CHINESE CULTURE LINKCHINESE CULTURE LINKChinese New YearChinese New Year

((Chinese Spring FestivalChinese Spring Festival))中国春节中国春节 /chun jié//chun jié/

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CHINESE CULTURE LINKCHINESE CULTURE LINKChinese New Year (Chinese New Year (Chinese Spring FestivalChinese Spring Festival))

中国春节中国春节 /chun jié//chun jié/

Chinese New Year: An important traditional Chinese holiday celebrated on the

first day of the year of the Chinese calendar. Chinese new year: Spring Festival / chunjié/ Dated from: Chinese New Year’s Eve to 15th day of the first

month, called Lantern Festival  date changed compared with Gregorian Calendar. Based on Lunar Calendar, based on the moon’s orbit

around the earth. Chinese New Year is celebrated where Chinese-culture is

influenced: CN, HK, TW, KR, VN, ML, IN, PH Considered major holiday for the Chinese.

Festivities:1.Preceding days-On the eighth day of the lunar month prior to Chinese New Year, a traditional porridge known as làbāzhōu  ( 腊八粥 ) is served in remembrance “of an ancient festival, called Là. shortly after the winter solstice 冬至 /dongzhì/-A week before the new year starts, /Zàojun/ (King of Kitchen)-Reunion Dinner ( 年夜饭）： New Year's Eve dinner

2 。 First day 年初一 /Nián Chuyi/ Welcoming of the Gods of the heavens and earth To honor one's elders and families3. Second day Known as kāinián ( 开年 ) "beginning of the year", was when married daughters visited their birth parents, relatives and close friends. (Traditionally, married daughters didn't have the opportunity to visit their birth families frequently.)4. Third day Known as Chìkǒu ( 赤口 ), directly translated as "red mouth".considered an unlucky day to have guests or go visiting.

Red envelopesRed envelopes or red packets ( 利是 lìshì) or 'hóngbāo' ( 红包 ) passed out during the Chinese New Year's celebrations, from married couples or the elderly to unmarried juniors. It is also common for adults or young couples to give red packets to children.

also known as 压岁钱 (yàsuìqián) literally, the money used to suppress or put down the evil spirit during this period.

Dragon dance Lion dance

It is believed that the loud beats of the drum and the deafening sounds of the cymbals together with the face of the Dragon or lion dancing aggressively can drive away bad or evil spirits.

生意兴隆 /Shēnyì xīnglóng/ Business prospers

一本万利 / Yìběn wànlì/ May you make great profits

恭喜发财 / Góngxǐ fācái / Wishing you prosperity

招财进宝 / Zhāocái jìnbǎo/ May treasure be plentiful

花开富贵 / Huākāi fùguì/ Fortune comes with blooming flowers

出入平安 / Chùrù píng’an/ Wishing you safety wherever you go

万事如意 / Wànshì rúyì/ Everything goes as you hope

和气生财 / Héqì shēngcái / Harmony brings wealth

金玉满堂 / Jīnyù mǎntáng / Treasures fill the home

心想事成 / Xīnxiǎng shìchéng/ May all your wishes come true

龙马精神 / Lóngmǎ jīngshén/ Energy of a dragon and a horse

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