Chinese New Year, also known as Lunar New Year or the Spring Festival, has officially arrived. The starting day of this event changes with the Moon cycle and, this year, the 15-day-long celebration started today, January 29.
The date corresponds to the New Moon in either late January or February. When we picture Chinese New Year, lanterns, dragons and the colour red might come to mind.
Last year saw the Year of the Dragon, which is associated with auspicious opportunities and exciting advancements. But this year welcomed the sixth animal in the Chinese zodiac, the Wood Snake – an animal is known for its intelligence and elegance, as well as strategy and cunning.
While we may be familiar with the idea of Chinese New Year, many of us may not know details of the celebration. Here are five traditions of China’s Spring Festival that you may not already know.
1. Gifting money in red envelopes
Red is a lucky colour in Chinese culture and during Lunar New Year it is tradition to gift your friends and family money in special red envelopes known as known as “hongbao” in Mandarin or “ang pao” in Cantonese.
It’s not the money that’s important, but rather the envelope that it comes in. The special red envelopes represent luck and good wishes for the coming year in a tradition that symbolises the importance of family and community in Chinese culture.
2. Cleaning the house
Similar to our tradition of cleaning or “redding” the house on Hogmanay in Scotland, it is traditional for families to clean their houses before the start of Lunar New Year.
The word ‘dust’ in Chinese is a synonym for ‘old’, and cleaning the house is symbolic of sweeping away the bad luck of the previous year to allow for a clean slate.
3. Reunion Dinner
It is also tradition for families to get together for a reunion dinner the night before Chinese New Year. This is an unmissable event that usually starts before sunset and can continue all the way through midnight as the new year begins.
This dinner is the most important part of the festival and is even seen as the most important meal of the year. Huge families of several generations sit around round tables to celebrate new beginnings.
4. Watching the New Year Gala on TV
While we might find ourselves watching the new year roll in on BBC Scotland, it is Chinese tradition to sit down with the family on the eve of Lunar New Year to watch the hours-long celebratory broadcast on China Central Television (CCTV).
Viewers can follow the last-minute preparations for the Spring Festival Gala in real time, and then watch the celebrations unfold with music performances and interviews with celebrity guests.
5. Watching Lion and Dragon Dances
The dragon and lion dances are another tradition of Chinese New Year that you may be unfamiliar with. The lion represents power, wisdom, and superiority, while the dragon symbolises power, prosperity and good luck in Chinese culture.
Dancing in traditional Chinese lion and dragon costumes, this staple of Chinese New Year is not just for entertainment. Mixing aspects of kung fu with traditional Chinese dance styles, performing the dragon and lion dances is said to bring prosperity and good luck for the upcoming year.
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