About Chinese New Year

Chinese New Year is celebrated each year by millions of people throughout the world and viewed as the most significant of the ancient Chinese holidays. The 15-day Chinese New Year celebration encompasses many traditional feasts, decorations, and symbolism relating to the history of the holiday and the desire for good luck in the New Year.

Considerations

The dates of Chinese New Year change from year because they are based on the more variable Chinese 10-month lunar calendar instead of the Western Gregorian calendar. However, Chinese New Year always falls between January 21 and February 20 and marks the beginning of the first month of the Chinese lunar calendar.
Each year in the Chinese calendar is identified by one of 12 animals in Chinese astrology: the rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog and pig. These animal zodiacs all have great significance in Chinese astrology and are celebrated during Chinese New Year.

Time Frame

Chinese New Year lasts for 15 days, starting with the Lunar New Year and ending with the Lantern Festival on the night of the fifteenth day. Each day of Chinese New Year has its own significance and set of festivities that are to take place.
For instance the first day is for visiting and honoring elderly family members and welcoming various Chinese gods, while on the second day of Chinese New Year time is set aside for prayer to ancestors and deities and for married daughters to visit their parents.
Other days of the Chinese New Year are for staying at home and not visiting, going to the market, having reunion dinners, and visiting and dining with friends.

Features

A traditional aspect of Chinese New Year is the giving of red packets with money as gifts to younger friends and relatives, and the gifting of these packets is thought to bring luck to the givers in the new year.
Fireworks and firecrackers are also used during the Chinese New Year because of their traditional use in China to drive off evil spirits. The noise of the fireworks is thought to be so loud that any evil spirits nearby will be scared away, bringing luck and prosperity to those that celebrate the holiday.
Lion and dragon dances, farmers' markets, red banners, floral decorations, and red paper lanterns on the 15th day are all common to the celebration of Chinese New Year.

History

An emperor of the Han Dynasty decreed the start of the Chinese lunar calendar with the first month over 2,000 years ago. Since then the Chinese New Year has been celebrated during the same time frame that it is today.
According to Chinese myth, the Chinese New Year initially began as a way for rural villagers to protect themselves from a creature named "Year." This creature came at every New Year and wreaked havoc on villages, so the inhabitants of the village would leave food offerings for it to eat so that it would leave them alone. It was also believed that the creature was frightened by the color red, thus the prevalence of that color throughout the Chinese New Year festivities.

Geography

Today Chinese New Year is celebrated not only in China, but in many places throughout the world with significant Chinese populations or influence. The holiday is celebrated by Chinese communities in the United States and Canada, as well as in countries neighboring China like Vietnam, Korea, Nepal, and other areas of Southeast Asia.

Resources

• All China Net.com
• University of Victoria