The Most Important Holiday On Chinese Calendars
The traditional New Year’s celebration on the Chinese calendars begins during the middle of the twelfth month continuing until the middle of the first month of the year. This time also coincides with the waxing (increasing) moon for that month. The Chinese use a lunar calendar meaning their months are determined by the cycles of the moon.
For centuries, the Chinese New Year celebration has been the most important festival on the Chinese calendar. It’s such an important event that some Chinese families take off of work for weeks to prepare for the festival.
It is believed that during the New Year’s festival the Gods would come down for house inspections. This is one reason why it is customary to clean your house from top to bottom for the upcoming holiday. The cleaning is also done to rid the home of negative spirits. At the center of this celebration is home and family especially the parents of the household.
It is traditional during the Dragon Parade to toss firecrackers at the dragon dancer’s feet. The noise is supposed to help them stay awake during the celebration. The fireworks are also set off in the anticipation that the dragon will arise from his winters slumber after hearing the firecrackers. As he soars through the sky, he will bring with him the essential rain for the season’s crops. Most families relied heavily on crops for their livelihood so this part of the festival was essential to the prosperity for the coming year.
People are also known to write down on scrolls, messages of luck to leave on their neighbors, friends or families gates. Other activities traditional to this time of year are buying new clothes, paying off debts, painting doors and window sills, even getting a new haircut can symbolize the hopes and aspirations for the coming year.
The most vital piece of this event is the huge banquets that are prepared by and for families far and wide to celebrate the upcoming year. Many foods are prepared and eaten as a way to symbolize the longevity of the pending year. All foods cooked during this time have their roots in the Chinese old ways. During the beginning of the festival long noodles are eaten to remind everyone that the year ahead would be long.
Whether it is spring rolls, chicken, dumplings, or even a whole fish, everything eaten is a symbol of prosperity for the upcoming year. On the final day of the festival round, circular shaped dumplings were served symbolizing the full moon on the last night of the celebration.
July 30, 2010
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Posted by Jam Man
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