Chinese New Year
Chinese Celebration
by Lesley Brown
by Lesley Brown
If you think that China is a busy country, just wait until the partying starts! With a population of over 1.3 billion, you can only imagine the flurry and commotion at the Chinese markets as people shop for New Year's decoration and “must have” items, such as lanterns, yummy dumplings and traditional cakes, and the kids' favourite…the red envelope.
But wait! This colossal celebration gets even bigger as Chinese around the globe and the millions celebrating with them also bring in the New Year with excitement and enthusiasm. There are well over 40 million Chinese living abroad…a little more than the entire population of Spain. By mid-December, these families begin their extensive preparations for the most important day in the Chinese calendar, Chinese New Year.
The Chinese New Year is a time of gratitude and family togetherness. It is also a time for bidding farewell to the old year and for thanking the gods for their blessing and protection. The tradition of celebrating Chinese New Year's is said to date back to 2600 BC, but actually the tradition is so old that no one has really been able to definitively trace its origin. We must rely on folklore and storytelling that has been passed down through the centuries, generation to generation.
One colourful tale would have you believe that the celebratory customs began long ago when the monster Nian (the Chinese word for years) went throughout the country and ate everyone in sight. Nian was so huge that he could easily eat several people with a single bite.
A wise old man passed through the suffering village and challenged the flesh eating monster. He told the monster that he should find worthier opponents. Incensed, Nian set out to prove that he could beat any monster in the world. The old man, who was actually an immortal god in disguise, was satisfied with the monster’s abilities and tamed him.
The god began to travel the earth upon the monster's back and gave a warning to the villagers to put red paper decorations on their windows and doors each year to scare away the beast, since as everyone knows, all flesh eating monsters are afraid of the colour red. Thousands of years later, not taking any chances, every door and window in China is decorated in red. Amazingly, the term "Guo Nian", which originally meant "survived the Nian”, is a familiar phrase and now everyone loves Guo Nian.
Chinese New Year is the first day of the lunar calendar, so it is also called the Lunar New Year. It is also referred to as the Spring Festival as it marks the arrival of the spring term, which is the first term of the 24 terms on the lunar calendar. New Year’s Day is believed to renew life and is begun by the worshipping of ancestors. After which, the streets turn into a big party as people make their New Year’s visits to friends and families.
The Festival is a fifteen-day event that begins with "Chu Yi", the first day of the New Year, and ends with "Yuan Xiao Jie", the Yuan Xiao Festival. Throughout the 15 days, a number of activities take place. Traditionally, the first day is spent with family and close friends to wish them a prosperous New Year and good tidings. The following days are spent visiting deceased ancestors and deities, which reflects the importance that Chinese place on filial piety and family ethics.
"Yuan Xiao Jie" is the last day of the festival and it is celebrated with people sharing glutinous rice balls filled with sesame, peanut and red beans. As the night sets in, the children carry lanterns that illuminate the way to parks and temples. One of the much loved traditions for children is Hong Bao. Eager tykes are given small red envelopes containing money, which is said to bring in goodwill and prosperity.
However, several taboos must be heeded in order to guarantee prosperity in the New Year. Floors should not be swept and rubbish should not be disposed of (just in case you throw out any riches). The arrangement of the home is very important as it symbolizes a new beginning. Also, conflicts are to be avoided at all costs or the entire year may be filled with misfortune and quarrelling.
In China, celebrations can vary significantly. In Dalian, for example, locals swim in cold ocean waters and participate in the never ending fireworks displays. Thousands upon thousands of enthusiastic people gather in Xinghai Square for an explosive visual feast. Beijing’s celebratory practices may not be as ‘loud’; however, it is still met with a great deal of enthusiasm. 2007 was the first year that locals were allowed to set off firecrackers after a 12 year ban.
The reason that fireworks plays such an important role in the New Year’s celebrations is because they are traditionally believed to ward off evil spirits trying to enter the new year. With Beijing is preparing for the 2008 Summer Olympic Games, city officials seemed to have adopted a friendly and welcoming outlook, much to the delight of the millions of city revellers.
Chinese New Year is not only celebrated in China. The fifteen day celebration is observed by roughly a quarter of the world's population. In San Francisco, the Chinese New Year Parade is one of the world’s top ten parades and one of the largest celebrations of Chinese New Year outside of Asia. Besides the televised parade, San Francisco festivities also include two major fairs: the Chinese New Year Flower Fair and Chinatown Community Street Fair.
In Australia, both Sydney and Melbourne have Chinatowns with a large Chinese community and New Year’s is celebrated with festivities that include A Grand Parade and Dragon Boat Races. In Melbourne, the Great Dragon appears in the streets and is carried by over 200 people. The Dragon is awakened every year with a ceremony of offerings to the gods followed by a lion dance.
This is The Year of the Rat. If your date of birth falls on 1912, 1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, or 1996, you, my friend, are a rat. People born during these years are said to be distinguished by their charm and attraction for the opposite sex. “Rat” people tend to be goal-oriented, possession-driven, somewhat tight with money, and tend to be perfectionists. Rat people are also said to be easily angered and they love to gossip.
Even if you are not a “rat” person or believe in any of the superstitions or centuries-old traditions, you can still have an amazing time observing this ancient holiday, which is filled with good karma and family love. You don’t even have to be Chinese to take part in this magnificent and time honoured festival. Gung Hay Fat Choy! (Best wishes and Congratulations!)
For articles on China, go to our archive.
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