What is chinese new year

Chinese New Year, also known as the Spring Festival, is one of the most important traditional holidays in China and is celebrated by people of Chinese descent around the world. It is a 15-day celebration that marks the beginning of the new year on the traditional Chinese calendar.

The Chinese New Year is based on a lunisolar calendar, which combines elements of both the solar and lunar calendars. The date of the Chinese New Year varies each year, but it typically falls between January 21 and February 20.

Here are some key aspects of Chinese New Year:

  1. Date: The Chinese New Year is celebrated on the second new moon after the winter solstice, which usually falls between January 21 and February 20.
  2. Duration: The celebration lasts for 15 days, with the first day being the most important.
  3. Zodiac animals: Each year is represented by an animal from the Chinese zodiac, which is a 12-year cycle. The 12 animals are: Rat, Ox (or Cow), Tiger, Rabbit (or Hare), Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat (or Sheep), Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig (or Boar).
  4. Preparations: Before the Chinese New Year, people typically clean their homes to sweep away bad luck and make room for good fortune. They also decorate their homes with red decorations, such as lanterns, couplets, and paper cutouts.
  5. Family reunions: Chinese New Year is a time for family reunions, and people often return to their hometowns to spend time with their loved ones.
  6. Food: Traditional Chinese New Year foods include dumplings, fish, niangao (sticky rice cake), and sweet treats like nian gao (sticky rice cake) and fa gao (prosperity cake).
  7. Gift-giving: It's customary to give red envelopes filled with money to children and seniors as a symbol of good luck and prosperity.
  8. Lion and dragon dances: These traditional performances are meant to bring good luck and chase away evil spirits.
  9. Fireworks: Fireworks are a big part of Chinese New Year celebrations, symbolizing the driving away of evil spirits and the welcoming of good fortune.

Some popular Chinese New Year traditions include:

Overall, Chinese New Year is a time for celebration, renewal, and new beginnings, and is an important part of Chinese culture and tradition.