Chinese New Year
Published on Nov 19, 2015
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PRESENTATION OUTLINE
CHINESE NEW YEAR
BY MARIELLE NAVARRO
ASIA
Many countries other China celebrate Chinese New Year. These are usually significant in Chinese population, like Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia. Korea, Japan, Vietnam and China share the same new year because they all follow the lunisolar calendar.
Photo by @yakobusan Jakob Montrasio 孟亚柯
BAMBOO
Bamboo symbolizes happiness, wealth, and a new start. It also brings prosperity and good health. As Chinese New Year approaches, bamboo is bought to bring good luck.
Photo by frielp
CHINESE NEW YEAR'S EVE
On Chinese New Year's Eve (大年夜), Chinese families clean their houses to sweep away any bad luck from the previous year. Some would paint their doors and window frames a new coat of red. Wearing new clothes on Chinese New Year symbolizes a new start. A reunion dinner takes place on New Year's Eve, and families would stay up until midnight and set off firecrackers.
Photo by Noah Stephens
DRAGON DANCE
The Dragon Dance (舞龙) is a kind of traditional dance that is usually performed during festivities, like Chinese New Year. A team of dancers perform this by holding a figure of a dragon (using poles to hold up) and mimic the movements of a dragon. The Lion Dance (舞狮) is similar, except it only requires two people instead of a team.
Photo by Matthew Fang
EIGHT
The number 8 symbolizes good luck and wealth because the Chinese word for 8 sounds like the Chinese word for fortune or wealth.
Photo by Garret Voight
FAMILY REUNION
Chinese families get together on Chinese New Year's Eve to celebrate the annual reunion dinner. The reunion is usually held at the home of the oldest member of the family. Dishes traditionally include meats (chicken and pork) and fish.
Photo by chooyutshing
Gift Exchange
Friends and relatives would also exchange small gifts. The gifts would usually be foods or sweets, including fruits, cakes, chocolates, and candies.
Photo by denn
HAPPINESS
Happiness is a major theme in Chinese New Year. Some people would greet others "Happy New Year" by wishing them limitless happiness.
Photo by Johnia!
INCENSE
During Chinese New Year, people go to temples and pray for good luck during the new year. At the temples, they would burn incense and have their fortunes told.
Photo by mrhayata
JIǍOZI
In Northern China, dumplings are usually served during the reunion diner as a main dish. Dumplings and fish mean prosperous.
Photo by Matthew Stinson
KUMQUAT
Families also put up flower decorations for the new year. The kumquat symbolizes prosperity.
Photo by Terje Tjervaag
LANTERN FESTIVAL
The Lantern Festival takes place on the 15th of the first month of the new year, which is the last day for the new year celebration. Candles are lit outside to lead spirits back home, and families walk around carrying lit lanterns.
Photo by pjan vandaele
MUSIC
新年好呀 is a children's song for the new year.
"Xin nian hao ya. Xin nian hao ya. Zhu he da jia xin nian hao. Wo men chang ge, wo men tiao wu. Zhu he da jia xin nian hao."
Photo by vxla
NIAN
According to legend, Chinese New Year began when a mythical beast called Nian came on the first day of the new year and harassed the villages by eating their crops and harming the villagers. The people first thought to put food out on their doorsteps so Nian wouldn't attack them anymore. Then, they found that it was scared of the color red and loud noises. After they figured this out, they would wear red, hang red ornaments around, and set off fire crackers to scare off Nian.
Photo by cactusbeetroot
ORNAMENTS
During Chinese New Year, families would put up different ornaments with a red color scheme. These decorations include an upside down "fu", antithetical couplets, paper cuttings, and lanterns.
Photo by Chinkerfly
PORTRAITS
After the relatives have all gathered together, it is important to take a family portrait. The photo is taken in front of the house. The oldest male of the family is placed in the center.
Photo by ralphrepo
QIPAO
The Qipao is a traditional Chinese dress. It is a one piece, form-fitting, floor length dress that are usually worn during special occasions, like Chinese New Year.
Photo by khengsiong
RED ENVELOPES
These red envelopes are given to children or younger people by parents or elderly married couples. These envelopes usually contain money in them, called lucky money (红包). It was believed that the lucky money would keep spirits away from the children and keep them healthy.
Photo by apollonia666
SPRING FESTIVAL
The literal translation for 春节 is "Spring Festival". In the Chinese calendar, the New Year usually falls on the second new moon after the winter solstice, which marks the start of Spring.
Photo by alvin.ang
TRAVEL
There are many festivities that take place outside of China, the oldest and biggest in North America being in San Francisco Chinese New Year Festival and Parade. Chinese New Year is a national public holiday in some Southeast Asian countries like Singapore and Malaysia. Of course, Chinese New Year is celebrated in Chinatowns all over the world.
Photo by heypatrick
UPSIDE DOWN "FU"
"Fu" in Chinese means luck, happiness, and prosperity. When the character is turned upside down, it means coming. So, the upside down symbol would mean that luck, happiness, and prosperity are coming. This decoration is one of the most popular among Chinese families.
Photo by sprklg
VEGETARIAN DISHES
On Chinese New Year's Eve, many families eat vegan food instead of eating meat, which were saved for New Year's Day. This act is similar to the season of Lent in Christianity.
Photo by gibsonsgolfer
WORSHIP
People used to give offerings to their ancestors during the last month of the lunar calendar. Now, the ceremonies are not as common, but they still worship deities and ancestors.
Photo by Adam_Inglis
XIN NIAN KUAI LE
There are many different ways to greet people during the New Year celebration, such as: jin yu man tang (may your wealth come to fill a hall), wan shi ru yi (May all your wishes be fulfilled), ji qing you yu (May your happiness be without limit.)
Photo by BB705
YU
A whole fish would be present at a reunion dinner. It would either be on display or made to be eaten. The Chinese word for fish has the same pronunciation as the Chinese word for "surplus".
Photo by zilverbat.
ZODIAC
The Chinese Zodiac Signs relate each year to one of the 12 animals in the zodiac cycle. This year's zodiac sign is the horse, which is symbolic of every, financial volatility, and impulsiveness.
Photo by chooyutshing
