How is the Chinese New Year. Chinese New Year or Spring Festival: Interesting Details

Chinese New Year 2019 - Year of the Yellow Earth Pig - will come on February 5th. Official holidays in the country - from February 4 to February 10, 2019.

Date of the Chinese New Year - how to determine what dates

Chinese New Year datedetermined according to the lunar calendar: the holiday falls on the second new moon after the winter solstice on December 21. So every timeNew Year in Chinafalls on different dates of the Gregorian calendar familiar to us, between January 21 and February 20.

Holiday decorations will appear on the streets and in the homes of residents of mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan. Looking forward to the holiday in Singapore, South Korea and Chinatowns around the world!

When does Chinese New Year start and end?

Spring Festival - how many official non-working days in China?

New Year in China is the main celebration and a great occasion to get together with the whole family. The Chinese themselves call the New Year Spring Festival, and the history of this holiday has more than 4000 years.

Traditionally, festive festivities last 16 days. In 2019, the Chinese New Year will last from New Year's Eve to February 19 (Lantern Festival). Official holidays in the country - from February 4 to February 10, 2019.

Although the office of China Highlights will be closed on these days, you can make a reservation on our website: the travel consultants will definitely respond as quickly as possible. You can also always call us at 24/7 hotline: 86-773-2865612.
Thank you in advance for your patience and we apologize for any delay in response.

2019 Year of the Animal

New Year Traditions: How the New Year is Celebrated in China

New Year's Eve in China, as in many countries around the world, is customary to spend in the family circle, celebrate the end of the past year, have a good rest and wish each other happiness and prosperity in the coming year.

The Chinese believe that a good start years will mean good luck coming year. That is why traditionally in China the celebration of the New Year began with the wishes of a good harvest. Today, they wish each other financial well-being and successful career growth.

Chinese New Year: Ancient Traditions and Modernity

Chinese omens and superstitions, traditional red envelopes with money "hongbao", launching fireworks, decorating houses - we will talk about what forms the ancient customs of this amazing country have taken today!

Preparing for the New Year

Spring-cleaning

Spring Festival (Chinese New Year)- the most long-awaited holiday and the Chinese are preparing for it thoroughly.
One week before the New Year, from the 23rd of the 12th lunar month(in 2019 - from January 28) in China, they begin the traditional New Year's cleaning of houses: they wash, tidy up and throw away everything unnecessary. Thus, last year's failures are "sweeped" out of the house and prosperity and well-being are invited to the house in the New Year.

Decoration of streets and houses - red color brings good luck

Every street and every house is decorated in red. Red is the main color of the holiday, as it is believed to bring good luck and ward off evil spirits. Red lanterns appear on the streets, paired inscriptions on red paper are hung on both sides to the right and left of the door with wishes for good and happiness (“pair couplets”), banks and other official institutions are decorated with red New Year symbols of prosperity and good luck.

Families First

Chinese New Year (Spring Festival) This is the time when families are reunited. Those who live in other cities always return to their parental home to celebrate the main holiday with the whole family.

A festive dinner unites the family, first of all, it is the unity of generations: those present at the festive table and the spirits of their ancestors. The most important dishes of the year are traditionally prepared for the New Year's Eve dinner. Several generations sit around the table, make dumplings (饺子), enjoy food and spend time together.
After dinner is over, no one goes to bed, so as not to miss their future happiness. Night vigils on New Year so they are called: "Protect the Year."

Find out how it is customary in China to congratulate each other and learn how to draw the hieroglyph "happiness" for a real New Year's card -.

What is served on the New Year's Table in China:

Dishes that bring good luck in the New Year

All 16 days up to Lantern Festival in Chinese families, a festive table is laid, a variety of traditional delicacies are always in abundance.
Dinner is especially important New Year's Eve. The choice of dishes is symbolic: appearance, ingredients, name - everything has a special meaning and a long history.

Fish is a must for the Spring Festival. In Chinese, the word for "fish" is consonant with the word for "excess". The Chinese believe that eating fish dishes will bring profit and good fortune in the coming year.
Others are jiaozi dumplings, which the whole family makes the day before, spring rolls, glutinous rice cakes, and sweet rice balls.

How to properly launch fireworks and firecrackers - Chinese traditions

Launching fireworks and firecrackers is a Chinese tradition

With the advent of the New Year, deafening cannonades of fireworks and firecrackers begin to be heard throughout China. Accompanied by smoke and hundreds of car alarms, the noise and rumble go on for hours without interruption.

Fireworks launch in China is not just entertainment, but also an ancient tradition. Rumble and crackle are designed to scare away evil spirits that are just waiting to settle in the new year in every home. And yet, by exploding firecrackers, they say goodbye to the old year and welcome the onset of a new one.

The traditional order of launching fireworks: first, a row of small firecrackers explodes, then three large ones - this is how they see off old year and rejoice in the arrival of the new. It is believed that the louder these three firecrackers explode, the better and happier the coming year will be for Agriculture and business.

New Year Gifts and Hongbao Traditional Red Money Envelopes

On the Spring Festival in China, it is customary to exchange gifts. The Chinese are a very practical people. Therefore, the most common gift is a red envelope with Hongbao money. It is presented to relatives and friends, and traditionally, company management congratulates their subordinates in this way.
Hongbao Red Envelopes- this is not only money, but also a wish of good luck and prosperity to their recipient.

With the development of technology, giving Hongbao has become even easier! Since 2015, Wechat, a popular messenger in China, has provided its users with the opportunity to send cash hongbao to private and public chats.

Cultural Events and Folk Festivals

New Year in China you can see many vibrant traditional performances and performances: the Dragon Dance, the Lion Dance, as well as performances from the time of the Chinese Empire, such as the Emperor's Wedding. Here you will be offered a huge variety of traditional Chinese dishes and exotic snacks, which are rarely seen during the year.

Prayer in the temple - a blessing in the New Year

It is believed that prayer in the temple on the New Year brings a special blessing and success in the coming year. In Shanghai, China's largest city, thousands of people gather at Longhuasi Temple, the most famous and big temple to pray for happiness and good luck.

Chinese New Year Superstitions:

What can be done and what should be avoided so that the coming year is successful

The Chinese believe that "how you meet the year is how you spend it", and there are many superstitions and customs to follow during the Spring Festival. Starting a month before the New Year and up to the Lantern Festival (the 15th day of the lunar calendar) - in China they believe in the following signs:

• It is believed that no cleaning or hair washing on the first three days of the new year, because it will sweep away / wash away luck
• crying baby, is believed to bring bad luck to the family, so they try to calm the children
• You can't ask for money or take out a loan
• And, of course, red underwear...

Bride/groom rental!

For most Chinese, the Spring Festival is a joyful time. However, if you are over 30-35 years old and you still have not found your soul mate, then be prepared for concern from numerous relatives. Embarrassing moments are guaranteed: desperate parents even organize dates (potential marriages) for their unlucky children.

In China, it is believed that girls should marry before 30 years old, and men should marry before 32. Those who do not marry / will not marry before this age are subjected to merciless criticism in society.

Help to avoid pressure on such an important holiday, which has become very popular service "Bride / Groom for rent!" .
There are special websites and intermediary agents specializing in this business. Taobao, China's largest online retailer, has an entire section dedicated to bride and groom rentals. The cost of the service is approximately 100 yuan ($16) per day.

100 million people on the move - New Year's chaos on the roads

If you are interested in traditional Chinese culture and travel during the Chinese New Year, you can immerse yourself in the atmosphere of the holiday and learn more about local traditions. But you should know that the whole country travels with you during this period. Get ready for the fact that at stations, at airports and in all sights you will be surrounded by crowds of people and general turmoil.

Crowded Train Station Guilin city

The whole country seems to come alive during the holiday and is in motion. Keep in mind that train, bus and even plane tickets for these dates sell out at lightning speed and are very difficult to get.

The thing is that for the Chinese it is very important to spend the New Year with the family. That is why you often have to agree to buy tickets at several times the price, spend three days in queues in the struggle for tickets, endure standing for more than 20 hours on a crowded train or 12 hours on a bus sitting on chairs standing in the aisle. And, of course, all this with luggage and gifts for numerous relatives and friends.

Practical Guide: How to Celebrate Chinese New Year

If you are in China during the Chinese New Year 2019, then the following table will definitely be useful to you. You will find out when the transport will be crowded, and when there is a chance to avoid the crowd, when fireworks are launched, how banks and government agencies work, whether shops are open, what traditions and customs are observed today, and how it is customary to congratulate the main holidays of the country.

Although the Chinese have long been living according to the Gregorian calendar together with the whole world, and they have a day off on January 1, the main holiday of the country is still considered to be the meeting of the New Year according to the old calendar, lunisolar. The date of Chunjie - the Spring Festival - is constantly changing, but always falls between January 21 and February 21. This is the second new moon after the winter solstice.

Like us, the Chinese love to celebrate the New Year for a long time. Holidays used to last several weeks. The 21st century sets new pace, and in 2018 the festivities were reduced to 15 days. Their 4716 year of the Yellow Earth Dog did not begin until February 16th. On the last day of the old year (in 2018 - March 2) you can witness the closing of the holiday with a spectacular Lantern Festival.

Why go to China for the local New Year? To admire elegant houses and squares, get into traditional street costumed lion or dragon dances.

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Chinese New Year Traditions. Legend of Nyan

This is not about Mary Poppins or Arina Rodionovna, but about a monster named Nyan (Nen). Translated from Chinese - "year". According to legend, the beast came on the first day of the year and completely ate the peasants. In order to save their supplies, livestock and children from the glutton, people left some food on the doorstep of the house, while they themselves went to the mountains. So it was, until one day it turned out that the monster can be scared away by bright coloring and loud noise. Many important traditions are connected with the Nyan myth.

Red color

During the meeting of the Spring Festival, red dominates everything. Red paint and decorations on the walls of the house, scrolls, lanterns and, of course, clothes (down to underpants). However, in costumes, tones of the zodiac color of the encountered year are also acceptable, in 2018 - yellow, corresponding to a yellow dog. In any case, the shades should be as bright as possible to drive the Nanny away.

Noise, fire, incense

Flappers, fireworks, pyrotechnics, bright garlands and sparklers are indispensable attributes of Chunjie. Therefore, the celebration of the New Year in the most populated country in the world takes place literally with a twinkle and can scare not only an evil monster. Incense bamboo sticks are also quite popular these days.

Cleaning

On the eve of the apartment, be sure to carefully clean it up, clearing it of rubbish and “old energy”. But in the first days of the new year, on the contrary, it is not worth cleaning, because together with the dust, good spirits throw happiness and good luck into the house.

Family meeting

Chunjie is considered the most family-friendly of the holidays. These days, the Chinese return home from all over the world (employers must provide migrants with official leave). It is believed that even the spirits of ancestors join the assembly at a common festive table. In the next few days, everyone goes together to pay many visits to other relatives, acquaintances and neighbors.

Those who ever want to celebrate the Spring Festival in China should take into account that the entire large nation these days is going to historical homeland to parents. Transport is crowded and stuck in traffic jams, and tickets can no longer be bought. Therefore, it is better to prepare in advance.

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What do the Chinese cook for the New Year and what gifts do they give

The table for crowded gatherings is always bursting with food, even in poor families. One of the New Year's traditions is to make jiaozi, dumplings in the form of gold ingots, and bake a coin in one of them. Of course, the one who gets it on the tooth will find happiness. If only the tooth survived. You can also put yuan in niangao rice cakes, also a traditional New Year's dish.

Like us, the most New Year's fruit is the tangerine. Beads are even made from them, and guests and hosts often give each other in exchange. Other popular gifts are sweets, amulets symbolizing prosperity, figurines in the form of a symbol of the year and other trinkets. Or vice versa, practical little things, milk packaging, cigarettes. For the sake of family harmony, it is customary to make gifts in pairs, with an even number of items (but not 4, because in Asia this is the traditional number of death).

Very often, the Chinese give hongbao - money in an envelope, but always in red! Most often, children, the elderly and work colleagues are presented this way. Now gift certificates are also in vogue.

Russia celebrates the New Year, like most countries of the world - according to the Gregorian calendar on the first of January. However, in the Land of the Rising Sun, there is a tradition to meet him at Chinese calendar. Finding out what date this happens is not so easy, because the exact time of this holiday is determined by the second new moon following the Winter Solstice.

This day usually falls on the last month of winter. According to the ideas of the Chinese, it is at the junction of winter and spring that the New Year should come, as the personification of the arrival of something new. Spring is most suitable for this definition. With its onset, nature comes to life again, everything around is filled with new energy and a new life is born, in the full sense of the word.

history of the holiday

The Chinese calendar is revered not only in China. It is followed by other countries of the East. The celebration of the New Year according to the Chinese calendar has deep ancient roots and symbolizes the coming of a new life.

According to an ancient Chinese legend, every twelve months people were visited by the terrible monster Chun, who, crawling out of the sea, demanded tribute from people. To avoid this fate, everyone who could, these days, hid in the mountains. However, one day a strange thing happened. Shortly before the terrible moment, an old man appeared in the village, who could not hide from Chun in the mountains due to his poor health and therefore asked one of the women to stay in her house. What was the surprise of the residents when, after returning, they saw the old man safe and sound. He was dressed in a red robe, the same lanterns hung around, used firecrackers were on the ground. The old man was not only not frightened, but a smile shone on his face. As the old man later said, the monster is very afraid of the color red, loud noise and fun.

Since that time, the villagers stopped hiding in the mountains, and once a year they dressed in all red and noisily had fun and enjoyed life. So they managed to overcome the terrible monster and drive away their fear and adversity. This tradition has been living on Chinese soil for centuries, and again and again the legend of the brave old man is told to newly born children.

When does the New Year start and end in 2019?

As noted above, Chinese New Year occurs on the second new moon after the winter solstice. Last event occurs according to the Gregorian calendar usually on December 21-22. In 2019, the picture will look like this:

On February 6, 2019, the second new moon will come at 18:13 Moscow time, which means that the start of the New Year according to the Chinese calendar also falls on this time. The truth must be taken into account that the time difference between Moscow and Beijing is five hours. So, in China, the exact time of the New Year will be 23:13. Moreover, if in Russia they celebrate the year 2019, then in China it will be 4716. The symbol of the year will be the Yellow Earth Pig. It is the twelfth symbol in the Chinese zodiac.

Chinese New Year Celebration

The Chinese celebrate in a slightly different way than the Slavs new year holidays. Despite the fact that the official holidays in China will be 02/05/19 - 02/19/19, the celebration of Chun Jie, namely, the New Year celebrations, will last for fifteen days. The first days are completely devoted to rest and festivities.

It should be noted that the Chinese NG has its own characteristics:

• Before the celebration, the houses are brought into perfect condition. Throw away old or broken items.
• The housewives prepare the most favorite dishes in the family. Traditionally, there must be meat (not pork) and fish on the table.
• All residents wear red clothes, which, according to common belief, bring happiness and good luck.
• The threshold of the house is decorated with red lanterns, and the dwellings are decorated with paired drawings. This should protect the home from troubles and adversities.
• During the holiday, music must sound loudly, and the house should be filled with laughter and fun. It is desirable that everything is accompanied by fireworks and the sound of firecrackers.
• Sorrow and sadness are not welcome. According to ancient beliefs, only joy and laughter can drive out the monster Chun.
• The celebration of the "Spring Festival" (also called the New Year) does not require the presence of a Christmas tree. However, it is obligatory to have a spread with eight oranges. The fruits are laid out in a circle and there should be exactly eight of them in a strict order. This number is believed to bring good luck.

If you think that the Chinese Chunjie is completely different from our New Year, then you are deeply mistaken. Both in the Russian Federation and in the Celestial Empire, this is by and large a family holiday. On the eve of the holidays, the Celestial Empire turns into a real "anthill". Everyone is going somewhere, swimming, flying. The reason is that there is an established tradition in Chunjie to be close to your parents, in the house where you come from.

traditional gifts

In China, it is not customary to give expensive gifts for the New Year, but everyone loves to receive presents. These may be:

• souvenirs in the form of a symbol of the New Year;
• money in red envelopes;
• unpretentious knick-knacks.

The most important thing is that everything should be in duplicate or in pairs. Although, the number four is not recommended. This figure is associated with death.

How best to celebrate

If you want this good-natured animal to bring you good luck, you should do the following:

• Christmas tree decorations must certainly be golden or yellow;
• Decorating your home, you need to give preference to yellow, light brown shades;
• When choosing a wardrobe for the New Year, you should pay attention to the fact that there are no sparkles or ultramarine on the clothes. Everything should be kept in calm colors. Also avoid miniskirts. You should not once again tease the patroness of 2019. Medium-length outfits and jewelry made of gold and amber will be appropriate. Yellow jewelry is also suitable;
• The table should be decorated with meat dishes, when preparing salads, yellow vegetables and fruits can be used;
• Dogs are group animals, so it is better to celebrate the New Year holidays in a noisy company;
• If you are going to celebrate the holiday together, it does not matter. The most important condition for a successful meeting of the New Year is a good mood, laughter and fun.

The Yellow Earth Pig is a prudent animal. If you are persistent and go to your goal without fuss, the patroness of 2019 will always meet you.

One of the longest and funniest holidays in China and in many other countries of East Asia is the Chinese New Year. Despite its Western counterpart, this holiday does not have a specific day of celebration. Every year it is celebrated on different days.

The first day of the feast falls on the second new moon, which comes after the winter solstice. According to the Gregorian calendar, this day falls somewhere between January 21st and February 21st. Usually, the holiday lasts for 15 days.

This year, the New Year's holiday began on February 16, 2018 and will end on February 4 of the next year. The celebration will take place from February 16 to March 2, 2018. But, the Chinese will officially rest only for 7 days, starting from February 15 and ending on February 21.

As already known, the Chinese New Year began on February 16, just at that time the second new moon after the winter solstice occurred.

Every year, China has its own combination, which can only be repeated once in 60 years. This combination represents one of the 12 available zodiacal animals of a certain color, which will correspond to one of the available 5 elements: earth, fire, wood, water and metal. This year, the symbol of the year is the dog, and the element is earth, the main color is yellow.

It should be said that all 60-year circles begin with a wooden rat and end with a water pig. Such a circle began on February 2, 1984, and will end on January 29, 2044.

If you believe the old myths, then with the onset of the New Year, all Chinese must hide from the monster, which is called Nian (translated from Chinese as “Year”). He always comes on the first day of the celebration and ruins all the settlements: he eats cattle, crops, and also the villagers.

To protect themselves and their home from this monster, all Chinese people decorate their homes in advance. They cover them with beautiful red patterns with different inscriptions, hang pictures with wishes, and also hang red lanterns. Red has its own legend.

As you know, Nian, who always loved to feast on children, once saw a child in a red robe and was frightened of him. After that, everyone concluded that the monster is afraid of red. In addition, all families, before the arrival of the holiday, try to carefully clean their homes in order to cleanse their lives of various failures and make room for happiness.

As has long been accepted, all families in China gather at the same table. In the Celestial Empire, it is suitable to set a chic table for the holidays. All housewives try to cook the favorite dish of their household. On the table without fail there must be fish and meat, as well as dumplings.

Even those family members who study or work in another country or city return to this holiday. All Chinese people celebrate the New Year with their parents. Because of this, all transport in the country is overcrowded and it is impossible to buy a ticket.

The festive night ends with fireworks that scare away evil spirits and bring happiness and peace to the family.

The next morning, children try to wake up as early as possible to congratulate their parents on the holiday, and also tell them a lot of pleasant and warm words. Parents respond to their children and give them red envelopes containing money, the C-ib website informs.

After this ritual, the whole family gathers and goes to visit their relatives or neighbors. It takes them five days to make such walks. It is not customary to come to the house without a gift, so they prepare gifts for their friends and relatives in advance. In the Celestial Empire, it has long been customary to give paired gifts that symbolize unity and family harmony.

Also, having come to visit, the owners of the house need to give a couple of tangerines, and when they leave them, the owners in return also give two tangerines to the guests. In a similar way, there is an exchange of symbols of financial well-being; for the Chinese, these are tangerines.

After the Chinese have visited all their relatives and friends, they go out into the street, where folk festivals take place. You can take part in traditional dances, which include the dance of the lion and the dragon. This happens as follows: people are inside the animal and imitate its movements.

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Hello dear readers!

Watching the various traditions of large states, it is always interesting to learn something new, to look at something that is not popular in our country.

Such an interesting and breathtaking holiday is the Chinese New Year, which is celebrated not only in China, but also on many islands of the East. Chinatown also celebrates this ancient holiday. various countries(Canada, England, America and even Australia).

Traditionally, the date of the New Year "floats" between January 21 and February 21, depending on lunar phases. Every year the date of the festival changes, which means that it is convenient to use special calendars to determine the day and symbol of the New Year.

When is Chinese New Year

The end of the winter solstice, as well as the beginning of a new calendar, symbolizes the arrival of spring for the Chinese people. That is why after 1911 the holiday is considered the official Beginning of Spring.

It's amazing how seriously the Chinese take this unofficial holiday. Many fly from other countries to their homes in order to reunite with their families. Dine together and watch chic theatrical performances, festivals and concerts within your hometown.

Agree, not every person will overcome the path of several thousand kilometers in order to hug his mother and admire the fireworks. The flight time before the holiday is called Chunyun and is recognized as the official vacation period by all employers in the world.

The history of the holiday

According to ancient legend with the advent of each year, the population of China suffered from the mythical beast Nian. Nian stole children, stole cattle, and even abducted adults. One day, the peasants noticed that Nian was afraid of people dressed in red. Since then, every year they decorate their streets with red lanterns, pieces of cloth and organize noisy festivities, which, according to legend, should scare away all evil spirits, including the Nanny.

The Chinese authorities are very responsible for this holiday, so the decoration of the streets and the financing of festivals comes from the state budget. This allows residents of the city to enjoy a truly enchanting performance.

In addition to the brightly decorated streets during this period, large crowds of people can be observed in China and Chinatowns. It is the Chinese people watching the big festival that starts the official celebration of the Chinese New Year. .

One of the most important elements festival is a big dancing dragon. The most famous artists of the city are engaged in its creation, because such an occupation is very honorable and exciting.

During the festival, the streets are filled with folk artists who not only dance and sing, but also recreate various mythical paintings and theatrical performances.

The costumes of such dancers are the most chic. It is a great honor for every Chinese to participate in the festival.

For those who got to the festival at night, various fire shows arranged by both professionals and amateurs will be interesting.

When the Chinese New Year comes, all the inhabitants of the Celestial Empire must go to temples. On their doors, they hang small signs with the wishes of health and happiness to their loved ones. Decorated with bright red signs, the doors create an even warmer and more family atmosphere on the streets of the city.

Many residents pray with incense, asking the coming year for love and prosperity for themselves and their families.

The traditions of the Chinese New Year allow the festivities to continue for 3-4 days. At the same time, the official holiday period ends on the 15th day after the start of the festival and is called the Lantern Festival.

Throughout the period, actors and ordinary residents amuse the people with beautiful performances and processions that symbolize the meeting of Spring.

The holidays end with traditional fireworks decorating the sky over China, Mongolia, England and other countries where the Chinese nation lives.

In general, if you want to enjoy incredible carnivals, as well as an atmosphere of family love and understanding, go to China, where the traditional Spring Festival will win the heart of any traveler.