10 facts about Chinese New Year 2024
AS THE name suggests, the festival ushers in the New Year in China. The date for the Chinese New Year depends on the lunar calendar. In 2024, the festival is slated to fall on February 10.
Chinese New Year is one of the most important and culturally significant festivals marked with great pomp and zeal by Chinese communities across the world.
As the name suggests, the festival ushers in the New Year in China. The date for the Chinese New Year depends on the lunar calendar. In 2024, the festival is slated to fall on February 10.
What does the Chinese zodiac say? The Chinese zodiac operates on a 12-year cycle, with each year being associated with an animal sign and one of the five basic elements – metal, wood, water, fire, or Earth. These elements combine to create a rich tapestry of symbolism and meaning. The animal signs include Rat, Tiger, Rabbit, Ox, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Rooster, Pig and Dog.
Each animal sign is linked to one of the five fundamental elements, which follow a cyclical pattern. When combined, they form a 60-year cycle. The 2024 Year of the Dragon is uniquely associated with the Wood element.
THE YEAR OF THE DRAGON
In the Chinese zodiac, the Dragon holds a special place and represents power, strength, and good fortune.
The Dragon sign is associated with the following years – 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012, 2024, and so forth – each of them separated by a 12-year interval.
Those born i n Dragon years are often considered confident, ambitious and charismatic. They are intelligent and powerful and exude a lot of energy and passion. They frequently achieve extraordinary levels of accomplishment in their endeavours because they are inherently fortunate and gifted. However, they might display unfavourable traits such as arrogance, subjectivity, and bigotry.
The Year of the Dragon is associated with various taboos that differ across locations and periods in the Sinic world. However, there is a consensus on certain taboos one should observe:
In the Sinic world, the Year of the Dragon is also linked to several taboos that vary depending on the region and period, according to reports.
Some of them are – avoiding placing the bed in the northwest corner; avoiding dog-shaped jewellery, and not buying a new puppy among others.
HERE ARE 10 FACTS ABOUT THE FESTIVAL
• The date of the Chinese New Year is not fixed with respect to the Gregorian calendar. Instead, it is determined based on the lunar calendar and usually falls between January 21 and February 20.
• Chinese New Year is also referred to as the “Spring Festival”. It also marks the beginning of spring and the end of the biting cold.
• Each Chinese New Year is assigned a zodiac sign, of which there are 12. Each Chinese zodiac sign is associated with an animal. They are rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog, and pig.
• While 2023 was the Year of the Rabbit, 2024 is the Year of the Dragon. Chinese New Year 2025 will be the Year of the Snake.
• Chinese New Year celebrations usually last for 16 days – from New Year’s Eve to the Lantern Festival. This time, the Lantern Festival falls on February 24.
• Traditionally, Chinese New Year is welcomed with a spectacular display of fireworks on New Year’s Eve. There is legend attached to the tradition. As per Chinese lore, it is believed that on Lunar New Year’s Eve, a fearsome monster named Nian would emerge to devour both people and livestock. The loud explosions and bright lights are set up to scare away Nian and ensure the safety of the community. This tradition has carried on for aeons and become an integral part of the celebration.
• The same legend of Nian is also cited as the reason that red is the overriding colour used during the celebration. It is believed that the colour helped drive the evil monster away.
• With red being considered a sign of prosperity, red envelopes with or without money are exchanged between friends and family members as a sign of good luck on Chinese New Year.
• As per tradition, during the first five days of Chinese New Year, it’s customary not to dispose of garbage. This tradition stems from the belief that the refuse collected during this period symbolises wealth and shouldn’t be discarded. On the sixth day, however, a dedicated cleaning ritual takes place and accumulated garbage is disposed of.
• Several l ucky dishes are also consumed during the celebrations. In particular, dumplings are associated with wealth and prosperity. So, the belief is that the more dumplings you eat during New Year celebrations, the more prosperity you will reap in the coming year.
Taken from www.ndtv.com