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The celebration of the Chinese New Year at the time at which it is celebrated today dates back to 104 BCE. Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty established the first month of the Chinese calendar as the beginning of the New Year, which is how it remains today.
The Lunar Chinese calendar determines the dates of the Chinese New Year. In the Gregorian calendar, which is used throughout much of the world, the Chinese New Year falls on different dates each year. Those dates fall between January 21 and February 20. - Although China is a very large country and although there are Chinese people all over the world, the traditions observed during the Chinese New Year are remarkably similar throughout the world. One of the special traditions involves red envelopes that are given to young people during Chinese New Year. The red envelopes contain money and is said to bring good luck. Colors also play a symbolic part in the traditions. The color red symbolizes fire and wards off bad luck, while green symbolizes vitality and strength and yellow or gold symbolizes royalty and freedom from daily stress. Either wearing these colors or using them in home decor such as in flowers, helps bring these qualities to the family that observes them.
- Once the date of the Chinese New Year was determined thousands of years ago, celebrations evolved to encompass advances in technology and changes in taste. Today, food items such as dumplings and vegetarian dishes are popular. Jau gok is a special Chinese New Year dumpling, while Buddha's Delight is a popular vegetarian dish consisting of steamed vegetables and tofu. As Chinese people live all over the world, their have adapted customs and added variations the way the New Year is celebrated. For example, fortune cookies were popular first in the United States, but now they are also consumed in other parts of the world.
- Festivities during the Chinese New Year depend on which day during the 15-day celebration period it is. For example, the first day is an occasion to respect the oldest members of the family while the second day is the time for married daughters to visit their birth parents. Chinese New Year parades are a major feature and are seen as one of the primary means of celebrating the times. The parades are typically highlighted by dragons, which when combined with drums and their stern drum beats are seen as a way to ward off evil spirits.
- The Chinese New Year is a time to respect oneself, one's family, and the earth. Although celebrations are meant to be joyous, there are also elements of piety, responsibility and prayer that are crucial to observe during the Chinese New Year. Not following tradition is said to bring bad luck upon those who choose to disregard these customs. For example, buying shoes, sweeping the floor, speaking about death and getting a haircut are all things believed to bring bad luck and avoided.
