Happy New Year 2015 (4713)!

新年快樂！

China in the World

“When entering a country, ask what the customs are”

• Why? What are customs? What do they tell us?

• What are customs in the US?

• What are customs in China?

Chinese Festivals: New YearLunar calendar

Year

of t

he G

oat

Spring Festival 春假

• 1st day of 1st lunar month– New moon– 15 day celebration that ends with

full moon on Lantern Festival

• One month of preparations– Clean house

• Sweep out the old, welcome in the new.

– Make amends– Sacrifice to gods

• Especially to Kitchen God!• Spirit money, food

– Drive away evil spirits• Fireworks!

The Kitchen God

Customs

• Story of Nian• Fireworks – Truly crazy

• Big family meal– Include gods and ancestors

• Lion and Dragon Dances• Red Envelopes

Chinese New Year Customs

• Dinner with fireworks• Clean houses• Decorate with red cut outs• Wear red: – joy and happiness– like fire which fends off bad luck

• Kids get red envelopes containing money

New Year Foods• Foods like chives, dumplings,

fish, apples, oranges, and New Year’s cake

• Chives (“Jiǔ cài”) stand for a long life (“Cháng cháng jiǔ jiǔ”)

• Dumplings (“Shuǐ jiǎo”) symbolize wealth

• Fish (“Yú”) symbolizes wealth; 魚 = 余

New Year Foods

• Apples (“Píng guǒ”) symbolize safety and peacefulness (“Píng píng ān ān”)

• Oranges symbolize luck

• New Year’s cake represents achievement and promotions

• • Spring rolls symbolize wealth

because of their resemblance to gold bars

New Year Decorations

• Mandarin oranges• Pineapples• Carrots• Lanterns• Gold coins• Red paper signs• Firecrackers • Chinese Knots

Spring has arrived! 春到了！福到了！

恭禧發財 !