Written by: Waseem Abbas
Posted on: January 20, 2023 | 
| 中文
Chinese New Year parade in Chinatown, Manhattan
Chinese New Year, also known as the Spring Festival, celebrates the Chinese New Year on their Lunisolar calendar, and celebrates the beginning of spring and the end of winter season. It is usually a week-long holiday in China, known for family gatherings and offering gratitude to the deities. This festival is widely celebrated not only in China, but also in Japan, Korea, Singapore, Malaysia and Vietnam. The Chinese New Year follows the Lunisolar calendar, due to which the date of celebration varies each year. It usually falls between January 21 and February 20, unlike the Georgian calendar-based Western New Year that is always on January 1st.
Chinese New Year firework in Hong Kong
The festival is believed to have originated during the Shang Dynasty (1600-1046 BC), but it became a yearly festival during the Zhou Dynasty (1046-256 BC), and the economically prosperous eras of the Tang, Song and Qing dynasties. The legend has it that a mythical beast called Nian would attack and devour children and destroy everything, but on one such day, a deity helped them in defeating the beast. It was later learned that the beast is afraid of firecrackers, red color and loud noises, and these practices, as people followed them for centuries, took cultural roots and became the most well-known expressions of celebrations in China.
A representation of Nian beast
According to the Chinese zodiac signs, twelve consecutive years are named after twelve animals, and the cycle repeats after every twelve years. These animals are Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig. Besides these zodiac animals, five elements (wood, fire, earth, metal, water) are also associated with these years, and the changing character of these elements results in varying challenges and opportunities for people. 2023 is the year of Water Rabbit, which comes after every sixty years (the last being 1963). Water Rabbit years are marked as the years of peace, prosperity, hope and longevity in Chinese zodiac traditions. People born in the Water Rabbit years (2011, 1999, 1987, 1975) are said to be witty, bright, ingenious, gentle, quiet, elegant and vigilant.
2023, year of the rabbit
There are many interesting fables attached to the mythology and customs of the New Year celebrations. The story of twelve zodiacs, the importance of red color, family feasts, origins of New Year’s gifts and the theory of distribution of wealth are some interesting features of the celebrations.
The order of twelve zodiacs was chosen by Jade Emperor through a race. The animal that reached the destination first, was given the first year. There are many interesting stories attached to the ‘mythical race’; for example, rat is the first zodiac animal, and it is believed that it came first by mixing something into cat’s tea due to which the cat overslept. On the way to their destination, rat and ox struck a deal by which the ox would carry the rat on its back and the rat would sing for the ox, but at the finishing line, the rat jumped off from the ox's back and landed in front of the finishing line. The dragon took a longer route to save a village from floods, while monkey, dog and rooster arrived late because they were busy helping a deity in saving a community. The pig was the last one to reach, because he was busy rebuilding his house that the wolf had destroyed. The stories have been weaved in such a way that they sound realistic, for they relate to the qualities of the animals. The belief is that people born in the year of each zodiac animal will have qualities of that particular animal.
Chinese Zodiac animals
Color red has a central place in Chinese culture in general, and in the Chinese New Year celebrations, in particular. From giving gifts in red envelopes to pasting good luck messages and poetry on red placards, to wearing red dresses, it is almost omnipresent in New Year celebrations. In Chinese mythology, there was a beast called Sui that used to visit homes on New Year’s Eve, and would pat children on the back due to which they would fall sick. Once a couple gave money to their kid and placed it in a red envelope when the child was asleep. When the beast arrived, it was frightened by the red envelope and the child remained unharmed. From then on, the gifts were given in red wrappings. By giving the 'New Year's money' or 'luck money', elders hope to pass good luck, fortune and blessings of longevity.
Hand-written Chinese New Year's poetry pasted on the sides of doors
Cleaning one’s house before the New Year’s Eve to honor the deities and one's ancestors, posting scrolls on walls and doors with prayers and lucky messages for bringing good luck and warding off bad luck, are a few of the important ways of celebrating the New Year. Moreover, family ‘reunion dinner’ is also of central importance. Eating long noodles for long life and fish for an abundance of wealth are a tradition. Dumplings are more popular in North China, whereas Nian Gao, a glutinous cake, is more liked in Southern China. Gifts and other things are exchanged/wrapped in red packing, as it is considered a sign of good luck and wealth. The celebrations of the New year reveal the importance given by Chinese culture to family reunions and feasts, belief in prayers and luck, and showing support to each other.
Dumplings
Another interesting New Year story revolves around the Stove God (Zào Jūn in Chinese), the God of people's livelihood and meals. Stove God visits the Jade Emperor and reports to him about each family's previous year, and later returns to the earth on the fourth day of the Spring Festival, to either punish or reward the families for the upcoming year as ordered by the Jade Emperor. Families leave malt candy gourds outside their doors to please the Stove God, so that he will only say favorable things about the family to the Jade Emperor, or at least will not reveal negative things about the family to him.
Family 'reunion dinner'
It is believed that whatever one does on New Year's Day, it is going to be repeated throughout the year. It is therefore stressed that there should not be any negative utterances, nothing should be broken, the use of knives and scissors should be avoided, as also fighting, crying, taking medicines, visiting doctors or patients.
The popularity of Chinese New Year celebrations globally, attests to its rising profile as an economic and political power and its increasing cultural presence.
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