In it there was a mountain with a big peach tree expanding over a vast landscape. There are various mythical stories about the Chinese New Year, popular in different regions of the country.Īccording to one story, once upon a time there was a world of ghosts. What stories and myths are told on Chinese New Year? Peach, plum and daffodils are mostly seen because they are thought to bring good luck.
Streets, city squares and other public places are also decorated with banners, flags, flowerpots, orange trees and so on in order to boost the festive atmosphere. Thus an upside-down LUCK would mean LUCK arriving there. In some parts of northern China this Chinese character is often hung upside down, because the term "upside down" sounds like "arriving" in Mandarin Chinese.
#Happy new year in mandarin windows#
People fix up paper-cuts (窗花) on windows and folk paintings on walls, hang red lanterns in and outside their houses, display couplets (春联) on doors, hang a big Chinese character LUCK (福) on the main entrance and so on. There are said to be two Gods of Wealth: one God of Civil (文神) and one God of Military (武神). People spend substantial time and effort to uplift their houses and the immediate surroundings in order to welcome the Gods of Wealth (财神). What Chinese New Year decorations do you make?ĭecoration is a big part of Chinese New Year celebration. Whereas in Guangdong and Hong Kong, the Cantonese version of the greeting is "Gong Hey Fat Choi" (wishing you a prosperous year). In northern China, it is common to say "Xinnian Kuaile" (Happy New Year in Mandarin) when greeting someone. How do you say ‘happy new year’ in Chinese? On New Year's Day and the few days that follow, friends would visit each other's homes and offer good luck wishes to each other, exchange seasonal greetings (拜年), where they make a bow with hands folded in front (作揖). Children and adults would change into new clothes, new shoes, new outfits for the festive period.Īt midnight on New Year's Eve, noisy firecrackers would be set off to usher in the New Year. Older and senior members of the family give the younger ones good luck pocket money known as Ya Sui Qian (压岁钱) contained in a red envelop (Hong Bao 红包).Ĭhildren join in with Chinese New Year craft activities at the National Maritime MuseumĮveryone would have a thorough bath to cleanse themselves and wash away the bad luck before the end of the year. This is known as Nian Ye Fan (年夜饭).įamilies burn incense to worship their ancestors. Members of the family sit around a big table to have a New Year's Eve dinner. How do you celebrate Chinese New Year with friends and family?Īs an important family reunion occasion, food and drink are a crucial part of the New Year celebration. In China this is now known as Chun Yun (春运 Moving in the Spring): tens of millions of people travel on the country's vast public transport systems or via private means, coming home to be with their loved ones. The New Year is an important family reunion occasion, so those who are living or working far away would return home prior to the holiday. They will redecorate them with red couplets, lanterns, new flowerpots and furniture, and will shop for foodstuffs for banquet specialities. In the run-up to the new year people will clean their houses to get rid of dirt, rubbish and other unwanted items. Lion dance, dragon dance, temple fairs, flower market shopping and so on are just a few of these rich and colourful activities. Today it's celebrated also by Chinese communities outside the country. It's a time to worship ancestors, exorcise evil spirits and pray for good harvest. The New Year celebration is centred around removing the bad and the old, and welcoming the new and the good.
It is the most solemn festival of the year for every Chinese and has been celebrated in China for thousands of years, with various forms of activities among the diverse regions of China. The Chinese New Year (新年) is also known as the Spring Festival (春节). What happens during Chinese New Year? The Newham Chinese Association explain some of the traditions, festivals and customs that take place when Chinese New Year is celebrated.įrom folk stories and traditions to food, drink and costumes, learn facts about Chinese New Year below, including how Chinese New Year is celebrated in China and the UK.įind out more about the Newham Chinese Association How do people celebrate Chinese New Year?
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