Year of the Ox
Chinese New Year marks the transition between zodiac signs, 2021 is the year of the Ox, 2020 was the year of the Rat.
Chinese New Year 2021
Say goodbye to the Year of the Rat, and hello to the Year of the Ox. Lunar New Year, also known as the Chinese New Year or Spring Festival – begins tomorrow, ushering in the second animal on the Zodiac with the second new moon after the winter solstice. Though the occasion is meant to be spent with family and friends, the ongoing coronavirus pandemic means that celebrations around the world – from the United States to Britain to China – will look different this year for the 1.5 billion people who observe the occasion. While celebrations typically vary around the world, they will be especially different this year as the pandemic forces people to stay at home and not visit family.
When is it?
As the holiday is tied to the year’s first new moon, the timing of it will vary. It can fall in January or early February. In China, the festival lasts 15 days, starting with a feast the night of New Year’s Eve and ending this year with the Spring Lantern Festival on Feb. 26. Vietnam’s goes for up to a week, and Lunar New Year in South Korea, known as Seollal, runs for three days.
2021 is the Year of the Ox. What does it represent?
Feb. 12 marks the first day of the xin chou year, or Year of the Metal Ox under the Lunar New Year sexagenary cycle, Hong Kong-based feng shui master Thierry Chow said that the Ox is a hardworking zodiac sign that signifies movement. Hopefully, the world will be less static than last year and get moving again in the second half of the year. The metal element of the year represents an emphasis on metal industries in 2021, from jewelry to “the needle of a syringe.
Why does Lunar New Year fall on different days?
Because of differences between the solar-lunar and Gregorain calendar, which the United States follows. The Gregorian calendar is based on the Earth’s cycle orbiting the sun, while the solar-lunar combines that with the moon’s cycle orbiting the earth. In major U.S. cities such as Los Angeles, New York City and San Francisco, events celebrating the new year take place in the weeks before and after the first day of the lunar year.
How is Lunar New Year celebrated?
In addition to cleaning one’s home, and adorning it with red banners, artwork and flowers, a priority in preparing for the holiday is making meals, said Lee. This holiday, like so many holidays in other cultures, is centered on food.