Chinese New Year

No matter where your ancestors come from, every Chinese view the Chinese New Year as the most important festival within the whole year.  This joyous moment is the best time to gather with friends and family.

The origin of Chinese New Year dates back to several thousand years ago.  The most famous legend is the beast called Nian.  Nian is a fierce, predatory beast that people believe eats humans on New Year’s Eve.  According to legend, Nian beast fears red, light and noise; therefore people would hang red banners at the door, explode fire crackers and light up flames to avoid Nian beast.  The next morning, people would say congratulations with an air of victory defeating the Nian beast and experience the joy of rebirth.

For people who do not live at home, they will come back home before New Year’s Eve in order to eat the sumptuous New Year supper.  At this point, family members will give red envelopes to elders and children; they will stay up late or all night to welcome the New Year.  Legend has it that staying up late will promote longevity for the parents.  Also, keeping the light on all night will also scare the Nian beast.  Some families have religious ceremonies after midnight as well, ending with firecrackers to welcome the New Year.

The first thing in new years is the offering to ancestors and worshipping the various deities.  Another important activity for that day is to wear new clothes and visit relatives and friends and wishing them wealth and fortune.  It is also a good opportunity to settle any kind of problems and if there are any hard feelings it should be put aside for the moment.  Another specialty during the New Year is the lion dance and the dragon dance.  The dragon symbolizes propitiousness and it is believed that dragons control rainfall.  Therefore, performing the dragon dance will give blessing to the new crop in the upcoming year.  According to legend, the head of the dragon and lion can also ward off evils.

A few days before the New Year, people who are working or studying out of town will start planning the date for their return.  People will start to come home earlier in order to avoid traffic since trains, buses and airplanes will always be full.  No matter how society changes, the idea to reunite with family members still play a very important role during the New Year.  Therefore no matter how fatigue the journey might be, when you gather around for the most important New Year dinner, all the inconveniences and efforts are worthwhile.