The Lunar New Year: Here’s everything you need to know
The whole world celebrates New Year on January 1. Well, that’s partially true. Most parts of the globe observe this day as the beginning of a year, not all. There are people who celebrate the new year in mid-January! Why? Because they follow the lunar calendar instead of the solar calendar (also known as the Gregorian calendar) like the rest of the world. Wondering what a lunar calendar is? It is based on the moon's monthly faces. While a solar year lasts for 365 days, a lunar year is roughly 354 days. At an interval of two to three years, a month is added to the Lunar New Year to keep it in sync with the Gregorian calendar. This is why the new year falls on a different date according to the lunar calendar. So, if you're looking for a reason to throw a second New Year's party this year, you can do so on January 22, 2023, when millions worldwide will celebrate the Lunar New Year. The customs people observe during the Lunar New Year are fascinating indeed. Read on to know more.
Where is the Lunar New Year celebrated?
The Lunar New Year is celebrated by millions of people from numerous nations with significant Chinese or Sinophone populations, like Taiwan, Singapore, Cambodia, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, South Korea and the United States. Each country has its own set of traditions and names for the celebration. In Vietnam, the new year is known as Tết or Tết Nguyên Đán where the Lunar New Year is regarded as the most sacred festival commemorating the arrival of spring. Another aspect of their tradition that you may envy is that they have a long holiday of more than 9 days! In South Korea, the Lunar New Year is known as Seollal. It is celebrated as a three-day long national holiday there! Again, China celebrates in the most lavish way, with festivities lasting up to 16 days!
The traditions of Lunar New Year
The festival's preparations begin 10 days before the Lunar New Year. During this time, homes are thoroughly cleaned to remove any lingering bad luck and welcome good luck. This custom is known as ‘sweeping the grounds.’ On New Year's Eve, families gather to enjoy a delectable traditional feast. The traditional food served is not only flavourful but also symbolic. One of them is Yuanxiao, a dish made of sticky rice balls that stands for harmony within the family. Another popular dish is fagao, also known as the "prosperity cake" in local Chinese dialect.
Following a delicious meal, children are given a red envelope called lai see, which contains small amounts of money. Throughout the holidays, fireworks fill the sky, lion and dragon dances adorn the streets. The lantern festival, which is a remarkable sight, concludes the festivities. The houses are decorated with colourful lanterns, many of which have riddles written on them! You will receive a small gift if you correctly answer the riddle!
Why is the Lunar New Year celebrated with lion dances?
This is steeped in a legend, that of Nian. It is supposed to be a hideous lion-like beast that appears each year on the last night of the year to destroy villages. A wise man is said to have advised the villagers to scare the Nian away with loud noises and red paint. As a result, they set off fireworks, burned lanterns, and hung red paper decorations on their doors. The villagers' actions are responsible for the beautiful lantern decorations seen during the Lunar New Year celebration and the famous lion and dragon dance. The legend ends with the Nian scared away and villagers greeting each other with the words ‘Guo Nion’ which means ‘survive the Nian.’ Today, the same words are used, but they have a different meaning: Celebrating the new year.