Chinese New Year

Historical BackgroundBy Christopher Lin新

年春節

Background Information

• Centuries old event.• Most Significant holiday.• Largest human migration.• A 15 day long celebration starting from 1/1

(Sunday) of the Lunar Calendar ( 農曆新年 ).• Ends on the 15th day, known as the Lantern

Festival ( 元宵節 )

The Zodiac• Similar to the Western Zodiac of the 12

astrological signs.

• 12 Zodiac animals: Mouse, Ox, Tiger, Hare, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, Boar.

• Coming year ： Boar 豬 (Joo or “D”)

十二生肖

鼠 牛 虎 兔 龍 蛇

馬 羊 猴 雞 狗 豬

Public Holidays

• 7 days in China

• 5 days in Taiwan

• 3 days in Hong Kong and Macau

• 2 days in Malaysia and Singapore

Purpose• A time of reunion with family.

• Reunion dinner on New Year’s Eve ( 除夕 Chu shi) This Saturday

• Red envelopes ( 紅包 “ Hong bao” or “Ang Pao”) containing money ( 壓歲錢 Ya shui chian)

Superstitions and Beliefs

• Stay up all night on New Year’s Eve.

It is considered very unlucky to:• Sweep the floor on the 1st five days of New Year• Talk of the deceased• Getting a hair cut 剪髮 vs 剪發 (to cut your fortune)

• Buying books 書 vs 輸 (to lose)

• Break dishes 碎 vs 歲 ( 歲歲平安 sui sui ping an)

The Story of Nien

• A ferocious beast called Nien

• Comes out from the sea every year to eat people

• The people drove Nien away with Red, Fire and Noises.

• Greeting: Congratulations 恭喜 (Gong-shi), 過年 (Guo-Nien )

年

“Visiting” Gift

Why???

Night Market

Night Market

Night Market

“Red Pocket Money”

“New Year Poetry”

“New Year Poetry”

Happy New Year

新年快樂