Chinese New Year
Photo credit to Everyday Singapore.
Chinese New Year, Lunar New Year is the most important chinese traditional festival. It begins on the first day of the first month, 正月(Zheng Yue) in Chinese lunar calendar and ends on the 15th day. Chinese New Year tradition is a good way to reconcile, forgetting all grievance and sincerly wish peace and happiness to everyone.
Before Chinese New Year starts, people will clean their house throughly to sweep away bad luck in hopes to bring in good fortune. They will buy new clothes, materials, food and decorations and had their hair cuts. These symbolize a fresh start. Brooms and dusts are put away on the first day so that the arrived good luck cannot be swept away.
On the Eve of Chinese New Year, most of the shops will be closed in the late afternoon to return home for reunion dinner. Every family members will gathered to have reunion dinner. A family will serve at least one fish during reunion dinner. It represents 年年有鱼, which means “every year there is some fish”. In other words, abundant year by year. After dinner, the family will spend time talking and watching shows.
In the morning of the First Day, the kids of the parents will wish them happy, healthy and properous chinese new year. The parents will give them red packets. Everyone will dress themselves up, mostly in red to visit the oldest and most senior members of the extend family and also their relatives. They will also pray to Gods they worships at home or at the temples for blessings.
Photo credit to Abhishek Kumar.
Some people will invite lion dance to evict bad spirits from the premises. The older generations will give the younger generations red packets. Bussinessmen will also give their employees for good luck and wealth. Only married couples are allowed to give red packets.
On the Second Day, married daughter will visit their own parents. They do not have many opportunities to visit their own parents after they get married.
On the Third Day, many Chinese are backed to work but they can still visit their relatives or friends either before or after their work.
On the Seventh Day, it is 人日 (Ren Ri), the day when everyone grows one year older. Everyone in the family will gathered and toss the raw fish salad, called 鱼生 (yusheng), or lo-hei in cantonese. Everyone will toss the yusheng while saying auspicious wishes, 吉祥话 (Ji Xiang Hua) like 身体健康 (Shen Ti Jian Kang) means healthy life, 学业进步 (Xue Ye Jin Bu) means progresses in studies , 财源广进 (Cai Yuan Guang Jin) means money and treasures will be plentiful and etc.
Things to take note:
Do Spring Cleaning.
Put aways the brooms and brushes.
Pay all your debts.
Decorate your house with plastic firecrackers to frighten away all evil spirits and the bad lucks.
Open every door and window at midnight on Eve of Chinese New Year to let go of the old year.
Wear brand new clothes.
Wear red for joy and happiness.
Greet your love ones with happiness and with enthusiam.
Don’t wear black as it is the colour of mourning.
Don’t sweep the floor as you may sweep away the luck
Don’t say “4″ as it sound “die” in chinese.
Don’t mention death or ghost.
Don’t borrow or lend money.
Tell us what you think about Chinese New Year by dropping us a comment.
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