Well, February 18, 2007 will officially ring in the year of the Pig. This is especially exciting for me as I, according to the Chinese zodiac, fall in the Pig category. (I'll provide a link of the Chinese zodiac at the bottom right hand side of Jade's blog in the website section so you too can find out what animal you are). I do believe it is the first time I have ever been linked to a pig - I guess it could be worse. Anyway, I've decided to discuss Chinese New Year for Jade so take a seat and enjoy. Perhaps at the end of this post you'll find that you are intrigued by the Chinese New Year and even decide to practice in some of the rituals that surround it even just for fun.
Chinese New Year is also called the Spring Festival or the Lunar New Year. This year the first day of the lunar calendar falls on February 18 and in 2008 Chinese New Year will fall on February 7 (every year the Chinese New Year will fall on a different day and even fall on a different month). The conclusion of the Chinese New Year is marked by a festival known as the Lantern Festival. The Chinese New Year is the most important traditional holiday. Chinese New Year, like North American Christmas has an "eve" and is called "Chuxi" and the Chinese New Year is celebrated by massive numbers of people who travel home to China from all over the world to be with their families on Chinese New Years Eve.
Days leading up to the Chinese New Years Eve are heavily based on tradition and ritual. Of these rituals there a few that must be done before the New Year arrives. The first of these rituals is house cleaning. The entire house must be cleaned literally from top to bottom (ceilings, walls, floors etc) and on New Year's Eve all cleaning supplies must be hidden. It is believed that if any sweeping is done on New Years Day you will sweep away your good fortune. There are rules that must be adhered to while sweeping during this time as well. You must make sure you do not sweep over the threshold door, by doing so it is believed that you will sweep away a family member therefore you must sweep all the dirt inward and then carry it out the back door.
Doors and window panes are to be decorated and are often painted red, which is considered to be a 'lucky' color. People will often hang paper cuttings in their windows, on their doors and throughout their house. These paper cuttings have themes of happiness and wealth and longevity painted on them. (This paper cutting can be traced back to the Han Dynasty and is called Spring couplets) There are 10 lucky Chinese symbols that are often painted on everything and anything during the Chinese New Year.
It is also a time to acknowledge and pay respect to the many Chinese Gods. One of the most important of these Gods is the Kitchen God. Every traditional Chinese family has a picture or statue of the Kitchen God in their kitchen. It is believed that this God was sent to the family to take charge of the family's affairs and to report what the family had done in the last year. During the time leading up to the Chinese New Year each family would make a sacrifice to the Kitchen God. (This sacrifice is in the form of a kind of a sticky cake called Nian Gao). The purpose of this sacrifice was to ensure that the Kitchen God did not speak/think ill of the family. They believed by offering the Kitchen God a sticky sweet cake he would not be able to speak ill of the family because his mouth would be sealed shut by the stickiness of the cake.
All debts should be paid by the Chinese New Year and no moneys should be lent during this time as it is believed that anyone who does lend will be lending all throughout the coming year. As well, no foul language could be spoken during this time or to use words that were considered unlucky or bad. An example of an unlucky word would be Si ( meaning the number 4) . Si is like the unlucky #13 for us. Si sounds very close to the word for death and therefore is avoided. Nor do people speak of the year ending instead they focus on new beginnings and the year ahead.
There is also no washing your hair on New Years Day. This was another ritual that was to be followed. If you washed your hair it was believed that you would be washing away the good luck of the New Year. In terms of clothing the preferred color was red and it had to be new. Red was considered to be lucky and if you wore red it was believed you would have a bright future. Red envelopes are also given out to children during New Years Day. In every red envelope was dollar bills (often referred to as lucky money) and this signifies good fortune in the New Year. It was also considered lucky to see or hear birds with red feathers. Red also symbolizes fire and it is thought to drive away bad luck and evil spirits.
You are not allowed to use knives or scissors on New Years Day for it is believed that to do so would mean you would cut off your good fortune. It is a time when it is considered unlucky to meet anyone in their bedroom. All gatherings must be held in the living room. Also, the first person to meet another and the first words spoken/heard are considered to the fortune you would receive in the New Year. It is believed that if you cry on New Years Day you will cry throughout the New Year. Chinese elders believed that if they stayed awake through New Years Eve they would be granted a long life.
Firecrackers also play an important role in the New Year. It is believed by the lighting and setting off of the crackers you are ridding yourself of the old year and ushering in the new year. There is also other folklore attached to firecrackers. This lore says there once was an old beast (called Nian) that could swallow people whole. This beast terrified the Chinese people until an old man (often believed to be a god in the disguise of an old man) tamed it and took it away from the village. The old man told the people that they should hang red lanterns and put bamboo in fires to create a loud bang to keep the beast away. After firecrackers were invented people chose them over the 'exploding bamboo'.
Chinese New Years Eve and New Years Day also revolve around family and feasting. Ancestors play a significant role during the festivities. Families will prepare a feast to honor living and dead family members. Departed family members are remembered with great respect. It is believed that this feast brings the spirits of the ancestors to the banquet table to feast with the living relatives. It is a time of family unity of the past and present generations. (Don't forget that the preparation of the New years food had to be done days ahead as they were not allowed to use knives or scissors on New Years Eve or Day). The banquet foods consisted of seafood, vegetables, noodles and dumplings ( called jiao zi which sometimes had coins hidden in them and those who found them were believed to be blessed with good luck) each associated with good luck. Most of these foods were prepared whole and not chopped up as to leave whole symbolized luck - to cut up meant to invite misfortune.
People would also set out a "tray of togetherness" which could be a tray or a box with many little compartments each holding a treats. ( treats can be lotus roots, seeds, melon seeds and other sweet candy treats). When families finally did visit others usually from the 6th to the 10th day tangerines and oranges were given as gifts.
The second day of New Years is called the "Day of Commencement" This day consists of feasting on meats which symbolizes good spirit and hope for a profitable year. On the third day of the New Year people avoided visiting and prefered to stay home in hopes of avoiding " the Day of Squabbles" which, if occurs, will last throughout the New Year. The fourth day of the New Year marks the return of the Kitchen God who has returned from giving the report of the family's last year. The seventh day of the New Year is called "Everyone's Birthday" which marks a time of re birth and blessings.
The last Day of the New Years celebrations is the 15th day and is called the Lantern Festival. During this time red lanterns are decorated (they can be decorated with birds, beasts, and themes such as words to ward off evil spirits or can be riddles) and hung throughout China (indoors and out) They eat sweet dumplings (called Yuan Xiao - round rice balls with either sweet or salty fillings that symbolize family reunion and unity) The highlight of the Lantern festival is the dragon dance. This dragon can reach a length of a hundred feet long and consist of paper, silk and bamboo. This dragon will dance through the streets of China with a parade of dancers, drummers and gongs accompanied with lots of red lanterns and firecrackers.
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