Happy Chinese New Year

Chinese New year begins February 8 and we thought it would be fun to share some of the traditions and legends that surround it.

Chinese New Year, as it is called in the West, is known as Spring Festival in China.   It originated during the Shang Dynasty (about 17th - 11th century BC) and celebrates family reunion and the hopes for a rich spring.  Different regions and different ethnic groups celebrate it in their own unique ways.

Spring Festival is the most important traditional festival and celebration for families in China.  In fact, it is an official public holiday and most have the week off from work.  It is a time for families to be together and people come home from wherever they are to celebrate the festival with their families.  It is by far the busiest travel season of the year in China.

This year Chinese New Year begins on Monday, February 8, the first day of the Chinese lunar calendar.  The Chinese Lunar New Year always begins on the second new moon after the winter solstice. The year 2016 is represented by the Monkey, specifically the Red Fire Monkey (more about that later).  

Festival Traditions

Home and family are the principal focus in the New Year preparation and celebration.  To prepare for the holiday, homes are thoroughly cleaned to rid them of “huiqi,” or bad luck, which might have collected during the old year. People post scrolls printed with lucky messages on household gates and set off firecrackers to frighten evil spirits. In fact, many of the traditions carried out during this period are meant to bring good luck to the household and long life to the family.

There are many legends about the Spring Festival.

In folk culture, it is also called “guonian” (meaning “passing a year”). Traditional stories passed through generations say that the “nian” (year) was a strong and cruel monster which was fierce and cruel and ate one kind of animal each day (including human beings). Fearing the Nian, people hid on the evening when the “nian” came out. Later, people discovered that the “nian” was scared at the color red and explosive fireworks. These became the force used to drive the monster away. Fireworks and red color remain prominent ways to to celebrate the new year in modern times.    

Many cultural activities occur during the modern festival including the exchange of gifts and the famous dragon dances.  As mentioned before, red, which is now considered an auspicious color and not just a way to scare a monster, is the main color of the festival  Red lanterns decorate the streets.  Banks and official buildings combine red with images of prosperity to show their hope for the new year.  Because 2016 is the year of monkey, red decorations will be joined by monkey images and statues.

Year of the Fire Monkey

This is the year of the fire monkey, but what does that mean?  The Chinese lunar calendar follows a 12 year cycle with each year represented by a different animal.  The year of the animal also corresponds to one of the five Chinese elements (wood, fire, earth, metal and water).  A fire monkey year occurs every 60 years.  This has an effect not just on the year, but on the people born during that time. 

The monkey is thought of as always being smart, clever and intelligent, especially in career and wealth. On the one hand they are lively, flexible, quick-witted and versatile, their gentleness and honesty bringing them an everlasting love life.  On the other hand, they have a few shortcomings, such as an impetuous temper, selfishness and a tendency to look down upon others.  The Chinese are fond of the saying “the wily monkey will take all of the peanuts and leave you only shells,” as monkeys are considered the tricksters of the 12 Chinese Animal signs.

The year of the Fire Monkey is ideal for a quantum leap in your life!  This year will be a good time to shake things up, create change, innovate a new path or take that idea to the next level. Even the most ambitious plans can succeed, and almost anything can happen.  Fire brings passion, creativity, and joy, and fire types are strong, dynamic, and able to overcome illness and obstacles.  Just remember that fires need to be tended so they don’t flare out of control.  In a Monkey year, it’s fine to just make it up as you go along.  But, make sure to keep your wits about you and don’t be gullible trusting the wrong people, or you may find yourself with a pile of peanut shells!    As soon as you realize that a path is not fruitful, try a new one instead of staying stuck and trying to analyze the past.  Most importantly, keep a sense of humor, because the wily monkey can surprise you with unexpected challenges.  

Foods Eaten During the Festival

The New Year's Eve dinner is called the Reunion Dinner, and is considered to be the most important meal of the year where families of several generations enjoy the food and time together. Certain foods are chosen based on their symbolic meanings.  Fish is a must for Chinese New Year as eating fish is believed to bring a surplus of money and good luck in the coming year.  See the recipe for Sea bass with sizzled ginger in our Recipe for Abundance post.

Another traditional Chinese New Year food is Chinese dumplings. Because the shape of Chinese dumplings looks like  silver ingot - a kind of  ancient Chinese money, Chinese people believe eating dumplings during the New Year festival will bring more money and wealth for the coming year.  Some say that the round dumplings are shaped like a full moon a sign of the family unit and perfection.

The combination of Fire with the sign of the Monkey brings vitality and innovation to both business and personal relationships.  We hope your Fire Monkey year is filled with excitement and much success!

Posted in Seasonal