2. CHINESE NEW YEAR Common expressions heard at this time are: GUONIAN: to have made it through the old year BAINIAN :to congratulate the new year Traditional Celebration of the Chinese New Year
3. The Chinese New year is celebrated on the first day of the First Moon of the lunar calendar . The corresponding date in the solar calendar varies from as early as January 21st to as late as February 19th. Chinese New Year, as the Western new Year, signified turning over a new leaf. Socially, it was a time for family reunions, and for visiting friends and relatives. This holiday, more than any other Chinese holiday, stressed the importance of family ties. The Chinese New year's Eve dinner gathering was among the most important family occasions of the year Turning Over a New Leaf
4. What is Chinese Lunar Calendar? The Chinese calendar will often show the dates of both the Gregorian (Western) calendar and the Chinese Lunar Calendar. The Gregorian dates are printed in Arabic numerals, and the Chinese dates in Chinese numerals. Chinese Lunar Calendar is based on the cycles of the moon, and is constructed in a different fashion than the Western solar calendar.
5. Customs of Chinese New Year 1.Sweeping the Dust 扫尘 2.Pasting Spring Couplet 贴春联 3.Pasting Paper-cuts & Up-sided Fu 贴窗花和“福”字 4.Pasting New Year Prints 贴年画 5.Staying Up Late on New Year’s Eve 守岁 7.Setting off Firecrackers 放鞭炮 6.The CCTV New Year’s Gala 春节联欢晚会 8.New Year’s Visit &. Luck Money 拜年 和 压岁钱 10.Festival Greetings / Festival Greetings via Text Massage 新年祝福 / 短信祝福 9. Eating Jiao zi 吃饺子
6. Festival Greetings 新年祝福语 恭贺新禧 (gōnghé xīnxǐ) Happy New Yew 吉祥如意 (jíxiáng rúyì) Everything Goes Well 恭喜发财 (gōngxǐ fācái) Wish You Prosperity 年年有余 (niánnián yǒuyú) Surplus Year After Year 岁岁平安 (suìsuì píng’ an) Pearce All Year Round 新春大吉 (xīnchūn dàjí) Good Luck in the New Year
24. Lotus seed 莲子 - signify having many children. Ginkgo nut 银杏 - represents silver ingot. Traditional New Year Food
25. 海带 - Black moss seaweed- is a homonym for exceeding wealth. 豆腐干 - Dried bean curd- Is another homonym for wealth and happiness. 竹笋 - Bamboo shoots- is a term that sounds like “wishing that everything would be well. Traditional New Year Food
26. 年糕 New Year Cake- the favorite and most typical dish that also foster togetherness and cooperation of spirit. 元宝 Boiled Dumplings- which also foster togetherness and cooperation of spirit. 饺子 Dumplings- are a New Year’s tradition that fosters togetherness and cooperation of spirit. Traditional New Year Food
27. 斋 - Vegetarian banquet- is the most significant New Year’s dish, because everyone of its ingredients promises to deliver good fortune, prosperity, and longevity. Traditional New Year Food
30. Kitchen God On the 23 rd or 24 th day of the 12 th lunar month the Kitchen God is transported to the Jade Emperor to report on the family’s behavior from the previous year. Families sit down to feast on foods of good fortune. The Kitchen God is represented by a paper image and is hung throughout the year near the family’s stove.
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32. . Red Envelopes Lucky Money Red envelopes are part of the Chinese New Year tradition . Red envelopes are given to young or unmarried children by elders. The money is inside the envelopes usually in even numbers except four because the Chinese word for four is associated with death. Red is a sign of good luck because it is associated with fire, life energy, and the lifeblood that demons fear most. 红包 hong bao
