Chinese New Year: history and traditions. Holidays in China When is Chinese New Year celebrated?

Chinese New Year - Chun Jie (Spring Festival) has long been the most important and longest holiday in China and other countries of East Asia.

The history of the celebration of the New Year according to the Chinese calendar originated in antiquity.

He does not have a fixed date, it is calculated according to the lunisolar calendar and occurs on one of the days in the interval from January 21 to February 21. In 2018, it will come on the night of February 16, it is planned to celebrate its offensive in China from February 16 to March 2. However, officially the Chinese will rest for only seven days - from 15 to 21 February.

The reason the holiday is celebrated at a different time each year is that while our years follow the cycle of the Earth around the Sun, the Chinese year is based on the movement of the Moon. Also known as the Lunar New Year, it differs annually because the lunar month is about two days shorter than the western month.

Chinese New Year always falls on the second day of the new moon after the winter solstice.
The thirteenth month is added to the year to help catch up with the seasons.
This means that Chinese New Year is always between January 21st and February 21st.

The onset of the New Year according to the Chinese calendar is eagerly awaited not only in Asian countries. The whole world froze in anticipation of the new patron of the year, but few people know the history of the origin of this holiday.
The second new moon after the winter solstice will come on February 16, 2018 at 18:13 Moscow time or at 23:13 Beijing time. This time will be considered the beginning of the New Year according to the Eastern calendar.

history of the holiday

Chun Ze has an ancient history dating back to the rites of sacrifice to deities and remembrance of ancestors, which were performed at the end and beginning of the year in the Shang Dynasty 1600-1100 BC. In everyday life, Chun Jie is called "Nian" (nian means "year")

It is said that a bloodthirsty monster named Nian lives at the bottom of the sea abyss, which can go to land only once a year - on the new moon on the eve of the New Year. Having escaped from the depths of the sea, the creature begins to devour all living things that come across its path: animals, fruits of trees and shrubs, vegetables, and even people and children.

People were afraid of the monster and prepared for its annual appearance in advance. To protect their families, on the eve of the holiday, they put food at the doorstep of their house. It was believed that the more you put, the more likely it was that the beast would be satisfied with the offering and it would not touch people.
And they themselves, taking with them the most important things, left the village for the mountains.

This went on for many years. One day, on the eve of the day when the monster was supposed to emerge from the sea, an old man appeared in the village of Tao Hua (“Peach Flowers”) with a bag over his shoulders, a gray mustache and a staff.
However, due to the hustle and bustle, no one paid any attention to him. Only one old woman advised him to leave quickly, as Nian would appear soon. He replied that if he was left for the night, he would drive the monster away once and for all. The woman let the old man into her house, gave him food and left him to spend the night, while not hoping to find him alive in the morning.

The surprise of the returned villagers knew no bounds when the grandfather, safe and sound, moreover, having driven out the terrible monster, peacefully rested on the threshold of the house in a red painted robe.
The fire crackled merrily in the hut, the front door was painted red, and the remains of firecrackers lay on the floor. The old man said that Nian was most afraid of the color red and loud noise.

Hearing the story, all the villagers were delighted, dressed up in new clothes, congratulating each other on the onset of peace, happiness and prosperity. This story quickly spread to the neighboring villages, and everyone soon learned how to cast out the Nian beast.
Since then, every year on New Year's Eve, people stick red paired inscriptions on the doors, hang red lanterns, fire crackers, lights are on in houses, people stay up all night and stay awake all night, which in Chinese is called "shou sui" - "protect the year ".

This version of the origin of the New Year is most popular among the Chinese. However, it is he who is considered the most mythical of all existing options. One day, the monster Nian knocked on the door of one of the residential buildings. The door was opened by a little boy wearing bright red pajamas. The boy's mother saw that there was a monster on the threshold, and began to bang the walls with a stick. As a result, the monster got scared and ran away. Then people realized that the creature is afraid of red color and loud sounds. Hence the tradition of making Christmas decorations with a predominance of red.
Also on New Year's Eve, people hung the windows and front doors of their houses with red cloth and lit bamboo sticks, which, when burned, emit a loud characteristic crackle.

It is not known whether this is true or a beautiful fiction, but since then no one has seen the monster, but you can understand what such a love for the red color is connected with from here :).

And the Chinese to this day decorate their houses with lanterns and red scrolls and celebrate the New Year cheerfully and noisily, with crackers, with lights of garlands and other tinsel that exorcise evil spirits.
Later, fireworks were used to scare Chun away.

Every street, building and house where the Chinese New Year is celebrated is decorated in red. Red is the main color of the holiday, as it is considered auspicious.
Red lanterns hang on the streets, red couplets (short poems with wishes on red paper) are pasted on the doors, banks and other official buildings are decorated with red New Year's pictures expressing images of prosperity.

How they prepare

The Chinese begin to prepare for the upcoming celebration in a few days. Literally everywhere - in dwellings, work offices, on city streets - total order is being introduced. Throw away unwanted, broken and old things. In order to neutralize stagnant energy, literally everything is washed out in the house / apartment - from the attic with its most secluded places to the entrance gate located on the plot.
In this way, the Chinese clear the way for renewed vitality.

Particular attention is paid to decorating the house with traditional red and its shades. The Chinese have a special ritual - paired inscriptions are pasted at the entrance to the house, the walls of apartments and houses are decorated with special paintings made of paper patterns.

Instead of the traditional Christmas tree, the Chinese use the Light Tree. All rooms of the dwelling are decorated with garlands, images, figurines and figurines of the animal that rules the coming year.
Multi-colored ribbons are necessarily hung on the front door. There should be 5 of them. They symbolize success in five main areas of life: family; business; financial; love; in the field of health.

It is customary to decorate houses with ripe juicy tangerines in the amount of 8 pieces, as this figure symbolizes infinity.

Not only dwellings are decorated with red - it is customary to wear special red clothes. After all, it is this color, according to legend, that drives away misfortunes and sorrows from the house.

As a rule, the Christmas tree in China is replaced by trays with oranges and tangerines. But you need to stack them in a special way - be sure to circle and each of the fruits should be exactly 8 pieces, no less and no more.

However, more and more often you can meet those who, instead of citrus fruits, dress up small artificial trees, which are decorated with dried fruits or fresh fruits in sugar.

How they celebrate

In the old days, the holiday lasted a whole month; nowadays, the Chinese have halved the number of days off. Therefore, the holiday ends on the fifteenth day - the grand Chinese Lantern Festival.

Traditionally, China celebrates a holiday of 15 days, each of which has its own traditions and customs.

Day 1. The first day of the Chinese New Year begins with a festive dinner, loud fireworks and noisy festivities. Launching fireworks as the New Year's clock strikes is an old Chinese tradition.

The traditional launch of pyrotechnics looks like this: first, one row of small firecrackers explodes, then three large firecrackers, which symbolize the "seeing off" of the old year and the "greeting" of the new year. It is believed that the louder these three firecrackers explode, the better and happier the coming year will be for agriculture and business.

Be sure to burn bamboo sticks with the whole family.
Also on this day they go to the cemetery to their relatives in order to honor their memory.

Day 2 The second day begins with the most important tradition of this day of morning prayer addressed to the Gods. Everyone asks for what they dream of most: family ask for health and happiness to all their loved ones; old people - longevity; business people and businessmen - prosperity and enrichment.
If on this day, next to the front door to their home, the Chinese see poor people, they will definitely help them to the best of their ability. Someone takes out food, someone - clothes, and some give money.

Prayer at the temple during the Chinese New Year is believed to bring special blessings and lead to success in the coming year. In Shanghai, China's largest city, thousands of people flock to Longhuasi Temple, the most famous and largest temple, to pray for happiness and good fortune.

Day 3 On this day, it is not customary to visit and invite guests to your home. They do not present gifts, do not make congratulatory speeches and do not set the festive table.
The third day of the New Year is called "Red Dog" or "Red Mouth". Legend has it that the Red Dog is the God of Wrath, and whoever meets her will be haunted by bad luck. That is why people on this day tried not to leave their homes, did not visit acquaintances and did not invite friends to their place.
All family members are traditionally supposed to be at home in a calm and comfortable environment, but modern Chinese have put an end to this feudal superstition and visit freely on the third day of the Spring Festival.

Day 4 On the fourth day, the Chinese try to respect all their friends and relatives and wish them a Happy New Year by giving them gifts.
This day becomes the final for employees of the largest corporations, since in such organizations only 2-4 days are allocated to celebrate the New Year. The workflow is back to normal.

Day 5-6. The fifth and sixth are devoted to wealth and business. These days, a national New Year's dish called "Bobo" is being prepared. Visually, it resembles Ukrainian dumplings, but its taste is more similar to the taste of dumplings. In ancient China, bobos were eaten for 5 days. But the modern Chinese only eat it for two days.

Gradually, people begin to join everyday life, many go to their jobs. But the first working day is always marked by a beautiful salute.

Day 7 The seventh day of the holiday, like the second, is customary to begin with prayer and worship of God. For many centuries, the 7th day of the New Year holidays is considered the day of the appearance of mankind on Earth. All Chinese celebrate this event, order prayers, send words of gratitude to God for the creation of people.
In the evening, a festive meal is expected. On the table there is always such a dish as "Yusheng" (raw fish). If you eat a piece of this dish, the whole year will be successful and profitable.

Day 8 It is believed that it was on the 8th New Year's Day that the world's first grain of rice was born. The Chinese believe that the weather of this day can be used to judge the quality and quantity of the future harvest. If the weather is good, the harvest will be rich, if it rains, it is windy and cold, it will be scarce.
Also on this day, the stars are glorified, in their honor people go to temples and light aromatic smoking candles. In the evening, the family will have another feast, where national “koloboks” are the main dish.

Day 9 On this day, most of the Chinese are at their workplace. Those who continue to rest pray and burn incense all day.
This day is marked by the liberation of the Chinese people from the Japanese pirate invaders. Even today, the Chinese celebrate the day of heaven and the birth of the Jade Emperor.
On this occasion, they visit temples, ask for well-being and present sacrificial food to the Gods. Officially, the 9th day is the beginning of the New Year. For dinner, they eat pork, vegetarians are served tea, fruits, and sweets.

Day 10 In all temples, candles and incense are burned in the name of the day of the stone. Today, none of the Chinese uses objects for the manufacture of which stone was used.
People continue to visit and receive guests at home. Time is spent mainly playing games (chess, checkers, dice, etc.).

Day 11 The eleventh day is the day of the son-in-law, when the father-in-law necessarily arranges a noisy and rich holiday for the husband of his daughter. Every father tries to respect him and arrange the best holiday for him.

Day 12 Day of cleansing, when the body must be freed from the use of excessive amounts of food. Indeed, in previous days, people consumed a lot of fatty and high-calorie foods.
It is customary to eat only vegetarian food. Entrepreneurs go to the temple and pray to the Gods, asking them for success in business, protection from competitors and victory over them.

13 and 14 days. These days are the preparatory period for the last New Year's day - the Lantern Festival. The Chinese acquire and independently manufacture various decorations, lanterns and awnings for them. Paper, clay, fabric, live plants are used. The cleansing of the body continues, so people eat mostly vegetarian food.

Day 15 The last day of the New Year is the Lantern Festival. It is considered family. In the evening, all household members gather in a large living room and make lanterns with their own hands.
Then a dinner is arranged in honor of the end of the holiday. Dishes such as dumplings, rice sweet porridge, as well as rice flour balls with a sweet filling inside are put on the table.

After the gala dinner, the whole family goes outside, holding the lanterns they made. Lanterns are hung as a decoration, launched into the sky and sent to swim along the river.

Funny performances are given on the street stages, concerts and folk festivals with traditional dances are held.
As a rule, the traditional ones include the lion dance (dancers, being inside the figure of a lion, imitate the movements of this animal) and the dragon dance (a special team of people, holding a dragon made of paper on poles, moves in such a way that the snake-like body makes wave-like movements).

Usually they arrange concerts, theatrical performances, people with lit lanterns walk around the square with their families, and fireworks, firecrackers and firecrackers rattle around.

It is said that during such a festival, the direction of the lost good spirits to their home takes place. In addition, lanterns bring light and happiness to every home.

New Year traditions

On New Year's Eve, all family members, wherever they are, gather at a richly laid festive table.
Moreover, by the gala dinner, even those family members who work or study in other cities or countries return home.

Therefore, the Chinese call this holiday "meeting after parting." This is the most enduring tradition of celebrating the Chinese New Year.
The whole family discusses the outgoing year - what they have achieved, what they have learned and what remains to be done.

The table for the Chinese New Year is served taking into account the allocation of seats even for those family members who, for whatever reason, could not join the joint festive meal. They put out plates and cutlery for them, put glasses with drinks, and put napkins next to them.
The Chinese custom of celebrating the New Year in a purely family circle is very important and is rarely violated.

The inhabitants of the Celestial Empire believe that on New Year's Eve the spirits of deceased ancestors are present at the table, who are also participants in the holiday.

The main dish on the New Year's table is dumplings (jiaozi), which are shaped like a gold ingot. They prefer dumplings, because in Chinese the word "jiaozi" is consonant with the words "seeing off the old and meeting the new."
The inhabitants of the Middle Kingdom are sure that this symbol of prosperity and wealth will bring good luck with the first minutes of the new year.
For the same reason, southerners eat "niangao" (slices made from glutinous rice), symbolizing the improvement of life every year.

New Year's Eve dinner is complete without chicken, fish, and doufu—bean curd, which we call tofu because the Chinese name for these foods is consonant with the words meaning "happiness" and "prosperity." With these dishes, the Chinese thank the patron of the outgoing year for his generosity and indulgence.
Fish is a must for the Chinese New Year, as the Chinese word for "fish" sounds the same as the word for "excess". Eating fish, the Chinese believe, will bring more money and good luck in the coming year.

Festive clothes must be bright colors - red, gold, pink, green. The brighter the outfit, the more likely it is that an insidious and cunning spirit that can bring grief and loss will not enter the house.

It is not customary to give serious gifts on New Year's Eve. More often they present various souvenirs, charms and amulets, sweets and images of the symbol of the coming year.

Traditionally, red envelopes with money are given by the older generation to the young, bosses - to their subordinates, and leaders - to their wards. Red envelopes are called hongbao in Mandarin and laisee in Cantonese. On the Chinese New Year, the tradition of giving them is widespread. This is a special Christmas bonus.

Interestingly, on Chunjie, a traditional gift for children is pocket money in special small red envelopes with an amount of 10 to 20 yuan. Observing old customs, money is given to any child who comes to the house in the first 15 days of the New Year.

However, it is not customary to give red envelopes to people who have a job (adults), with the exception of gifts from their employers.

Traditionally, the Chinese begin to give such gifts from the moment they earn their first money. Giving red envelopes is a way of blessing. Most often, the amount of money invested in the envelope depends on the income of the donor.

The custom says that if a person is not married, he is not obliged to make such gifts. But close relatives (parents, grandparents) continue to give "red envelopes" even to married children and grandchildren, as this symbolizes their love and blessing.

These envelopes are called "lucky sum", which is designed to bring prosperity in the new year.

The Chinese love everything bright, and red is considered a symbol of energy, happiness and good luck. In their opinion, giving a “red envelope” means laying a “channel” through which the addressee will receive the best wishes. It is not so much money that is important, but what a person invests when they are handed over. By wrapping banknotes in red paper, the Chinese believe that this will bring happiness and luck to the addressee. Opening such a gift in the presence of the giver is considered bad manners.

In China, red envelopes are also called yasuiqian(压岁钱) - Ya-sui qian, meaning "money that exorcise ghosts". To those to whom they are intended, donors wish peace and prosperity next year.

"Red envelopes" are prepared in advance, and this is no coincidence. On New Year's Eve, after the clock strikes twelve, the children go out to the adults. And according to tradition, envelopes must be handed over immediately. If children fall asleep before midnight, parents put envelopes under their pillows.

Any gift, according to the rules, must be paired.
The owner is sure to be presented with two tangerines, and when leaving, receive two other tangerines from them. Thus, the hosts and guests exchange symbols of financial well-being, which, according to the Chinese, are tangerines.

The color of the gift also plays a huge role. The main rule is that neither a gift nor gift paper should be white or blue. In this country, these colors represent death and burial.

The gift itself is presented only in private and with two hands. But it is necessary to give out presents not randomly, but from the oldest to the youngest.

It is indecent and to open a gift in front of everyone, this must be done in private so as not to offend the donor with a careless look or word.

What Not to Do

On New Year's Eve, during a festive feast, it is not customary to talk about the past year - all thoughts and conversations should be directed to the future.

The main taboo is not to do herbal medicine or take medicines: they believe that a person who has neglected this ban will be sick for a whole year.
In some regions, at midnight on New Year's Eve, sick Chinese break their medicine jars in the belief that this will drive away the disease.

In the morning you can not eat porridge, because it is believed that only poor people eat it. And since the Chinese do not want to start the year as poor, they cook rice, hoping that the family will be rich all the coming year.
In addition, no meat is allowed for breakfast as a sign of respect for the Buddhist gods (who disapprove of killing animals), as on this day all the gods meet and wish each other a happy New Year.

Festive attire cannot be combined with black and white, since black is a symbol of failure, and white is the color of mourning.

The number "4" is also a symbol of death, so it should not be anywhere - neither on a gift, nor on money, and the number of bills should be either more or less.

On the first three days of the Chinese New Year, the house cannot be cleaned. Good deities appear in all houses during the New Year, give happiness and good luck, which settle in the form of dust.

Usually, after the Chinese New Year, you can not buy shoes, so as not to cause trouble. And all because, "shoes" in Chinese is consonant with the Chinese "difficult".

Also, in the first month you can’t cut your hair, otherwise failures will fall like an avalanche on your uncle from my mother’s side :).

In the early days of the New Year celebration, one should not use knives and other sharp objects, so as not to cut off one's happiness.

Washing your hair during the New Year holidays means washing away luck. In Chinese, the word for hair (发) is pronounced the same (and is a derivative of it) as fa v facai(发财), which means "to be rich". Washing away your wealth at the start of the New Year is not a good idea.

The Chinese do not wash their clothes on the first and second days of the New Year because these two days are considered the birthday of Shuishen (水神, the Water God).

You can not quarrel, sort things out, swear, shout and swear.

Borrow money. You have to give away all the money you borrowed.

Rituals for the Chinese New Year

According to Chinese tradition, one of the most powerful rites that attracts well-being is a ritual called 108 oranges. On New Year's Eve, roll 108 oranges (about 30 kg :) into your apartment so that they get into all the rooms. And enjoy the "orange carpet" throughout the day.
Raise fruit from time to time, while repeating - "love to the house", "money to the house", "luck to the house", etc.
After 24 hours, give oranges to friends and family, make jam, make fresh juice, or just eat. In Eastern cultures, 108 is considered a sacred number, so such a rite must necessarily bring harmony and prosperity.

There is another ceremony that can be performed on the eve of New Year's Eve. It will help bring money into the house. You need to take a red sheet of paper and a green marker or paint.
Write the amount you want to earn in the coming year, then glue a 10 kopeck coin and paint the sheet with images of banknotes and coins. After that, roll the drawing into a scroll, wrap it with gold and red ribbon and hide it in a secluded place.

Material well-being will bring another rite. You need to prepare for it. Sew a small bag of red fabric. On New Year's Eve, cover it with coins, having washed them in advance under running water. So you wash away someone else's energy from money.
Tie the bag with red and gold ribbon and place it in the most beautiful non-metal bowl.
Fill the bag with rice, and then transfer the "source of money" to the southeastern part of the apartment and leave it in the corner of the room.

Symbol of the year

Every year in China is symbolized by a combination that repeats only once every 60 years. This combination represents one of the 12 zodiac animals of a certain color corresponding to one of the five elements (water, earth, metal, fire and wood). Chinese New Year 2018 will be symbolized by the animal Dog and the element Earth, and the main color of the year will be yellow.

By the way, every 60-year circle begins with a wooden Rat and ends with a water Pig. The next such circle started on February 2, 1984, and it will end on January 29, 2044.

According to the Chinese calendar, on February 16, 2018, 4716 will come - the year of the Yellow Earth Dog, which will last until February 4, 2019, when it will be replaced by the year of the Earth Boar.

The Chinese consider the Yellow Dog to be the most interesting animal in the eastern horoscope. They believe that thanks to the wisdom and loyalty of the Dog, conflicts are avoided, and justice is always on the side of those who deserve it.

In winter, the Earth Dog will "clean up" after the Fire Rooster (2017). By spring, everything will work out and bring luck out of hibernation. Despite the fact that the Dog is Yellow in 2018, you should not expect mountains of gold from it. It will come - it will illuminate with positive, cheerfulness and good mood.

It is possible that the mistress of the year will generously patronize people whose professions are related to communication. These are lawyers, politicians, actors, advertisers, journalists. The rest will also benefit from luck, as the Dog will help them with his wisdom and prudence.

The most interesting thing is that the Dog never chases money. Dogs consider it their "doggy duty" to build an ideal world. And they will not calm down until they make him a little kinder and more positive.

Despite the fact that this animal has the most noble character traits - friendliness, justice, honesty, loyalty - sometimes it has such traits as unpredictable behavior and laziness. But the Chinese believe that the non-leap year 2018, enhanced by the elements of Earth and yellow, will be mostly calm and stable.
This period should bring harmony and peace to every family.

Professional Chinese astrologers are sure that this year the economic situation in the world will improve, violent confrontations and wars will end, and many people will be able to improve the quality of their lives.

And 2018 is considered the most favorable period for creating a family and serious relationships, marriage, conception and the birth of children.

The Chinese also believe that if you feed all the dogs that you meet on the street on a holiday, the year will bring unprecedented good luck, good health and success in love.

On February 16, you should not arrange a chic many-hour feast with loud chants and dances until you drop. Ideally, this should be a quiet family dinner with small gifts and pleasantries exchanged. Do not forget to once again tell your relatives that you love and appreciate them ..
based on materials from sputnik-georgia.ru, vedmochka.net, www.stb.ua, kitaing.ru

***

Happy New Year!
新年快乐

In Chinese, this phrase sounds like this: “xin’nyen kuaile” (Xīnniánkuàilè). Now you know how to pronounce it!

No matter how different our customs and traditions are, the New Year for everyone always remains the most important and family holiday. This is the time of miracles, the time of fulfillment of cherished desires, a moment of happiness.
May everything be fine with you!

22.12.2016

It is worth asking any Russian what is his favorite holiday, and almost certainly the answer will be: “New Year!” And how are things with this holiday in other countries - for example, how is the New Year celebrated in China? How do the inhabitants of the Celestial Empire relate to the solemn moment of the transition from one era to another? The traditions of celebrating the New Year in China are very interesting - let's get acquainted with some of them.

History of New Year's Eve in Ancient China

Once - an ancient Chinese legend says that it was a very long time ago - a terrible monster named Nian lived in the country. For most of the year, it did not bother the Chinese with its appearance, hiding in the underwater depths, but once a year it crawled out of its shelter to raid settlements and villages.

Apparently, the monster was not very gluttonous - until next year, the annual portion of several dozen Chinese and the food supply that it discovered by ruining their homes was quite enough for it. But still, no one wanted to get into Nyan's teeth. Therefore, on the eve of the dangerous date, everyone who was able to move around hastily packed up and went high into the mountains. Nian ate and hid, and the Chinese returned, counting their losses.

Once, on the eve of the New Year, a beggar old wanderer looked into one village. His mustache was silver, and he held a sack in his hands. He asked for food, but no one in a hurry paid attention to him, and only one grandmother fed the wanderer, inviting him to her house. The old woman persuaded the beggar to leave the village, but out of gratitude to her, he replied that he would stay to drive Nian away. The residents fled, and when they returned the next day, they were amazed: not a single house was destroyed, the old man was alive and unharmed.

It turned out that he frightened the Nian by painting the doors of the house with red paint and making a terrible noise with bamboo sticks. So the Chinese learned that the monster is afraid of the scarlet color and loud sounds. Since then, the ancient Chinese gathered together before the New Year, dressed in bright red robes and made as much noise as they could, scaring away the Nian and minor evil spirits.

New Year's Eve in modern China

Today, the Chinese still dress in all shades of scarlet, get together as a friendly family and do not refuse to make a little noise. But this happens during the Chinese New Year, the date of which never coincides with the European one.

December 31 in China passes almost unnoticed. Well, maybe large stores install artificial Christmas trees at the entrances - everything is limited to this. But on the first spring new moon, the real fun begins. This date is floating, so in different years the New Year is celebrated in China on different days of January or February.

The family gathers at the table (most often with the oldest members of the family). If someone is not at home - for example, a person is away - this is not a reason to forget about him: a separate device is installed for the absent person. All family members try to bring some kind of red element into their clothes.

After congratulations and eating festive dishes, a detour around the house begins - this is a tribute to tradition: earlier, in this way, the Chinese checked if someone close to Nian had eaten. Explosions of firecrackers are sure to sound, firecrackers rattle, bright lights burn. There are street dances of a lion and a dragon (moreover, crowded - at least 10 people are required to perform the latter).

People exchange modest gifts - envelopes "for good luck" with small sums of money. The celebrations last 3 days, during which you have to visit relatives and friends. A total of 2 weeks are considered holidays.

Chinese New Year's Eve

The Chinese have a lot of New Year's dishes. Meat, poultry and fish dishes must certainly be present. Especially often you can find fish and chicken - stewed, baked, boiled. "Fish" in Chinese is consonant with the word "prosperity", so it is prepared in almost every home.

If you are invited to a Chinese feast, try the vegetarian "Buddha's Delight". It is difficult to accurately name all its ingredients, but it certainly contains black algae (by the way, there is also a consonance with the word “prosperity”).

They can also offer you leeks (it sounds like the phrase “money account”, which is pleasant to hear), or dumplings (they looked like gold coins to the ancient Chinese, for which they were honored to replenish the New Year's table).

Small square radish cakes, rice flour cake, and, of course, tangerines - nowhere without them! In Chinese, their name is consonant with the word "wealth". Maybe this main New Year's delicacy of Soviet children migrated to our country from China?

New Year Traditions and Customs in China

On the eve of the New Year, there is a commotion in every house - you need to have time to clean up before the next day, and then remove all the brushes and rags away from prying eyes. In no case should you sweep the house on the New Year itself! Why?

The fact is that the grace that the coming year gives the family settles in the form of ordinary household dust. But what if the gods generously bestow grace on you, and you inadvertently brush it off with a broom? Give yourself a disappointment for the whole year ahead.

Another tradition is as follows: when guests come to the house, they give the hosts two tangerines. Here again, everything is connected with consonances. The phrase "two tangerines" in Chinese is similar to "gold". Naturally, the owners do not remain in debt - they also give guests two tangerines, but they are different.

The Chinese prefer modest, almost symbolic gifts. Watches should not be presented to the elderly, and children's things to expectant mothers. For a couple, the gift should be shared.

Chinese Santa Claus

There is a Santa Claus in China. He has several names, including: Shan Dan Laozhen, Dong Chen Lao Ren. All of these varieties of fairy grandfathers look alike, and all wear red robes reminiscent of traditional Chinese robes.

In China, they love the New Year and celebrate it on a grand scale. True, the Chinese people did not want to fully accept European traditions - the most important for the inhabitants of the Celestial Empire is still their New Year - the Spring Festival.

The history of this holiday has more than a thousand years, but some elements of the traditions were met earlier. According to the legend, at the very beginning of the coming year, the ferocious beast Nian came, which destroyed livestock, frightened people, brought adversity, even the trees shed their leaves and sprouts went underground at his sight. And in order for nature to come to life, foliage and flowers blossomed and spring began, people were forced to drive away the terrible beast with all their might. They set off fireworks and crackers to scare him away, coaxed him with sweets and treats, hung charms in the house and on the doors so that Nian would not come to them. And when the beast nevertheless left, nature awakened and spring fell on the earth in all its glory.

When is Chinese New Year and how long does it last?

New Year in China is celebrated according to the lunar calendar. According to it, the holiday falls on the night of the first day of the first lunar month. Based on the phases of the moon, the exact date is determined each year. According to the Gregorian calendar, it always falls between January 21 and February 21.

Chinese New Year 2018 falls between January 15 and February 21. But it lasts not one, not two, and not even ten days, but as much as 15! During this time, all of China and the nearest resort countries are simply boiling, the movement of the Chinese around the planet reaches its climax. Still would! After all, every citizen of China at the New Year's dinner is simply obliged to appear in his hometown or village and celebrate the holiday with his family. After that, many go on a trip to China or to foreign countries.

The Chinese New Year in 2018, like in any other, will last 15 days, each of which will have its own importance, and will end with the Lantern Festival - one of the most colorful holidays in China.

Features and traditions of celebrating the Chinese New Year

Long before the holiday itself, the people of China begin a thorough preparation, which does not distinguish them from the Europeans at all. It is very important for the Chinese to prepare and decorate their home. There is a general cleaning of dwellings and houses, everything superfluous, old and unnecessary is thrown away, because the Chinese believe that by doing so they free up space in the house for wealth, happiness and good luck. It is very important to decorate the house in red shades, because for the inhabitants of the Celestial Empire, red represents wealth, luck, and prosperity. Paired plates with hieroglyphs in red and gold colors are hung on the doors. It is believed that they scare away evil spirits and bring happiness to the house.

Holiday clothes are bought and sewn in advance, gifts are prepared for relatives and friends. By the way, the understanding of New Year gifts for the Chinese is different from our understanding. As a rule, gifts are given useful and necessary, practical. In the order of things, give a bottle of wine, some edible dish or a bouquet of flowers. As a gift to a loved one, a red envelope of good luck is usually used, in which there is money.

So ... the whole family gathers at the New Year's table, sums up the outgoing year. Everyone congratulates each other and wishes good luck, happiness, wealth, longevity. On New Year's Eve, the entire sky of the Celestial Empire is lit up with festive salutes and fireworks. The nationwide celebration of the Chinese New Year begins, which marches across the Celestial Empire for 15 days. On the final fifteenth day, the Lantern Festival begins - this is a very bright holiday, during which red lanterns are lit here and there, folklore dances and performances are staged.

What to cook for Chinese New Year

What dishes the Chinese serve on the festive table is an interesting question and requires special attention.

Let's not forget that China consists of many provinces inhabited by different nationalities, therefore, each corner of the Celestial Empire has its own interesting features of the New Year's table (年夜饭niányè fàn), which, according to the Chinese, must necessarily be rich, diverse and consist of very hearty and tasty treats. New Year's Eve dinner must include dishes containing fish, which symbolizes abundance and prosperity.

In the north, jiaozi (饺子jiǎozi) dumplings are traditionally served with meat or vegetable fillings. These small dumplings are similar to traditional Chinese coins and symbolize wealth.

In the south, they prefer noodles, which the Chinese identify with longevity and a happy life.

Nyengao or niangao (年糕niángāo) - New Year's cookies or cake made from glutinous rice flour - a favorite delicacy of the Chinese. The name of the cookie is consonant with the phrase "improving life", so serving it to the table is a must.

Chicken, shrimp, seaweed, oysters... what else is on the table on New Year's Eve! Indeed, for the Chinese, the main thing is that the table is bursting with dishes, and this means that the coming year will be full, rich and successful.

If you follow all the good old New Year traditions: get together with your family at the same table, prepare and decorate your house, ward off all evil spirits, congratulate all your relatives, and also have fun, then the new year will no doubt be better than the previous one and promises a full bowl. and well-being.

Did you know that the amount of alcohol consumed in China is decreasing every New Year? Thanks to the tea tradition, which says that a full cup of tea is enough for true joy.

So that the holiday is still not boring, we have made a selection of the most "holiday" varieties, the effect of which is felt especially strongly.

The lunisolar calendar is used in China to determine the dates of traditional holidays, the beginning of certain types of agricultural work.

The oldest Chinese holiday is a complex of ceremonies and rituals lasting more than two weeks. Unlike its Western counterpart, there is no fixed date for the beginning of the Chinese New Year and it is set at a different time each year. According to the lunisolar calendar, the first day of the holiday in China begins on the second new moon after the winter solstice. The Chinese New Year ends after fifteen days of the new lunar month with a procession with lanterns.

The following are the dates for Chinese New Year in the next five years:

In 2014 - from January 31 to 14;
- In 2015 - from February 19 to;
- In 2016 - from February 8 to;
- In 2017 - from January 28 to February 11;
- In 2018 - from March 2.

Chinese New Year celebration

It is the largest festival in the Chinese calendar, on par with Christmas and New Year's Eve in the Western world. On the eve, people are busy preparing for the celebration, compiling wish lists, buying gifts and decoration materials. Traditional festive treats are prepared, because even in the poorest Chinese family it is customary to richly set the table for a family dinner. Thousands of years of Chinese New Year celebrations are inspired by the legends of the inhabitants of the Celestial Empire.

One legend about the origin of the Chinese New Year says that a dragon named Nian (or Nian) used to visit people in the village. He broke into houses, ate the crops harvested by the villagers, not disdaining the villagers themselves and their children, if they did not have time to hide in the mountains. In order not to give the dragon a reason to break into the house, the villagers put out treats outside. One fine day, people noticed how Nian was frightened of a baby dressed in red clothes. Realizing that it was a matter of color, every year the whole village began to decorate houses and streets with red cloth and lanterns, to wear red clothes. It was believed that the roar of pyrotechnics frightens evil spirits, so at the holiday the Chinese began to set fire to long bundles of firecrackers.

Another legend tells of a poor old man with a silver mustache who volunteered to help the unfortunate villagers. The inhabitants did not pay attention to the strange stranger, collected their belongings and went with the whole village to hide in the forest on the mountain. Having waited for the dragon at night, the old man went out to meet him in red clothes, thundered crackers and drove Nian away.

One of the legends says that once upon a time, Buddha invited all the animals of the earth to celebrate the New Year with him. Only twelve responded to the invitation, the names of which the Buddha named the subsequent years.

A common practice among the Chinese on the eve of the celebration is a general cleaning of the house, which drives away troubles and attracts good luck. Residents are scrubbing their rooms and apartments from floor to ceiling, washing and repainting windows and doors. According to legends, outside houses are decorated with lanterns, red linen, and leaflets with predictions are hung on which the hieroglyphs “wealth”, “happiness”, and “longevity” are inscribed.

In the evening, the whole family gathers at the festive table, in the morning tables with offerings to the monster are set outside the doors of the houses, and in the afternoon a team of actors with a huge figure of a dragon begins to roam the streets. The puppet nanny peeks through every open door of the street where money is put into his mouth. After his departure, the owner of the house sets fire to pre-hung ribbons with firecrackers, scaring away invisible evil spirits and onlookers with a roar. So, when you find yourself witnessing a holiday, do not forget to buy earplugs at the pharmacy.

The Chinese New Year, also known as the Lunar New Year or the Chinese Spring Festival, occupies the most significant place among all other Chinese festivals and holidays. Chinese New Year lasts for 15 days of the Chinese lunar calendar, which, according to the Western calendar, falls between January 21 and February 21 (this date may vary slightly from year to year). The celebration includes decorations, parades, folk traditions and incredible feasting. There are many things and traditions through which you too can join the Chinese New Year celebrations.

Steps

Part 1

Preparation for the holiday

Get in the house. This tradition is based on the belief that cleaning the house at this time of the year "purifies the house of misfortune" that has accumulated over the past year. Cleaning will also prepare the house for good luck.

• Keeping your body clean is an important part of the celebration. You can even just cut your hair.
• Do not clean the house after the start of the celebration. By doing this, you will only “sweep away” all the luck that you just received. For the next 15 days (or at least the first couple of days if you can't wait that long) you are exempt from house cleaning.

1. Decorate everything with red decorations. Red is a symbol of good luck in Chinese culture and is the color most commonly used for Christmas decorations. The number "8" also symbolizes good luck and prosperity, since in Chinese the word "eight" rhymes with the words "luck" and "well-being".

   Decorate your home with other decorations. Complete crafts and paintings with bowls of food, flowers, and other goodies.

   Have mercy on the kitchen god. It is said that seven days before the New Year, the kitchen god reports to the Jade Emperor about the welfare of the house. Be nice and give him fruit, candy, water, or other food. Some burn the image of the kitchen god to send it up to heaven along with the smoke.

   • In some areas of China, two days after people honor the kitchen god, they cook bean curd or tofu and eat this unpleasant food to show the Jade Emperor their prosperity when he comes to check on them. If you want, you can change this tradition a bit and make the tofu taste a little better!

   Part 2

   Chinese New Year celebration

   1. Dress up for the holiday. If you have traditional Chinese clothing, now is the time to put it on. Various outfits can be bought in Chinatown, including clothes made from the finest silk. In addition to the joy, happiness, good luck and prosperity associated with it, red clothes will also allow you to fully experience the whole spirit of the holiday. Another suitable color is golden. Try combining these two colors for a truly festive look.

      • During the celebration, you should not often wear black things. Black symbolizes misfortune and even death, and now is the time for good luck and life!

   2. Run fireworks . Fireworks at midnight. The fireworks used in China and Hong Kong are very loud and noisy and are often launched from the ground. It is believed that the noise should scare away evil spirits so that they do not bring bad luck with them.

      • Many set off fireworks for the entire 15 days or the first 4-8 days before returning to work. Expect a lot of hustle and bustle if you live in a Chinese community!
      • In some countries it is illegal to set off fireworks yourself, but you may be able to watch the official fireworks show.

   3. Give cash gifts in red envelopes. During this holiday, adults give children lucky envelopes with money. Sometimes they are also given as gifts to employees and friends.

      Honor your ancestors. Express gratitude and respect for what your ancestors have done for you. Many customs are associated with this, such as worshiping in front of a shrine dedicated to them or offering food and drink. If you wish, you can join these customs.

      Communicate with others in a positive way. Chinese New Year is a time of happiness and grace, and goodwill must be shared. During the holidays, you should not argue, quarrel and express your negativity. All this will only bring you bad luck.

      • Often go to friends and relatives and share a cheerful mood with them.
      • Greet other celebrants with the phrase "Gong Xi", which is pronounced "gong zii". This phrase translates as "Congratulations!". A longer greeting looks like this: Gong Hei Fat Choi or Gong Xi Fa Chai, in Cantonese and Mandarin, respectively.

   Part 3

   Eat traditional food

   1. Find out what food is traditionally prepared on New Year's Eve. The main banquet usually takes place on New Year's Eve, before the official start of the holiday. There are many traditional New Year's dishes, but some foods have special symbolism:

      • Jiu (traditional strong liquor) and daikon (Chinese radish) symbolize longevity.
      • Red chili means good luck.
      • Rice is a symbol of harmony.
      • Fish, chicken and other small animals are served whole and cut up at the table. It reminds us of our unity and prosperity.

   2. Cook Chinese dumplings (Tangyuan) for the Lantern Festival . They are prepared with various sweet fillings and are eaten on the fifteenth day of the Chinese New Year.

      • All kinds of dumplings can have a special role during the Chinese New Year due to their shape, which is reminiscent of ancient gold and silver bars.

   3. Prepare traditional meals. If you want to do more than just order food from your local Chinese restaurant, then use this ready-made recipe to prepare traditional New Year's dishes:

   Part 4

   Parade

   Find out if your city has a parade. Search the Internet or your local newspaper for information about the Chinese New Year Parade. Sometimes the parade is not held on New Year's Day itself, but on the first weekend or right after all the celebrations.

   • Be sure to bring your video camera and dress warmly if you live in an area where the Spring Festival is celebrated during the winter.
   • You are incredibly lucky if you live in San Francisco. Its annual Chinese New Year parade is considered the largest and oldest of all such parades held outside of Asia.

   1. Watch the parade on TV or on the Internet. In the United States and other countries, major parades are often broadcast on local and regional television. In China, hundreds of millions of viewers follow the broadcast of the Spring Festival on the national CCTV channel.

      Pay attention to special dances. In addition to fireworks, food, festivities and music, Chinese New Year parades provide a rare opportunity to see the dragon dance and lion dance.

   2. Celebrate the Lantern Festival. The last, fifteenth, day of the Chinese New Year is celebrated by vacationers among many decorative paper lanterns. Some cities even create huge artistic productions from lanterns.

      • Many people write riddles on the lamps, which the children then have to guess.
      • Now is the time to eat traditional sweet dumplings filled with various fillings. They are called tangyuan.
      • Light a candle to send good spirits into your home.