भिडियो हेर्न को लागि तलको बिज्ञापन लाइ हटाउनुहोस्
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Chinese New Year, also known as Spring Festival, is the most important traditional festival in China. It is a time for annual family reunion, which is as grand as the Charismas Day in western countries. Here below are some fun facts about this holiday.
2016 festival dates
2016 New Year falls on February 8th (Monday), and the celebration will last for 15 days till February 22nd (Lantern Festival).
When is exactly Chinese New Year?
The festival dates changes every year for it is defined by the lunar calendar, which usually falls on sometime in January or February.
How long is the festival?
It starts from the first day of the first month of the lunar calendar and continues for 15 days to the Lantern Festival. The peak time of the entire celebration is on the Chinese New Year’s Eve and the first day.
Longest public holiday in China
Most employees will have 7-12 days off the work, and students have one month winter vacation off.
It is a worldwide festival for a sixth of the globe.
It is not only celebrated in China, but also observed in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Vietnam, Singapore and some other Asian countries as well as Chinatowns around the world.
Why is red color so popular?
In the house decoration for the holiday, red color is widely used in pictures, paper cutting as well as spring couplets. The fact is that red, considered evil in western countries, is the token of fortune, wealth and prosperity in China, which can ward off the evil spirit and appeal to good luck.
Why is the celebration also called “Guo Nian”?
Nian is the Chinese word for year. In folk culture, the Spring Festival celebration is also called “Guo Nian” (meaning “passing a year”). In Chinese New Year story, “Nian” is a fierce and cruel monster which eat livestock and kids, but it is scared about red color and cracker sound. Therefore, people use red decorations and fireworks to drive away “Nian”.
Spring Festival starts a new zodiac year.
Every year comes with a new Chinese zodiac sign. Based on the lunar calendar, an entire cycle of the lunar calendar is completed every 60 years, and 12 year is regarded as a small cycle. Each of the 12 years is defined by different zodiac animal signs including Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig.
The whole country is on the move.
No matter where the travelers are, they would attempt to return home for a family reunion. The world’s largest human migration takes place annually in China, which is famously known as Spring Festival Travel Rush. There are over a billion people on planes, trains, buses and cars to reunite with their families.
Different festival foods in south and north China
This is a very interesting fact – in northern area of China, people get used to having dumplings served at the reunion dinner; while people from south China prefer rice cakes (Niangao), which are made of glutinous rice flour.
Lantern Festival marks the end.
The Lantern Festival comes on the 15th day of the first lunar month, and Chinese people usually enjoy a lantern fair or take a Shehuo folk performance on the streets for fun.
New clothes and red underwear
On the New Year’s Day, everyone will dress in new clothes to welcome a brand-new age in terms of all aspects. Red underwear is also a must, which is believed able to bring good luck, wealth and longevity, especially for middle-age people.
Kids get red envelopes as gifts.
Red envelopes stuffed with cash are the most popular gifts during Spring Festival. Children will receive lucky money from grandparents, uncles, aunts and other elders who have started to earn the bread. The amount of the money varies according to the giver’s financial status.
House cleaning on Dec. 24th
There will be a year-end cleanup taking place in every household on 24th of the last lunar month before the holiday, which is an activity to expel away the misfortune and poverty.
Reunion dinner is a ritual.
The reunion dinner on the New Year’s Eve is a feast to commemorate the past year, which is the very moment to be with families.
Largest usage of Firework on this Planet
According to the legend, the monster “Nian” is afraid of loud sound, so people set off fireworks to scare off it. Today, firework is more of an indispensible celebration to liven up the air of Spring Festival, especially the biggest firework show on the New Year’s Eve.
The most watched TV gala on New Year’s Eve
As the most watched TV program, the gala is a must after the reunion dinner for a Chinese family. The four-hour long program collects various well-selected performances, targeting audience in different generations.
भिडियो हेर्न को लागि तलको बिज्ञापन लाइ हटाउनुहोस्
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