Chinese New Year is one of the most important traditional Chinese celebrations. It is also sometimes called the Lunar New Year. The festival traditionally begins on the first day of the first lunar month (zheng yuè) of the Chinese calendar and ends on the 15th day. This day is called Lantern Festival or Chap Goh Mei. The eve of Chinese New Year is known as Chúxi. Its direct translation is “Year-pass Eve”.

Mythology

According to tales and legends, the beginning of Chinese New Year started with the fight against a mythical beast called the Nian or “Year” in Chinese. Nian would come on the first day of the New Year to devour livestock, crops, and even villagers, especially children. To protect themselves, the villagers would put food in front of their doors. It was believed that after the Nian ate the food, it would not attack any of the villagers. One day, some villagers saw the Nian being frightened of a little child wearing red clothing. The villagers then understood that the Nian was afraid of the colour red. Hence, every New Year, the villagers would hang red lanterns and red scrolls on windows and doors. People also used firecrackers to frighten away the Nian. From then on, the Nian never came to the village again.

Festivities

The Chinese New Year celebrations are marked by visits to kin, relatives and friends, a practice known as “New Year visits” (bàinián). New clothings are usually worn to signify a new year. The colour red is liberally used in all decorations. Red packets are given to juniors and children by the married ones and elders.

Preparations

Days before the New Year celebration, Chinese families would give their home a thorough cleaning. It is believed that cleaning sweeps away the bad luck of the preceding year and makes their homes ready for good luck. Brooms and dust pans are put away on the first day so that luck cannot be swept away. Some people give their homes, doors and window-frames a new coat of red paint. Homes are often decorated with paper cutouts of Chinese auspicious phrases and couplets. Purchasing new clothes and shoes and receiving a haircut also symbolise a fresh start.

The biggest event on Chinese New Year eve is the dinner. A dish consisting of fish is a must-have. This meal is comparable to Christmas dinner in the West. After the dinner, some families go to local temples, hours before the new year begins to pray for a prosperous new year; however in modern practice, many households hold parties and even do a countdown to the new lunar year.

First day of the new year

The first day is for welcoming the deities of the heavens and earth, officially beginning at midnight. Many people, especially Buddhists, abstain from meat consumption on the first day because it is believed that this will ensure longevity for them.

Most importantly, the first day of Chinese New Year is a time when families visit the senior members of their extended family, usually their parents, grandparents or great-grandparents.

Some families may invite a lion dance troupe as a symbolic ritual to usher in the Lunar New Year, as well as to evict bad spirits from their homes. Members of the family who are married give red packets containing cash to junior members of the family - children and teenagers. Red packets are also known as Ya Sui Qian - money used to suppress or put down the evil spirit) during this period.

Fifteenth day of the new year

The fifteenth day of the new year is celebrated as Yuánxiao jié, otherwise known as Chap Goh Mei in Fujian dialect. Rice dumplings (Tangyuan), a sweet glutinous rice ball brewed in a soup, is eaten on this day. Candles are lit outside houses to guide wayward spirits home. This day is celebrated as the Lantern Festival, and families walk the street carrying lighted lanterns.

This day often marks the end of the Chinese New Year festival.

Source: Wikipedia.org

Just English would like to wish you a happy and prosperous Chinese New Year of the Ox! Gong Xi Fa Cai!