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Oops you can't see this activity! What is it? Classically poetic in composition, the couplets would express wishes for good fortune, long life, many friends, and the like. Some southern families place stalks of sugar cane behind the doors.
Everyone dresses up, preferably in new clothes, and is on best behavior. Traditionally, on this last night of the year, the male head of the household led the family in making offerings to various gods of the house and to the ancestors. Respects would be paid to the god of wealth, the gods of the well, the bed, the hearth, or any others with whom the family wanted to remain on especially good terms.
The attention would then turn to the ancestors, to whom sacrifices of food would be given along with burning of incense. Each member of the family would kneel in respect before the ancestral tablets, symbols of many past generations, all the spirits of whom some families believed were in attendance that night. In wealthier households, an entire room might be devoted to use as an ancestral hall, complete with altar, while in poorer families, the ancestral tablets might occupy a modest shed in a corner.
Younger family members would ketou kowtow to members of each generation above them, in order, beginning with the eldest. Often, a place was set for those members who could not return home. In a tradition still observed today, the dishes served on this evening are chosen for the significance of their names or appearances.
One very common course is a whole fish, the term for which, yu , is homophonous with the word meaning surplus or abundance, and therefore auspicious. Similarly, a certain sea vegetable, facai , is homophonous with a phrase meaning to become wealthy. Clams are sometimes served because they open as they are cooked, signifying the opening of new horizons. Likewise, according to tradition in Shanghai, egg-skin dumplings danjiao resemble gold ingots and cellophane noodles look like silver chains.
Again a case of homonyms, jiaozi also sounds like a term that means the meeting of the last hour of the old year with the first hour of the new. Sweets, nuts, and pastries that most could not usually afford in abundance might be readily available at this time of year. Sometime before the rooster crowed, the head of the traditional Chinese family would unseal the front door, amidst explosions of long whips of firecrackers, throwing it open to let in the strong and healthy influences of the fresh year.
A modern Chinese family might stay up late taking advantage of the many special holiday programs broadcast on radio and television. Their ancestors probably passed the first hours of the dawning new year playing games, drinking wine, singing, joking, and telling stories — purposefully making it a night of merriment, which they hoped would set a pattern for the entire year to come. New Year Festivities. The custom of some families was to wait until the first day of the year nian chuyi to ceremoniously open the main gate or door.
It was at this time that the male head of the house in many educated households would write auspicious characters or phrases to be hung at the entrance to the home.
Some also waited for this day to approach the ancestral altar for seasonal rites, and to perform ritual ketou. Traditionally, the order of these visits also began with the eldest, and the first day was usually devoted to paternal family relatives.
In some areas the second day was the day wives went home to visit their natal families, taking children to see their maternal grandparents. Some Cantonese once believed it risky to visit friends on the second day because they feared that the slightest disagreement might portend a year full of arguments.
Gifts are taken to friends and relatives alike, as are hongbao for both children and servants of the house being visited.
One such dish is a platter of dates zao , peanuts huasheng , dried longans guiyuan. Two popular sweets are zaogao , date cake made with ground dates added to flour, and a date filling, and a rice cake called niangao. Just as use of lucky words and actions are encouraged at this time, so are there taboos. Kitchen work and sewing are avoided because use of knives, scissors, needles, and other sharp objects is strictly discouraged.
More on symbolic Chinese New Year Foods. For luck: In Chinese culture, red is a lucky color, so giving money in a red envelope is a way of giving best wishes, as well as a financial present.
It's like sending a greetings card with money inside in the West. Red envelope money is called "lucky money", though it's really the red envelope that's lucky. According to many New Year legends, evil spirits are scared of red, so red envelopes were originally used to suppress or ward off demons while giving money. Chinese New Year, like Christmas in the West, is "the season of good will" in China, so most people receive a red envelope from someone, whether employer or family.
There are lots of customs about who gives who how much in a red envelope. Chinese New Year is the most important time for family reunions. No matter how far Chinese are from their homes, they do whatever they can to get back for a family reunion dinner on New Year's Eve, which results in the world's biggest annual migration of people over million in China.
Even with the rail network at capacity, train tickets are the first to sell out. China Highlights uses cookies to give you the best possible service. If you continue browsing, you agree to the use of cookies. More details can be found in our privacy policy. What Is Chinese New Year? Chinese New Year dragon dance. Chinese New Year is time for families to unite. Guangzhou's Spring Festival Flower Fair. Chinese New Year in London.
The holiday usually occurs sometime in January or February each year depending on the lunar calendar. This year the festival starts on February 12th, Many cities with a sizeable Asian population from Shanghai to Boston usually host a large celebration in their predominantly East Asian or Chinese neighborhoods. This year ushers in the Year of the Ox , one of the twelve Chinese zodiac signs often associated with hard work, intelligence, humbleness, and reliability.
By implementing some of the tips and activities we recommend, you can show your international students that you appreciate their culture and that they add value to the community. It is easy for international students to get homesick during this time as they see their peers and family celebrating together at home. While the official public holiday period is seven days long, some parts of China, particularly in more rural areas, will be closed for the entire day period.
The 15th day of the new year is celebrated as the Lantern Festival, signaling that the New Year celebration is complete. Whereas in America, New Year celebrations usually happen outside the home and with friends, Lunar New Year celebrations at home with family.
Typically, this entails a feast that can last up to 7 hours and feature up to 18 dishes.
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