During the Chinese New Year celebrations, dragons appear on the streets, and the sky lights up with a thousand colorful cells. Residents of cities and villages face evil spirits, while seeking the favor of the gods. This is one of the most important holidays in China is also called spring festival. Traditionally, he will patronize the animal from the Chinese zodiac.
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Chinese New Year 2025. What animal will be a patron? History
The Chinese New Year will start on January 29. According to the lunar calendar, it will be the year of a wooden snake. Legend has it that the precursor of the Chinese time of time was the yellow emperor – Huangdi. He recognized the year 2637 BC as the beginning of the Chinese era. To this day, the Chinese use a sun-moist calendar, where the length of the year is determined according to the sun, and months are divided according to the lunar cycle. That is why the New Year is a movable holiday, usually falling at the end of January or at the beginning of February. Traditionally, Chinese years have animals for patrons. One of the passes says that many centuries ago, waiting for the Spring Day, the Buddha invited all vivid creatures to himself. Only twelve animals came to his face. In thanks, the Buddha gave them after one calendar year. These are: rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog and pig. The cycle is repeated every 12 years.
How long does the Chinese New Year last and how is it? Customs and history of the holiday
The Chinese New Year according to tradition lasts fifteen days, of which seven are free from work. The first week is intended for celebrating with the family, then comes the time to rejoice the whole nation. Another Chinese new year will start on January 29. The celebration is preceded by careful preparations. Just before the New Year, the families start with general cleaning. Dust and dirt should not be sweeping through any threshold – it is a bad divination, heralding the loss of a family member. Waste should be raised with the back door so as not to remove misfortunes on the household. It is necessary to deal with duties earlier so as not to clean up the prosperity that the New Year brings. The pre -Christmas period is also a time of winning the deities that make an annual report to the nephrite emperor (the Supreme God of Taoism), presenting him a list of both good and evil deeds of a given family. On the homeful altars, the fragrant incense is burning, bowls with banknotes and divine treats appear. On the New Year you must not enter with debts – this would be tantamount to the loss of honor. In addition, to ensure wealth, the Chinese give their small money, packed in small red envelopes. Red is the color of joy – it is to guarantee a clear and happy future. On the first day of the Spring Festival you have to be extremely cautious so as not to bring unlucky and other troubles. Hold the tongue behind your teeth and avoid any negative words. Death, ghosts and unfortunate accidents are taboo topics on this day. There is also a superstition not to wash your hair in the New Year, because you can inadvertently rinse a fresh dose of happiness. The beginning of the new year is the perfect time to visit friends and a distant family. No one should surprise the emptiness on the streets in the first days of this spring festival. All offices, institutions and stores are closed. The Chinese celebrate this time mainly at home, worshiping the ancestors and thanking the gods for the past year. Most of the religious rituals, including those celebrated by the household, are crowned with a bang of exploding firecrackers. Especially children are waiting for this moment – noisy scares of lurking demons belongs to their duties. After the family celebrations, it is time to enjoy the whole nation together. It is a time of colorful marches, loud music and even louder fireworks. Paper dragons and lions are gradually appearing on the streets to start group dances together. According to some beliefs, these monsters symbolize the mythical nanny monster. In the distant past, this beast was to haunt one of the Chinese villages and devour its inhabitants. One year a way was found to frighten the monster. As soon as he approached the settlement, he was greeted by a hellish noise – a piercing sound of gongs, flares and firecrackers. Firens were burning in front of the huts, scaring the red glow. Nanny rushed to escape, but he was able to kill him in time. To this day, a bang, hustle and fireworks, ubiquitous red (decorations in this color are hanged by the door and windows) and the dance beasts are an integral part of the New Year’s tradition.
Chinese New Year 2025. Lantern festival
The fifteenth day of the festival is the lighthouse festival. It coincides with the first full year in the new year. Preparation of lanterns requires creativity and patience, maybe that’s why more and more people choose an easier path by buying them from famous craftsmen. They are made of various materials, including wood, bones, paper, silk or glass. They also take various shapes. The most popular are animal forms, although there are many classic ones. The tradition of the lighthouse holiday is supposedly two thousand years old. Of course, he is accompanied by numerous parades, artistic shows and dances of paper lions and dragons. It is an ideal opportunity for a long evening walk, because colorfully illuminated streets look the most beautiful after dark. It is said that the lanterns brighten the paths of the ghosts of the ancestors who came to visit their loved ones on the occasion of the New Year. It will also be easier for good deities to find a way to well -lit houses – therefore, a larger number of lanterns bode greater happiness.
Dishes for the Chinese New Year. Traditional dishes and superstitions
A significant part of Chinese dishes has its symbolism and it is very important that the Christmas menu is based solely on positively associated delicacies. Therefore, there must be lotus seeds and lychee fruit that will sweeten the coming year. The fish is served with the head and tail, which are symbols of a good beginning and end. Not only that – you can’t turn it over to the other side, because it could download unhappiness to the family. Mandarins and oranges must appear on the tables, representing wealth and abundance. It is best if they have leaves that guarantee longevity. Pasta also symbolizes a long life, which is why it can absolutely not be cut or interrupted. Also traditional Chun Juan, known as spring rolls in Poland, are included in meals to provide a fortune. They are called spring rolls – precisely because they are served on the occasion of the Spring Festival. During the lighthouse festival, sweet rice balls – Tangyuan are the most popular. Their round shape is to symbolize harmony and family reconciliation.
