In our country New Year tops the list of most favorite holidays. No wonder some even celebrate it twice: January 1 and January 14. When New Year holidays ends, you can sadly put away the tree and other holiday attributes until next December. Or you can not remove anything and celebrate the New Year again - according to Eastern traditions. The start date of the holiday is determined by the lunar-solar calendar. According to it, the Chinese New Year in 2018 starts on February 16.
A little history
The history of New Year's celebrations in the Middle Kingdom is shrouded in legends. According to one of them, the holiday is associated with a terrible monster named Chun (Nan). This monster attacked a small village once a year, whose inhabitants were forced to hide from it in the mountains. One day, an old beggar came to the village and asked permission from one of the residents to stay in her house during the attack of the monster. The woman tried to dissuade the old man, but in the end she allowed him to stay. The next day, returning to their village, instead of destruction, local residents saw undamaged houses and that same old man in red clothes. The old man laughed, and lights shone around him and firecrackers rattled.
It turned out that Nan is afraid of bright red and cannot stand loud sounds. Now the villagers no longer hid in the mountains, but once a year they held noisy, cheerful celebrations so that the evil monster would never come to their land again.
When does New Year start in China?
It is not for nothing that the New Year is considered the most large-scale holiday in China. Preparation for it lasts several weeks. It is considered very important during this period to finish all business, pay off debts and throw away unnecessary things in order to start the year with a new clean page. Before the celebration begins, the house is thoroughly cleaned.
Instead of Christmas tree The Chinese decorate the Tree of Light, hanging numerous decorations, garlands and lanterns on it.
The day when the new year begins is also known as the Spring Festival. According to local beliefs, on this day the old year passes away, and with it winter. The awakening of nature is noisily welcomed by numerous fireworks, festivities and fairs. The celebration lasts for 15 days.
The Chinese spend the eve of the year's holiday with close people. The family table is set with a variety of treats, fish, chicken, seafood, and sweets. Traditional dish For the New Year's table in China there are dumplings. It is believed that the richer and tastier the New Year's table is, the more satisfying life will be in the coming year. At midnight, all doors and windows in the house are opened, clearing the way for the outgoing old year.
In the first days of the year, the Chinese meet with friends and family, visit each other to congratulate each other and celebrate the beginning of the new year together.
The date of the Spring Festival is set after the winter solstice on the first new moon, therefore, the New Year according to the Chinese calendar occurs between January 21 and February 21 each year.
Symbols of the coming year
The cycle of the eastern calendar includes 12 animals that are the patrons of each coming year. In addition to animals, the calendar includes five elements (water, earth, metal, fire and wood), which also alternate. Thus, each year in China is symbolized by a combination that is repeated only once every 60 years.
Eastern symbols have firmly entered into the traditions of celebrating our country, setting the mood New Year's decorations and gift souvenirs.
Chinese New Year 2018 will be symbolized by the animal Dog and the element Earth. The main color of the year is yellow. By the way, the calendar in China is different from ours. The coming Year of the Dog will be 4716 according to the Eastern calendar.
In China, it is not customary to give expensive gifts. However, congratulations are rarely complete without a gift. Traditional New Year's gifts in China are considered:
- Banknotes. In China, it is customary to give money to children. They are packaged in red envelopes and given to every child who arrives at their doorstep in the first 15 days of the new year. This tradition is believed to bring good luck for the coming year.
- Symbols of the year. A popular gift are souvenirs with images of the animal that is the patron saint of the year. In the coming year, these are figurines of dogs and various objects with their image.
- Couple gifts. In China there is a custom to give for the New Year small gifts, consisting of two items. These can be glasses, paired figurines and other things. Two parts of one whole symbolize harmony and well-being in the family.
It is customary to give gifts (except for envelopes with money for children) before leaving. Guests often do this secretly, almost unnoticed by the hosts.
Also in China there is ancient tradition hand over two tangerines to the hosts upon entering. When guests leave, they receive two other tangerines in return. This gesture is a wish for each other good luck and wealth, as tangerines symbolize gold.
How to celebrate the Year of the Yellow Earth Dog
To make the coming year prosperous and successful, you can use some tips from Chinese traditions in your New Year celebrations:
- Celebrating the coming year should begin with preparation. According to Eastern customs, it would be a good idea to get rid of all the excess rubbish that has accumulated in the house. It is worth reconsidering your grievances, dealing with debts and unresolved issues. If in 2018 the New Year in your family begins in a friendly and warm atmosphere, rest assured that the Yellow Dog will help support it throughout the year.
- It is better to decorate your home in yellow, gold, light brown and pale greenish tones. They correspond to the color of the element of Earth, which patronizes the coming year.
- You shouldn't celebrate alone. The Chinese always surround themselves with loved ones on New Year's Eve. In addition, the dog, symbolizing the coming year, is a herd animal, so it is better not to contradict it and celebrate the holiday in pleasant company.
- Festive table must include meat or poultry dishes. The dog prefers meat food, and in celebrating the coming year it is better to try to please it.
- Clothing and accessories are also worth choosing from color range yellowish tint. The dog is a conservative, so you should not overdo it with extreme short dresses and bright shiny accessories.
New Year's celebrations can be extended over two months. They can begin, according to the traditions of our country, on the night of January 1 and continue until the New Year according to the Chinese calendar, which starts on February 16 and is celebrated for another 2 weeks. For those who think New Year's celebration most beloved, this is a wonderful opportunity to extend Christmas mood and recharge yourself with a positive attitude for the whole coming year.
2019 will pass under the auspices of the Yellow Pig, but the mistress of the year will only be able to begin her reign in February. In order not to miss this event, find out what date the New Year begins according to the Eastern calendar.
Currently, Eastern culture is reflected in the traditions and customs familiar to us. That is why every year the number of people interested in what date the New Year is celebrated according to the Chinese calendar is increasing. The eastern calendar allows us to find out a more precise date for this event, and by learning more about the patron animal of the year, you can predict your future.
In 2019, we will once again celebrate everyone’s favorite holiday, New Year. February 5th. You can calculate the date of the holiday yourself by counting the number of days from the winter solstice (December 22, 2018) to the second New Moon in 2019.
Start chinese year is characterized by a change in the totem animal, and in 2019 the Pig will replace the Dog. However, as in the past year, the Earth remains the patronizing element. According to this characteristic, the coming twelve months should pass quite calmly, but given the character of the patroness of the year, many of us will not get bored.
The pig's favorite color is Yellow. Therefore, both traditional and Chinese New Year are best celebrated in a yellow outfit. You can also dilute the look with colors such as gold, brown, beige, silver and any of their shades.
China is a country that respects traditions, especially if they relate to such an important event as the New Year. On the eve of the holiday, it is customary to carry out general cleaning, freeing up space for happiness and good luck.
The main part of New Year's preparation is getting rid of old things. A few days before the New Year, the Chinese carefully go through their things, selecting old and unnecessary ones, and ruthlessly get rid of them. According to tradition, it is best to burn garbage in order to get rid of your problems and failures forever. After this, you need to bring any new thing so that it brings happiness throughout the year.
Those who wish to celebrate the Eastern New Year must decorate the house in advance with red ribbons, Chinese lanterns and be sure to place a bowl of tangerines on the table. These attributes are an integral part of the holiday, and with their help, each of you will be able to attract happiness and prosperity to your home.
The beginning of the New Year opens before us new life filled with opportunity and positive change. To find what you want in the coming year, use rituals for well-being and prosperity. We wish you happiness and prosperity, and don't forget to press the buttons and
05.01.2019 07:25
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Spring Festival
Lunar New Year is a holiday revered not only by Asian peoples, but also by people who respect Eastern culture, rituals and customs of this sophisticated nation. Many of us admire the culture of the East and dream of celebrating the New Year according to all the rules. How to do this and what should be observed, what dishes can be prepared from traditional beans or rice, and what is best avoided?
China
Spring Festival
Custom. Nowadays, probably, even the Chinese themselves do not know exactly when the custom of celebrating the New Year (called the Spring Festival in China) appeared. Some rituals dedicated to this bright day, thank God, have sunk into oblivion. But many of them have been preserved and are performed by all members of Chinese families. For example, there is a custom to place the so-called Money Tree- a cypress branch inserted into a bowl of fruit and rice. Copper coins are tied to the branch with red threads: in China they believe that such a design can bring prosperity and good luck in the coming year.
What is customary to give? In China, family is treated with reverence, so gifts in pairs are considered a sign of respect. For example, a couple of cups, a set of bed linen for two, two sets of food or two candles will bring much more positive emotions than one thing, but more expensive. After all, the main thing here is to respect traditions.
Home decoration. New Year's illustrations are hung on the walls, New Year's paired inscriptions are pasted on the external gates of houses. Leaves with wishes for happiness, health and prosperity are posted throughout the house, and the windows of the houses shine with fantastic patterns that the owners cut out of paper.
Rice traditions
Dish. The festive table in the Middle Kingdom is completely prepared in advance. One of the popular and delicious Chinese dishes is zongzi - rice dumplings.
Rice dumplings
Compound
½ cup rice
Rice traditions
Pepper, nutmeg
1 parsley
1 onion
4 carnations
1 small parsley
1 leek
1 carrot
1 turnip
2 eggs
3 crackers
¾ cup deep fat
Preparation
Boil 1.½ cups of rice, strain through a colander, pour cold water, put in a saucepan, salt, pepper, add nutmeg, 1 parsley, 1 onion stuffed with 4 cloves.
2. Cover with a lid and cook until soft. Remove parsley and onion.
3.Chop very finely 1 parsley, 1 leek, 1 small carrot, a little turnip and pour in the broth, cook until soft, place in a sieve, mix with rice.
4.Add a raw egg.
5. Form dumplings with a spoon and place in a cool place.
6. After cooling the dumplings until they harden, five minutes before serving, roll them in egg and grated bread and deep-fry, then dry and serve garnished with herbs or dipped in broth.
What to avoid. Knife on New Year's table is bad omen. It is believed that he, as it were, cuts off the family's luck. You should not give a watch, because this image, according to the inhabitants of the porcelain country, is associated with death.
Japanese holiday
Japan
Custom. The Japanese believe: if on the most important day of the lunar calendar you stock up on rakes decorated with expensive stones and painted with various designs and ornaments, then you can use them to rake in happiness all year long. In the first seconds of the upcoming holiday, it is customary to laugh, then luck will not give up and the smile will shine on your face for all twelve months.
Japanese holiday
What is customary to give? Oseibo - that's what they call it Gift Baskets, which according to tradition must be presented in the morning. The kits include tin cans, pieces of scented toilet soap and other useful household items. This tradition originated in the days of the ancient samurai, who exchanged gifts of similar content.
Home decoration. The Japanese, like the Chinese, customarily decorate their entrance doors. Bamboo and pine branches, symbols of longevity and fidelity, are the main decorations. In front of the house are the inhabitants of the Country rising sun they put up a kadomatsu - a gate made of three bamboo sticks, to which pine branches are tied so that the deity will favor them all year round.
Dish. Mochi are traditional New Year's rice cakes, which no Japanese family can do without on New Year's Day.
Ingredients
Rice (amount depends on desired result)
Preparation
1. Rinse the rice.
2. Soak the rice in water for 8–12 hours.
3. Drain the water. Place the rice in a colander for 15 minutes.
4. Place a towel on the bottom of the steaming basket. Place mochi rice on top of one half of the towel, forming it into small “piles” with a hollow in the middle. Cover the rice with the other half of the towel.
5. Close the lid and steam for 30–50 minutes.
6. Place mochi on foil.
7. Without allowing it to cool, beat it with a mallet. After wetting your hands with water, turn over to the other side. The main thing is not to pour water into the mochi, wetting your hands.
What to avoid. Under no circumstances are ordinary Japanese allowed to give flowers for the New Year: this is a gift only for imperial persons.
This material has been prepared as a comprehensive answer to the question of when the Eastern New Year 2018 will begin. The Spring Festival, as it is commonly called in China, has been considered almost the main holiday in the People's Republic of China and a number of East Asian countries for more than 100 years. Although the traditions underlying the Chinese New Year go back to ancient times. Now let's talk about everything in order.
We will immediately note to you so that you do not suffer from this question when reading further text: in 2018 the Year of the Dog is coming, and this will happen on February 16. But more on this a little later.
Since ancient times, traditional Chinese culture obliges every person born in China to honor the New Year. This holiday is literally the most important event in family life. Each year it falls on a different date, due to the fact that it is based on the lunar calendar.
The Chinese believe that the Eastern New Year is the first day of spring, as a result, which goes without saying, if you adhere to exactly the same thought, on this day nature awakens and a new life begins.
As we said earlier in the text, the Chinese New Year is significant, in fact, not only for the Chinese, they are also Han, but also for many Asian national minorities, for example, Manchus, Mongols, Yaotians, Zhuans, Gaoshans, Daurs, Duns, Liyans and etc.
It just so happened that in 1911 the Xinhai Revolution took place, which began with the Wuhan Uprising. One of its results was the adoption of a new style of chronology, which is relevant for China to this day. To distinguish the Chinese New Year - Xinnian - from the European one, it was renamed the Spring Festival - Chunjie. However, today you can often hear that it is also called this: Gonyan.
Many scientists are still arguing about when the New Year, traditional specifically for their culture, was first celebrated in China. Most of them agree that this happened more than a thousand years ago. At that time, it is believed that one of the rituals of the holiday was the rite of sacrifice, which, by the way, can often be seen even today if you visit remote Chinese settlements.
On the other hand, another, perhaps more peaceful, attribute of the holiday was and remains the custom of creating remarkable decorations for the celebration. This can be expressed either in ordinary wishes, written, naturally, in hieroglyphs, for example, on paper - as a postcard, or in the form of dressed up dolls large sizes, demonstrated in front of a large audience of adherents of such a significant event in the life of a large number of Asian peoples.
Chinese New Year is the best reason to start life with a clean slate
It is believed that the Chinese New Year is almost the best occasion to resolve a dispute with a person that has been going on for a very long time. On this holiday, you need to forget - and it’s better to do it once and for all - about all grievances and forgive your neighbor, wishing literally everyone around you peace, goodness and boundless happiness.
According to the Eastern calendar, 2018 is. For his followers it will be 4716. It will come on February 16th. Traditionally, Chinese New Year falls between January 21 and February 21 in the Gregorian calendar. If we start talking about eastern traditions, then for their admirers at this time the winter new moon begins, which marks the end of the full lunar cycle. The winter new moon is coming winter solstice. This is how it can be explained briefly.
You can often hear that the Chinese New Year is called the Lunar New Year, which in the context of all of the above, it seems to us, is not unreasonable.
Lantern Festival - an enchanting end to the Chinese New Year celebrations
In the cycle of New Year's celebrations among the Chinese and many other representatives of East Asia, there is the Lantern Festival, which is celebrated on the 15th day of the 1st month, if calculated by Lunar calendar. It becomes the logical conclusion of the traditional Chinese New Year, which lasted two weeks. Actually, on this day, custom obliges people to light colorful street lamps. This tradition, according to scientists, is too ancient: they believe that the first such case occurred back in 180 BC.
It is easy to calculate that in 2018, the Lantern Festival in China will be celebrated on March 2. It is on this day that you can see countless folklore performances right on the streets: dancing for every taste and color, walking on stilts, eating sweets and much more.
When the Chinese New Year 2018 arrives, the rest of the world, where they adhere to the Gregorian calendar, will already be closely preparing to welcome the long-awaited spring as such. For many people, a month and a half has already passed since the beginning of the New Year, while they still have another half month left to meet the upcoming beginning of March with dignity. And when the next Lantern Festival comes to China, the rest of the world will already be immersed in the web of spring blues for the second day. Literally and figuratively.
In conclusion, we note that Chinese New Year is not just the most important, but also the most long holiday in the Chinese calendar, where both solar (which is more suitable for agriculture) and solar-lunar types are equally in demand. Perhaps because it is the longest, it is the most important, or vice versa. What do you think?
When is the Eastern New Year 2018?
When is 2018 according to the Chinese calendar? Once again we answer this question specifically: February 16th. It will be Friday. The fifteen-day New Year celebration in China will end on March 2, also on Friday.
And yes, once again: 2018 according to the Eastern calendar will be the Year of the Dog. Now you know almost everything you need to know about Chinese traditions related to the New Year's Eve. You just have to decide for yourself: stay at home and celebrate this kind of holiday remotely, or go to a place where you will literally become part of the holiday.
The traditional and familiar Gregorian calendar, according to which one year changes to another on the night of January 1, is radically different from the Chinese calendar.
This calendar is based not on the specifics of the cycle of the Earth’s passage around the Sun, but on many years of astrological research, as well as the peculiarities of the calculation itself.
It is not difficult to find out when the New Year 2017 begins according to the Chinese calendar; this date falls on the 28th day of January; it is much more difficult to understand all the intricacies of the Asian chronology.
New Year 2017 according to the Chinese calendar
The beginning of the next year according to the Chinese calendar is associated with the change of season: the first month determines the awakening of nature and the beginning of agricultural work. And in order to clearly determine the start date of the new year, astrologers use the zodiac circle.
The day when the first new moon occurs in the constellation Aquarius is considered the first day of the new year. This date varies, but always falls within a certain time period ranging from January 21 to February 20.
Calculating, we find that New Year 2017 according to the Chinese calendar falls on January 28, 2018 at 3.06
According to the Chinese calendar, the Fire Rooster will replace the Monkey.
The celebration itself Chinese style is also different. If Europeans celebrate the New Year for one night, then in Asian countries this process stretches for ten days at once.
This is one of the most popular holidays not only in China, but also in many other Asian countries. The year also ends unconventionally. The year of the Fire Rooster changes not on December 31, 2017, or even on January 28 next year. Will finally cede its rights to its successor Yellow Dog Fire Rooster only on February 15, 2018.
How to celebrate New Year according to the Chinese calendar
So, don't forget to celebrate Chinese New Year 2017 on January 28, 2017! But the usual hospitable feast will not work as a holiday.
In China, New Year is celebrated differently and the traditions of celebration are directly related to the name of the celebrations, called Chunzi. It is believed that Chun is a mythical monster that seeks to destroy all living things, and he is afraid of noise and bright flashes. That’s why the Chinese celebrate the coming of the year with songs, dances, and noisy fireworks. The presence of garlands and firecrackers is required. The noisier the celebration, the further away the evil spirits are.
