbals, sometimes as a street parade. Dragon dances are performed by a troupe of acrobatic dancers, while lion dances are performed by just two dancers.
“The Lunar New Year season is a busy time for Chinese temples. Worshippers typically visit the temple on the third day of Chinese New Year to light incense and pray to the deities for blessings and good luck to a new year ahead. Many major temples will also put on festive dragon and lion dances in the courtyard.”
The Chinese have this really cool thing which is called “The Chinese Zodiac”. The Chinese Zodiac is worship of animals. “A zodiac system has existed in Chinese culture since the Qin dynasty, more than 2,000 years ago.” Over time the zodiacs became more and more integrated into everyday life, with different meanings and characteristics assigned to each animal. This in turn gave rise to various compatibilities between each zodiac, and play a major role in marriage and career decisions, and fortune-telling. “The Zodiac cycle repeats every 12 years.”
In this paper I gave information on Chinese New Year, the religion and the purpose of this holiday. I also gave information on the history behind Chinese New Year and the different things done during this holiday. I found out that there is a traditional dance that goes on during the holiday. There is also a popular meal that is eaten which is dumplings. I also found, this thing called the Chinese Zodiac sign and that was very interesting to learn about. I found out that the Spring Festival causes the longest migration in the world. I discovered and learned many things about this holiday.
