- Holiday mythology
- How to prepare for the Chinese New Year
- How New Year is celebrated
- Customs and traditions of the New Year in China
- What are the gifts for the Chinese New Year?
Chinese New Year, or Spring Festival, is the most important and solemn event for the people of China. The significance of the New Year in China is recognized at the state level, and the traditional ideas of the Chinese about this period are rooted in the distant past.
Holiday mythology
Every year, the date on which to celebrate the New Year in China changes. It depends, first of all, on the movement of the lunar phases, on the basis of which the next date of the holiday is set. This cyclical nature is explained by the fact that all days of the New Year are determined in accordance with the lunisolar calendar.
New Year in China has a deep meaning, filled with special images, symbols and associations. According to one of the myths, in ancient times the monster Nan (Nian) appeared, going out to hunt on the first day of the New Year. The Chinese tried to appease the terrible creature and put various gifts near the entrance to the dwelling. However, on one of the holidays, the monster again came to people to steal their children. Nan saw a little boy dressed in red clothes, and this scared the monster away from its prey.
Since then and to this day, the Chinese have firmly believed that it is the color red that helps get rid of negative energy, protects the family and promotes personal prosperity and health. Therefore, on New Year's, you can see red lanterns, garlands, paper scrolls and other red paraphernalia on the windows of houses.
How to prepare for the Chinese New Year
The preparations for the holiday start deep in advance. Preparation consists of several important stages:
- completing all urgent matters at work before the weekend;
- thorough cleaning of the house and the surrounding area;
- home decoration with lanterns, appliques and paintings in which red prevails;
- purchase of food, gifts, souvenirs and fireworks.
Each of these stages is assessed by the Chinese as a kind of ritual, after completing which in the New Year they will have good luck and prosperity in everything.
Separately, it should be noted that in the first week of the New Year's celebration, almost all shops, banks, public places and entertainment venues are closed. This is due to the fact that the New Year for the Chinese is the only opportunity to be with their family after a long period of active work.
How to celebrate the New Year
All residents of the country associate the Spring Festival with family traditions, so it is important for the Chinese to be in their homeland on the first day of the New Year. Mass movements begin two weeks before the holiday, and during the weekend they become large-scale.
The fifteen-day cycle of the holiday is dedicated to various events. The ideal Chinese New Year celebration is as follows:
- 1 day - family. All Chinese people spend this day at home, listening to the congratulations of the President of the People's Republic of China, gathered at a large table. Also, on the first day of the New Year, the inhabitants of the Celestial Empire prepare a variety of national dishes in large quantities.
- Day 2 - visiting relatives who have not been seen for a long time. On this day, it is customary to wish loved ones health and mental strength.
- 3-4 days are associated with good rest, which depends entirely on individual preferences. As a rule, during this period, the Chinese compete with each other in the preparation of dumplings with vegetable, fish and meat fillings.
- 5-10 days are devoted to good rest and walks in the fresh air.
- 11-14 days are celebrated with friends, with whom the Chinese spend a lot of time in nature.
- Day 15 - the holiday of Lanterns, or "Deng Jie", which has a symbolic meaning for the entire nation of the PRC.
Customs and traditions of the New Year in China
Since the holiday is one of the most important in the country, during the celebrations, the inhabitants of the Celestial Empire try to carefully observe traditional rituals that originate in mythology.
The most common customs are:
- Ritual food preparation. This primarily applies to dumplings. It is customary to put a small coin in each of the dumplings as a surprise. A person who comes across such a dumpling will live happily ever after next year.
- Buying red clothes. In this matter, the Chinese are especially scrupulous. Ideally, on New Years, you should wear the entire red robe, including your underwear.
- On the first New Year's Eve, the Chinese put fish and meat dishes on the table, which is a kind of offering to the gods of the Earth and Heaven.
- Immediately after the end of the gala dinner, all Chinese go out and start putting on fireworks. Fireworks can be distributed in the country for about a month. This long tradition helps people get rid of evil spirits for the next year.
- On the last day of the New Year, a red paper lantern is made in every family. Then the family goes to the park, hangs up their lantern and lights it. In this way, the Chinese complete the cycle of ritual actions aimed at preserving good luck, health and happiness in the new year.
What are the gifts for the Chinese New Year?
First of all, the best gift for any Chinese resident is a red envelope with money called "Hongbao". Two months before the holiday, envelopes are sold out everywhere. The amount of money put into hongbao depends on the age. The largest amount is given to the one who is older.
In addition to envelopes, the Chinese present to each other such functional things as household appliances, telephones, computers and household items. Also, food and a variety of drinks are quite suitable as a gift.
In the Celestial Empire, since ancient times, the custom arose to give two tangerines for the New Year. The fact is that in Chinese the phrase "two tangerines" is similar in pronunciation to the word "gold". Accordingly, when the Chinese exchange these fruits, they automatically wish their loved ones a successful year financially. Having presented a couple of tangerines, it is imperative to take the same ones in return, otherwise the custom will lose its power and the desired will not come true.
