New Year in China has three traditions. How Chinese New Year is celebrated: traditions and history of the holiday. The history of the holiday

New Year is a holiday generally accepted in most countries of the world, which adults and children in Somalia and Brazil, Uzbekistan and Russia, Finland and Ukraine look forward to. After all, it is on this day that all dreams come true, ordinary life plays with the colors of magic, and on the morning of January 1, gifts carefully prepared and brought by Santa Claus from distant Lapland appear under the tree.

But all this magic is shattered across the state borders of the great and powerful PRC. So you will have to forget about the New Year, in its usual presentation, if you live here and are at least somehow connected with the Chinese system for work, study or business.

Of course, all the major cities of China, such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, are decorated with New Year's garlands, there is an unsurpassed Christmas tree near each shopping center, but all this is just an imitation of Western celebration, this is a conditional approach of a country closed for such a long time from the outside world to the global festive mood .
December 31st is a normal working day in China. Students write exams at universities at 20.00, graduates undergo interviews, and employees finish their business, closing their annual plans. Nothing affects the work schedule of the Chinese people, since December 31st is the end of the year only on the calendar, and before the traditional national celebrations, a lot of useful things still need to be done for their beloved country.

Preparing for Chinese New Year

On the last working days of the year, residents of the Celestial Empire must have time to complete their work plan and leave all matters completed in the old year.
During the week, in their free time from work, they actively purchase festive red symbols, which are hung in and around their homes.

P.s. Red money envelopes are bought in incredible quantities, which will be passed from hand to hand until the last days of the celebration.

Next in importance is product purchasing stage for the entire period of the celebration, because in most cities of the country supermarkets simply do not work for the first 3-4 days after the New Year, and if for some reason you have not made a “super purchase”, you may remain hungry for an indefinite time. The situation is better with supermarkets in big cities (Shanghai, Beijing) - here some grocery stores may be open, but on a half-day basis.

How is the New Year celebration going?

Chinese New Year or 春节 (“chun jie” in Chinese) is a holiday that marks the arrival of spring. It is celebrated on the first new moon of the first month of the year, between January 12 and February 19. The most long-awaited and main holiday in the Middle Kingdom, which, in addition to serene happiness and fun, is also associated with the “extinction” of entire provinces and regions of the country. It is marked by the devastation of megacities, the closure of supermarkets, the cessation of postal deliveries (with the exception of a few companies), interruptions in public transport, and if you have something broken, then this is generally an endless abyss a month long. After all, only a month later the country begins to come to life again, stand firmly on its feet and be charged with new workforce.

If you thought we took the winter holidays seriously, then you simply didn't know how the Chinese prepare for them.

New Year is the main family holiday, so the main task of every Chinese "回老家" (hui lao jia), which means "return to homeland".

The first movements begin a month before the holiday. And on the eve - it looks more like the movement of a swarm of bees, which demolishes everything and everyone in its path, so that it would be the first to rush to the train and be carried away into that “beautiful far away” into which trains rush every minute in all directions. Just imagine how it moves 1.3 billion population in the third largest country in the world!

Traditions and customs of celebration

According to ancient Chinese customs, the New Year celebration lasts 15 days, before the Lantern Festival, and it happens as follows:

Day 1. Celebrating with family.

The Chinese socialize at the festive table and watch television programs in honor of the holiday. How could we not watch the New Year’s address of the President of the People’s Republic of China? "big daddy" Chinese people.

Day 2. Visiting friends and distant relatives.

On this day it is customary to visit those whom you have not seen for a long time. On the second day of the celebration, toasts are raised to health and well-being.

Day 3-4. Rest days.

These days, most people stay at home, gain strength to set off firecrackers and fireworks, and enjoy their days off from work.

Day 5-6. Explosions of firecrackers and fireworks can be heard all around. The Chinese welcome the beginning of the new working year to make it even more productive and successful.

Day 7. Date of birth of a person.

Residents of China prepare raw fish salad "Yu Sheng"- a symbol of renewal of vitality and energy.

Day 8-12. Some are already working, some continue to rest. The celebration continues. There is no life on the streets)

Day 13-14. Traditionally, it is customary to eat only light, non-fatty foods and vegetables.

Day 15. Lantern Festival "Deng Jie".

Lanterns are lit everywhere on the streets and in houses. According to legend, this holiday began to be celebrated back in 180 BC. , in honor of the proclaimed emperor on this day, a representative of the Western Han dynasty - Wendy.

What New Year's gifts do the inhabitants of the Celestial Empire give each other?

The best gift for the New Year in China is considered to be a festive red envelope in which money is invested. Such “envelopes of happiness” are handed out to everyone everywhere.

Children are unlikely to be interested in money, so they get toys and sweets.

Food for New Year

Chinese holiday tables are filled with dishes made from chicken, duck, pork and fish. They like to include shrimp, crabs and lobsters in their diet. A huge number of vegetable dishes and salads. All food is quite fatty and deeply fried, but this does not mean that it is not tasty)

They drink very actively during the celebration, preferring vodka () and French wine.

Games for the New Year

New Year's games are held mainly during corporate banquets. These are either prize draws, sports competitions, or awards for the best contribution to the development of the company.

I would like to note that the prizes are very good and expensive, and not ballpoint pens) For example, iPads, iPhones, trips abroad, fur coats are being raffled off.

Weekends or how do they work on New Year's?

Starting from the first day of the celebration, everything on the street that previously showed signs of life “dies out”: government agencies, confectionery shops, small shops, Chinese eateries, entertainment centers, and cinemas are closed.

This all lasts for about a week - this is what you need to get through, since it is the most critical. Then, after a week and a half, onlookers begin to appear on the street and boldly begin to ride out in their “spaceships” - life has not yet recovered, but you still begin to realize that there is someone in the city besides you.

For example, in a supermarket you cannot freely buy meat and bread; you can somehow choose leftover vegetables for lunch. These are the harsh Chinese realities - this is what happens in Shanghai. Somewhere in the provinces the situation may not be any more fun than Robinson Crusoe)

Does not work more than a week after the New Year and banks, as a result, the entire financial life of the country is affected. You can withdraw money from ATMs, but only if you have time, since the collectors are also on vacation and there is no one to carry out the process of replenishing money.
In general, when I first heard about the scale of winter holidays in China, I smiled. When I myself was faced with this whole situation in life, it turned out somehow it wasn’t so funny anymore.

What do you still need to calmly survive the days of the Chinese New Year?

1. Write down a plan of your actions, expenses and wishes. You must have a clear picture of what to do during the holidays!
2. Buy groceries in advance! (delivery from Taobao also closes 3-4 days before the holidays)
3. Stock up on cash!
4. Buy tickets in advance if you plan to travel during the holidays.
5. Organize your first aid kit!

: January 1, as in most Christian countries, and during the new moon - the so-called "Chinese New Year" - Chunjie (Spring Festival).

The history of Chinese New Year celebrations goes back many centuries. It does not have a fixed date; it is calculated according to the Far Eastern lunisolar calendar. The beginning of the year occurs on the second new moon after the winter solstice and therefore moves between January 21 and February 21.

Each year is associated with a specific zodiac sign and element.

In northern China, it is customary to eat dumplings (jiaozi) on New Year's Day, while in the south, they eat slices made from glutinous rice (niangao). Northerners prefer dumplings because in Chinese the word “jiaozi” is consonant with the words “farewell to the old and welcome to the new.” In addition, dumplings resemble traditional gold and silver bars in their shape and symbolize the desire for wealth. For the same reason, southerners eat "niangao", symbolizing the improvement of life every year.

The festive New Year's dinner ends with the distribution of "happiness money." Adults give children red envelopes containing money, which are supposed to bring good luck throughout the new year. In ancient times, New Year's money was presented in the form of one hundred copper coins tied together and symbolizing the hope of living to one hundred years. After the festive dinner, you should not go to bed so as not to miss your happiness.

In China, there is also a tradition that originated in ancient times: during the New Year celebration, when you come to visit, you present your hosts with two tangerines, and when you leave, you receive two other tangerines from them. The emergence of this tradition is associated with the fact that in Chinese “a pair of tangerines” is consonant with the word “gold”.

In China, in general, on New Year's Day it is customary to give gifts from paired items symbolizing unity, family harmony: two vases, two mugs, and so on.

It is not customary to give watches, especially to older people, or toys and children's things to those who have not yet had children. Usually, guests give New Year's gifts to the hosts before leaving, sometimes even leaving them secretly.

The New Year is followed by three holidays: Chui, Chuer and Chusan, during which friends and relatives pay each other visits and give gifts. Then the holiday resumes, and the festivities continue for another two weeks.

During the festive performances, traditional lion and dragon dances are performed. The lion dance, symbolizing protection in the new year from troubles and misfortunes, began to be performed and spread throughout China during the Chunjie festival in the 14th-16th centuries. The dance of dragons also has a long history.

It was included in festive rituals back in the 12th century and expressed people’s admiration for the dragon.

The dragon, made of paper, wire and willow twigs, can reach 8-10 meters. His body is flexible and consists of a different, but always odd number of parts. Each part is controlled by one dancer using a pole; the undulating, writhing movements of the dragon require great coordination among the participants.

The material was prepared based on information from open sources

Chinese New Year - Chun Jie (Spring Festival) has been the most important and longest holiday in China and other East Asian countries since ancient times.

The history of celebrating the New Year according to the Chinese calendar dates back to ancient times.

It does not have a fixed date; it is calculated according to the lunisolar calendar and occurs on one of the days between January 21 and February 21. In 2018, it will come on the night of February 16; it is planned to celebrate its offensive in China from February 16 to March 2. However, officially the Chinese will rest for only seven days - from February 15 to 21.

The reason the holiday is celebrated at different times each year is because while our years follow the cycle of the Earth's passage around the Sun, the Chinese year is based on the movement of the Moon. Also known as Lunar New Year, it is different each year because the lunar month is about two days shorter than the Western month.

Chinese New Year always falls on the second day of the new moon after the winter solstice.
A thirteenth month is added to the year to help catch up with the seasons.
This means that Chinese New Year always falls between January 21st and February 21st.

The arrival of the New Year according to the Chinese calendar is eagerly awaited not only in Asian countries. The whole world froze in anticipation of the new patron of the year, but few people know the history of the origin of this holiday.
The second new moon after the winter solstice will occur on February 16, 2018 at 18:13 Moscow time or 23:13 Beijing time. This time will be considered the beginning of the New Year according to the Eastern calendar.

history of the holiday

Chun Jie has an ancient history, dating back to the rituals of sacrifice to deities and remembrance of ancestors, which were performed at the end and beginning of the year in the Shang era 1600-1100 BC. In everyday life, Chun Jie is called “Nian” (nian means “year”)

They say that at the bottom of the sea there lives a bloodthirsty monster named Nian, who can come onto land only once a year - on the new moon on New Year's Eve. Having escaped from the depths of the sea, the creature begins to devour all living things that come its way: animals, fruits of trees and shrubs, vegetables, and even people and children.

People were afraid of the monster and prepared in advance for its annual appearance. To protect their families, on the eve of the holiday they stored food at the doorstep of their home. It was believed that the more you put in, the more likely it was that the beast would be satisfied with the offering and would not harm the people.
And they themselves, taking with them the most important things, left the village for the mountains.

This went on for many years. One day, on the eve of the day when the monster was supposed to emerge from the sea, an old man with a bag over his shoulders, a gray mustache and a staff appeared in the village of Tao Hua (“Peach Blossoms”).
However, due to the bustle, no one paid attention to him. Only one old woman advised him to leave quickly, since Nyan would soon appear. He replied that if they left him for the night, he would drive the monster away once and for all. The woman let the old man into her house, gave him food and left him to spend the night, but did not hope to find him alive in the morning.

The surprise of the returning villagers knew no bounds when the grandfather, safe and sound, moreover, having driven out the terrible monster, rested peacefully on the threshold of the house in a red painted robe.
The fire crackled cheerfully in the hut, the front door was painted red, and the remains of firecrackers lay on the floor. The old man said that Nian is most afraid of the color red and loud noise.

Having heard the story, all the villagers were happy, dressed up in new clothes, congratulating each other on the onset of peace, happiness and prosperity. This story quickly spread to neighboring villages, and everyone soon learned how to drive out the Nyan beast.
Since then, every year on New Year's Eve, people stick red paired inscriptions on their doors, hang red lanterns, set off firecrackers, lights are on in their houses, people don't go to bed and stay awake all night, which in Chinese is called "shou sui" - "protect the year" "

This version of the origin of the New Year is most popular among the Chinese. However, it is considered the most mythical of all existing options. One day the monster Nian knocked on the door of one of the residential buildings. The door was opened by a little boy who was wearing bright red pajamas. The boy's mother saw that a monster was on the doorstep and began banging on the walls with a stick. As a result, the monster got scared and ran away. Then people realized that the creature was afraid of the color red and loud sounds. This is where the tradition of making New Year's decorations with a predominance of red began.
Also on New Year's Day, people covered the windows and front doors of their houses with red cloth and lit bamboo sticks, which, when burned, emit a loud, characteristic crackling sound.

Whether this is true or a beautiful fiction is unknown, but since then no one has seen the monster, but you can understand why such a love for the color red is connected from here :).

And the Chinese to this day decorate their houses with red lanterns and scrolls and celebrate the New Year cheerfully and noisily, with firecrackers, garland lights and other tinsel that drives out evil spirits.
Later, fireworks were used to scare Chun away.

Every street, building and house where Chinese New Year is celebrated is decorated in red. Red is the main color of the festival as it is considered auspicious.
Red lanterns hang on the streets, red couplets (short poems with wishes on red paper) are pasted on doors, banks and other official buildings are decorated with red New Year pictures expressing images of prosperity.

How to prepare

The Chinese begin preparing for the upcoming celebration a few days in advance. Literally everywhere - in homes, work offices, on city streets - total order is being restored. Unnecessary, broken and old things are thrown away. To neutralize stagnant energy, literally everything in the house/apartment is washed out - from the attic with its most secluded places to the entrance gate located on the plot.
In this way, the Chinese clear the way for renewed vital energy to flow.

Particular attention is paid to decorating the house with traditional red color and its shades. The Chinese have a special ritual - paired inscriptions are posted at the entrance to the house, the walls of apartments and houses are decorated with special paintings from paper patterns.

Instead of the traditional New Year tree, the Chinese use Light Tree. All rooms of the home are decorated with garlands, images, figurines and figurines of the animal that rules the coming year.
Multi-colored ribbons must be hung on the front door. There should be 5 of them. They symbolize success in five main areas of life: family; business; financial; love; in the field of health.

It is customary to decorate houses with 8 ripe, juicy tangerines, since this number symbolizes infinity.

Not only homes are decorated with red; it is customary to wear special red clothes. After all, it is this color, according to legend, that drives away misfortune and sorrow from the house.

As a rule, the Christmas tree in China is replaced by trays of oranges and tangerines. But they need to be laid in a special way - always in a circle and there should be exactly 8 pieces of each fruit, no less and no more.

However, more and more often you can find those who, instead of citrus fruits, decorate small artificial trees, which are decorated with dried fruits or fresh fruits in sugar.

How to celebrate

In the old days, the holiday lasted a whole month; nowadays, the Chinese have reduced the number of days off by half. Therefore, the holiday ends on the fifteenth day - the grandiose Chinese Lantern Festival.

Traditionally, China celebrates the holiday for 15 days, each of which has its own traditions and customs.

Day 1. The first day of the Chinese New Year begins with a festive dinner, loud fireworks and noisy festivities. Setting off fireworks while the New Year clock is striking is an old Chinese tradition.

The traditional launch of pyrotechnics looks like this: first, one row of small firecrackers explodes, then three large firecrackers, which symbolize “seeing off” the old year and “welcoming” the new year. It is believed that the louder these three firecrackers explode, the better and happier the coming year will be for agriculture and business.

The whole family must burn bamboo sticks.
Also on this day they go to the cemetery to visit their relatives in order to honor their memory.

Day 2. The second day begins with the most important tradition of this day, morning prayer addressed to the Gods. Everyone asks for what they dream of most: families ask for health and happiness for all their loved ones; old people - longevity; business people and businessmen - prosperity and enrichment.
If on this day the Chinese see poor people near the front door of their home, they will definitely help them to the best of their ability. Some bring food, some bring clothes, and some give money.

It is believed that praying at the temple during Chinese New Year celebrations brings special blessings and leads to success in the coming year. In Shanghai, China's largest city, thousands of people flock to Longhuasi Temple, the most famous and largest temple, to pray for happiness and good fortune.

Day 3. On this day it is not customary to visit or invite guests to your home. They do not present gifts, do not make congratulatory speeches and do not set the festive table.
The third day of the New Year is called “red dog” or “red mouth”. Legend has it that the Red Dog is the God of Wrath, and whoever meets her will be plagued by bad luck. That is why people on this day tried not to leave their homes, did not visit acquaintances and did not invite friends over.
Traditionally, all family members should be at home in a calm and comfortable environment, but modern Chinese have put an end to this feudal superstition and freely go to visit on the third day of the Spring Festival.

Day 4. On the fourth day, the Chinese try to respect all their friends and relatives and wish them a Happy New Year by giving them gifts.
This day becomes the finale for employees of the largest corporations, since in such organizations only 2-4 days are allocated for celebrating the New Year. The work process is returning to its usual course.

Day 5-6. The fifth and sixth are dedicated to wealth and business. These days, a national New Year's dish called “Bobo” is prepared. Visually it resembles Ukrainian dumplings, but its taste is more similar to the taste of dumplings. In ancient China, beans were eaten for 5 days. But modern Chinese eat it only for two days.

Gradually, people begin to integrate into everyday life, many go to their workplaces. But the first day of work is always marked by a beautiful fireworks display.

Day 7. The seventh day of the holiday, like the second, is customary to begin with prayer and veneration of God. For many centuries, the 7th day of the New Year holidays has been considered the day humanity appeared on Earth. All Chinese celebrate this event, order prayer services, and send words of gratitude to God for the creation of people.
In the evening there is a festive meal. A dish such as “Yusheng” (raw fish) is always present on the table. If you eat a piece of this dish, the whole year will be successful and profitable.

Day 8. It is believed that it was on the 8th day of New Year that the world's first grain of rice was born. The Chinese believe that the weather on this day can be used to judge the quality and quantity of the future harvest. If the weather is good, the harvest will be rich; if it rains, windy and cold, the harvest will be poor.
Also on this day, the stars are glorified; in their honor, people go to temples and light smoking aromatic candles. In the evening, the family awaits another feast, where the main dish is national “koloboks”.

Day 9. On this day, most of the Chinese are already at their workplace. Those who continue to rest pray and light incense all day.
This day commemorates the liberation of the Chinese people from Japanese pirate invaders. Even today, the Chinese celebrate the day of heaven and the birth of the Jade Emperor.
On this occasion, they visit temples, ask for well-being and present sacrificial food to the Gods. Officially, the 9th day is the beginning of the New Year. At dinner they eat pork, and vegetarians are served tea, fruits, and sweets.

Day 10. In all temples, candles and incense are burned in the name of the day of the stone. Today, none of the Chinese use objects for which stone was used.
People continue to visit and receive guests at home. Time is spent mainly playing games (chess, checkers, dice, etc.).

Day 11. The eleventh day is the day of the son-in-law, when the father-in-law always arranges a noisy and rich holiday for his daughter’s husband. Every father tries to respect him and arrange the best holiday for him.

Day 12. Cleansing day, when the body should be freed from eating excess food. After all, in previous days people consumed a lot of fatty and high-calorie foods.
It is customary to eat only vegetarian food. Entrepreneurs go to the temple and pray to the Gods, asking them for success in business, protection from competitors and victory over them.

Days 13 and 14. These days are a preparatory period for the last New Year's day - the Lantern Festival. The Chinese purchase and independently make various decorations, lanterns and canopies for them. Paper, clay, fabric, and living plants are used. Cleansing the body continues, so people eat mostly vegetarian food.

Day 15. The final day of the New Year is the Lantern Festival. It is considered family friendly. In the evening, all household members gather in the large living room and make lanterns with their own hands.
Then a dinner is held to celebrate the end of the holiday. Dishes such as dumplings, sweet rice porridge, and rice flour balls with a sweet filling inside are placed on the table.

After the gala dinner, the whole family goes outside, holding the made lanterns in their hands. Lanterns are hung as decoration, launched into the sky and sent to float down the river.

On street stages they give funny performances, concerts and folk festivals with traditional dances.
As a rule, the traditional ones include the lion dance (dancers, being inside the lion figure, imitate the movements of this animal) and the dragon dance (a special team of people, holding a paper dragon on poles, moves in such a way that the snake-like body makes undulating movements).

Usually concerts and theatrical performances are held, people with lit lanterns walk around the square with their families, and fireworks, firecrackers and firecrackers roar around.

It is said that during such a festival, lost good spirits are directed to their homes. In addition, lanterns bring light and happiness to every home.

New Year traditions

On New Year's Eve, all family members, wherever they are, gather around a richly laid festive table.
Moreover, for the festive dinner, even those family members who work or study in other cities or countries return home.

Therefore, the Chinese call this holiday “meeting after separation.” This is the most enduring tradition of celebrating Chinese New Year.
The whole family discusses the past year - what has been achieved, what has been learned and what still remains to be accomplished.

The Chinese New Year table is set taking into account the allocation of seats even for those family members who, for some reason, were unable to join the joint festive meal. Plates and cutlery are set out for them, glasses with drinks are placed, and napkins are placed nearby.
The Chinese custom of celebrating the New Year strictly within the family circle is very important and is rarely violated.

Residents of the Celestial Empire believe that on New Year's Eve the spirits of deceased ancestors are present at the table, who are also participants in the holiday.

The main dish on the New Year's table is dumplings (jiaozi), which are shaped like a gold bar. They prefer dumplings because in Chinese the word “jiaozi” sounds like “farewell to the old and welcome to the new.”
Residents of the Middle Kingdom are confident that this symbol of prosperity and wealth will bring good luck in the first minutes of the new year.
For the same reason, southerners eat niangao (slices made from glutinous rice), symbolizing the improvement of life every year.

New Year's dinner is not complete without dishes of chicken, fish and "doufu" - bean curd, which we call "tofu", because in Chinese the names of these products are consonant with words meaning "happiness" and "prosperity". With these dishes, the Chinese thank the patron of the outgoing year for his generosity and indulgence.
Fish is a must-have dish for Chinese New Year, as the Chinese word for fish sounds the same as the word for excess. Eating fish, the Chinese believe, will bring more money and good luck in the coming year.

Festive clothes must be in bright colors - red, gold, pink, green. The brighter the outfit, the greater the chance that an insidious and cunning spirit that can bring grief and loss will not penetrate the house.

It is not customary to give serious gifts for the New Year. More often they present various souvenirs, amulets and amulets, sweets and images of the symbol of the coming year.

Red envelopes with money are traditionally given by the older generation to the younger, by bosses to their subordinates, and by leaders to their wards. Red envelopes are called hongbao in Mandarin and laisee in Cantonese. During the Chinese New Year, the tradition of presenting them is widespread. This is a special New Year's bonus.

Interestingly, in Chun Jie the traditional gift for children is pocket money in special small red envelopes with an amount of 10 to 20 yuan. Following long-standing customs, money is given to any child who comes to the house in the first 15 days of the New Year.

However, it is not customary to give red envelopes to people who have jobs (adults), with the exception of gifts from their employers.

Traditionally, the Chinese begin to give such gifts from the moment they earn their first money. Giving red envelopes is a way of blessing. Most often, the amount of money invested in the envelope depends on the income of the donor.

Custom says that if a person is not married, he is not obliged to make such gifts. But close relatives (parents and grandparents) continue to give “red envelopes” even to married children and grandchildren, as this symbolizes their love and blessing.

These envelopes are called the “lucky sum”, which is intended to bring prosperity in the new year.

The Chinese love everything bright, and the color red is considered a symbol of energy, happiness and good luck. In their opinion, giving a “red envelope” means laying a “channel” through which the recipient will receive the best wishes. It is not so much the money that is important, but what a person invests when giving it. By wrapping banknotes in red paper, the Chinese believe that it will bring happiness and luck to the recipient. Opening such a gift in the presence of the giver is considered bad manners.

In China, red envelopes are also called yasuiqian(压岁钱) - ya-sui qian, which means "money that drives away ghosts." The donors wish peace and prosperity to those for whom they are intended next year.

“Red envelopes” are prepared in advance, and this is no coincidence. On New Year's Eve, after the clock strikes twelve, children come out to the adults. And according to tradition, envelopes must be handed over immediately. If children fall asleep before midnight, parents put envelopes under their pillows.

Any gift, according to the rules, must be paired.
The owner must be presented with two tangerines, and when leaving, receive two other tangerines from them. In this way, hosts and guests exchange symbols of financial well-being, which, according to the Chinese, are tangerines.

The color of the gift also plays a huge role. The main rule is that neither a gift nor gift paper should be white or blue. In this country, these colors represent death and funerals.

The gift itself is presented only in private and with both hands. But it is necessary to distribute gifts not chaotically, but from senior to junior.

It is also indecent to open a gift in front of everyone; this must be done in private, so as not to offend the giver with a careless look or word.

What not to do

On New Year's Day, during the festive feast, it is not customary to talk about the past year - all thoughts and conversations should be directed towards the future.

The main taboo is that you cannot practice herbal medicine or take medications: they believe that a person who neglects this prohibition will be sick for a whole year.
In some regions, at midnight, at the time of the New Year, sick Chinese break jars of their medicine in the belief that this will drive away the disease.

You cannot eat porridge in the morning, because it is believed that only poor people eat it. And since the Chinese don't want to start the year poor, they cook rice in the hope that the family will be rich for the coming year.
In addition, you cannot eat meat for breakfast as a sign of respect for the Buddhist gods (who do not approve of killing animals), since on this day all the gods meet and wish each other a Happy New Year.

A festive outfit cannot be combined with black and white, since black is a symbol of failure, and white is the color of mourning.

The number “4” is also a symbol of death, so it should not be anywhere - neither on the gift, nor on the money, and the number of bills should be either more or less.

During the first three days of Chinese New Year, the house should not be cleaned. During the New Year, good deities appear in all homes, giving happiness and good luck, which settle in the form of dust.

Usually, after the Chinese New Year, you should not buy shoes to avoid getting into trouble. And all because, “shoes” in Chinese is consonant with the Chinese “difficult”.

Also, you can’t cut your hair in the first month, otherwise failures will fall like an avalanche on your uncle on your mother’s side :).

In the first days of the New Year celebration, you should not use knives or other sharp objects so as not to cut off your happiness.

Washing your hair during the New Year holidays means washing away good luck. In Chinese, the word for hair (发) is pronounced the same as (and is derived from) fa V facai(发财), which means "to be rich." Washing away your wealth at the start of the New Year is not a good idea.

The Chinese do not wash clothes on the first and second day of the New Year because these two days are considered the birthday of Shuishen (水神, God of Water).

You cannot quarrel, sort things out, swear, shout or utter curses.

Borrow money. You must give away all the money you borrowed.

Rituals for Chinese New Year

According to Chinese tradition, one of the most powerful rituals that attracts well-being is a ritual called 108 oranges. On New Year's Eve, roll 108 oranges (about 30 kg) into your apartment so that they get into all rooms. And enjoy the “orange carpet” throughout the day.
From time to time, raise the fruits, while repeating - “love to the house”, “money to the house”, “luck to the house”, etc.
After 24 hours, give the oranges to friends and family, make jam, make fresh juice, or just eat them. In Eastern cultures, 108 is considered a sacred number, so such a ritual must necessarily bring harmony and well-being.

There is another ritual that can be performed on New Year's Eve. It will help attract money to the house. You need to take a red sheet of paper and a green marker or paint.
Write the amount you want to earn in the coming year, then glue a 10-kopeck coin and paint the sheet with images of bills and coins. After this, roll the drawing into a scroll, wrap it with gold and red ribbon and hide it in a secluded place.

Another ritual will also bring material well-being. You need to prepare for it. Sew a small bag from red fabric. On New Year's Eve, fill it with coins, having washed them under running water in advance. This way you will wash away someone else’s energy from your money.
Tie the bag with red and gold ribbon and place it in your most beautiful non-metallic container.
Fill the bag with rice, and then move the “money source” to the south-eastern part of the apartment and leave it in the corner of the room.

Symbol of the year

Each year in China is symbolized by a combination that is repeated only once every 60 years. This combination represents one of the 12 zodiac animals of a specific color, corresponding to one of the five elements (water, earth, metal, fire and wood). Chinese New Year 2018 will be symbolized by the animal Dog and the element Earth, and the main color of the year will be yellow.

By the way, every 60-year circle begins with a wooden Rat and ends with a water Pig. The next such circle started on February 2, 1984, and it will end on January 29, 2044.

According to the Chinese calendar, on February 16, 2018, the year 4716 will begin - the year of the Yellow Earth Dog, which will last until February 4, 2019, when it will be replaced by the year of the Earth Pig.

The Chinese consider the Yellow Dog to be the most interesting animal in the eastern horoscope. They believe that thanks to the Dog's wisdom and loyalty, conflicts are avoided, and justice is always on the side of those who deserve it.

In winter, the Earth Dog will “clean up” after the Fire Rooster (2017). By spring everything will improve and bring luck out of winter hibernation. Despite the fact that the Dog is Yellow in 2018, you shouldn’t expect mountains of gold from it. When he comes, he will illuminate you with positivity, cheerfulness and good mood.

It is possible that the mistress of the year will generously patronize people whose professions are related to communication. These are lawyers, politicians, actors, advertisers, journalists. The rest will also benefit from luck, since the Dog will help them with his wisdom and prudence.

The most interesting thing is that the Dog never chases money. Dogs consider it their “dog duty” to build an ideal world. And they won’t calm down until they make him a little kinder and more positive.

Despite the fact that this animal has the most noble character traits - friendliness, justice, honesty, loyalty - sometimes it has such traits as unpredictable behavior and laziness. But the Chinese believe that the non-leap year 2018, enhanced by the elements of the Earth and the color yellow, will be predominantly calm and stable.
This period should bring harmony and peace to every family.

Professional Chinese astrologers are confident that this year the economic situation in the world will improve, violent confrontations and wars will end, and many people will be able to improve their quality of life.

And 2018 is considered the most favorable period for starting a family and serious relationships, getting married, conceiving and having children.

The Chinese also believe that if you feed all the dogs you meet on the street on the holiday, the year will bring unprecedented luck, good health and success in love.

On February 16th, you shouldn’t have a luxurious, hours-long feast with loud chants and dancing until you drop. Ideally, this should be a relaxed family dinner with the presentation of small gifts and the exchange of pleasantries. Don’t forget to once again tell your relatives that you love and appreciate them.
based on materials from sputnik-georgia.ru, vedmochka.net, www.stb.ua, kitaing.ru

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Happy New Year!
新年快乐

In Chinese the phrase is “xinniánkuàilè”. Now you know how to pronounce it!

No matter how different our customs and traditions may be, the New Year for everyone and always remains the most important and family holiday. This is a time of miracles, a time of fulfillment of cherished desires, a moment of happiness.
May everything be fine with you!

The history of celebrating the New Year according to the Chinese calendar dates back to ancient times.

It does not have a fixed date; it is calculated according to the lunisolar calendar and occurs on one of the days between January 21 and February 21. In 2019, it will come on the night of February 5th.

Story

According to legend, a terrible monster named Chun or Nian (in Chinese means “year”), with horns on his head, who lived in the depths of the sea, got into the habit of crawling into the nearest village on New Year’s Eve and devouring everything in sight - animals, grain, supplies, etc. even people.

People were afraid of the monster and prepared in advance for its annual appearance. To protect their families, on the eve of the holiday they stored food at the doorstep of their home. It was believed that the more you put in, the more likely it was that the beast would be satisfied with the offering and would not harm the people. And they themselves, taking with them the most important things, left the village for the mountains.

This went on for many years. One day, on the eve of the day when the monster was supposed to emerge from the sea, an old man appeared in the village with a bag over his shoulders, a gray mustache and a staff.
However, due to the bustle, no one paid attention to him. Only one old woman advised him to leave quickly, since Nyan would appear soon. He replied that if they left him for the night, he would drive the monster away once and for all. The woman let the old man into her house, gave him food and left him to spend the night, but did not hope to find him alive in the morning.

The fire crackled cheerfully in the hut, the front door was painted red, and the remains of firecrackers lay on the floor. The old man said that Chun is most afraid of the color red and loud noise.

Other versions also say that the boy in red allegedly scared the monster. Whether this is true or a beautiful fiction is unknown, but no one has seen the monster since then.

Later, fireworks were used to scare Chun away.

How to prepare

The Chinese begin preparing for the New Year by cleaning their home, during which they throw away all the trash and unnecessary things that have accumulated over the year. Together with garbage and rubbish, they throw out old, stagnant energy, giving way to new and living energy.

REUTERS/Sheng Li

It is customary to decorate houses with 8 ripe, juicy tangerines, since this number symbolizes infinity.

Not only homes are decorated with red; it is customary to wear special red clothes. After all, it is this color, according to legend, that drives away misfortune and sorrow from the house.

The Chinese do not put up a Christmas tree - they replace it with trays of oranges and tangerines. But they need to be laid in a special way - always in a circle and there should be exactly 8 pieces of each fruit, no less and no more.

However, more and more often you can find those who, instead of citrus fruits, decorate small artificial trees, which are decorated with dried fruits or fresh fruits in sugar.

How to celebrate

Traditionally, China celebrates the holiday for 15 days, each of which has its own traditions and customs.

The first day of the Chinese New Year begins with a festive dinner, loud fireworks and noisy festivities. The whole family must burn bamboo sticks. The Chinese believe that the louder the holiday, the happier and more joyful the year will be. Also on this day they go to the cemetery to visit their relatives in order to honor their memory.

The second day begins with prayer: families ask for health and happiness to all their loved ones; old people - longevity; business people and businessmen - prosperity and enrichment. For beggars, the second day of the holiday is a great success, because they can come to visit and ask for food and alms.

In the next two days, the Chinese try to respect all their friends and relatives and wish them a Happy New Year. They believe that this day must be spent with loved ones in order to be together next year. Since this period, all large corporations have started their work and everything is gradually returning to normal.

The fifth and sixth are dedicated to wealth and business, which is why the rest of the companies start working, but they don’t just go to work, they always set off fireworks.

The seventh day of the holiday, like the second, is customary to begin with prayer and veneration of God. It is believed that man was created on this day. In order for income to increase and business to flourish, the Chinese prepare a special raw fish salad called “Yusheng”.

Eighth, ninth, tenth - all the Chinese are already returning to work, and in the evenings they have small family festive dinners, always with prayer, after which they go to the temple to light special smoking candles.

The eleventh day is the day of the son-in-law, when the father-in-law always arranges a noisy and rich holiday for his daughter’s husband. Every father tries to respect him and arrange the best holiday for him.

For the next three days, everyone is mostly busy preparing for the main holiday - the Lantern Festival. Everyone buys decorations, lanterns, lantern canopies, and so on.

On the fifteenth and last day, concerts and theatrical performances are usually held, people with lit lanterns walk around the square with their families, and fireworks, firecrackers and firecrackers thunder around.

Traditions

On New Year's Eve, all family members, wherever they are, come home and gather at a richly laid festive table. Therefore, the Chinese call this holiday “meeting after separation.” This is the most enduring tradition of celebrating Chinese New Year.

The whole family discusses the past year - what has been achieved, what has been learned and what still remains to be accomplished.

Residents of the Celestial Empire believe that on New Year's Eve the spirits of deceased ancestors are present at the table, who are also participants in the holiday.

The main dish on the New Year's table is dumplings, which are shaped like a gold bar. Residents of the Middle Kingdom are confident that this symbol of prosperity and wealth will bring good luck with the first minutes of the New Year according to the Chinese calendar 2019.

The table should also include treats such as fish and tofu. With these dishes, the Chinese thank the patron of the outgoing year for his generosity and indulgence.

It is not customary to give serious gifts for the New Year. More often they present red envelopes with money, various souvenirs, amulets and amulets, sweets and images of the symbol of the coming year.

Any gift, according to the rules, must be paired. The owner must be presented with two tangerines.

The color of the gift also plays a huge role. The main rule is that neither a gift nor gift paper should be white or blue. In this country, these colors represent death and funerals.

The gift itself is presented only in private and with both hands. But it is necessary to distribute gifts not chaotically, but from senior to junior.

It is also indecent to open a gift in front of everyone; this must be done in private, so as not to offend the giver with a careless look or word.

In Singapore and Malaysia there is an interesting and romantic tradition on this holiday. To do this, single ladies attach their phone number to Mandarin and then send the fruit down the river. Single men, in turn, catch these tangerines, eat them, and then call to meet the lady.

What not to do

On New Year's Day, during the festive feast, it is not customary to talk about the past year - all thoughts and conversations should be directed towards the future.

A festive outfit cannot be combined with black and white, since black is a symbol of failure, and white is the color of mourning.

The number “4” is also a symbol of death, so it should not be anywhere - neither on the gift, nor on the money, and the number of bills should be either more or less.

Usually, after the Chinese New Year, you should not buy shoes to avoid getting into trouble. And all because, “shoes” in Chinese is consonant with the Chinese “difficult”.

Also, in the first month you cannot cut your hair, otherwise failures will fall like an avalanche on your uncle on your mother’s side.

In the first days of the New Year celebration, you should not use knives or other sharp objects so as not to cut off your happiness.

Washing your hair during the New Year holidays means washing away good luck.

You cannot quarrel, sort things out, swear, shout or utter curses.

Borrow money. You must give away all the money you borrowed.

According to the Chinese calendar, on February 5, the year 4719 will begin - the year of the Yellow Earth Pig, which will last until January 25, 2020, when it will be replaced by the year of the White Metal Rat.

The pig is a revered animal in the Middle Kingdom. It symbolizes family happiness and wealth. The pig represents kindness, gentleness, peacefulness and patience.

The material was prepared on the basis of open sources.

New Year is celebrated twice in China. January 1, as in most Christian countries, and during the new moon is the so-called “Chinese New Year” - Chunjie (Spring Festival).

European New Year in China(the so-called Yuan Dan) passes quite quietly. No noisy night feasts, New Year's "Lights", shiny Christmas trees and red-nosed Santa Clauses with bags of gifts. Only in large shopping centers, paying tribute to the West, do they place sparkling artificial Christmas trees and doll Santa Clauses here and there.

“Yuan-dan” is translated as the first, initial day of the new year. The New Year in China until the 20th century was counted according to the lunar calendar, and not at all according to the calendar we are used to, and Yuan Dan was celebrated on the first day of the first lunar month.

Only on September 27, 1949, the government of the newly created People's Republic of China ordered to call the first day of the lunar calendar “Spring Festival” (Chun Jie), and the first day of January according to the Western calendar - “Yuan Dan”. Since then, January 1st has become an official public holiday in China.

But even today, the Chinese still do not celebrate this day, not perceiving it as a holiday, marking the change of years. The “Western” New Year is not a competitor to the Lunar or Spring Festival.

Stories of celebration Chinese New Year many centuries, and this holiday does not have a specific date. Ancient Chinese astronomers calculated that the New Year in China would always come between January 21 and the last days of February, when the end of winter comes, it becomes warm and the renewal of all living things begins. That's why New Year in China is called Spring Festival and since ancient times, the Chinese have pinned their hopes on it for future family well-being, health and happiness.

In China, many rituals and New Year signs are associated with the New Year. Before the New Year, five long strips of paper were attached to the door lintel, which meant “five types of happiness”: luck, honor, longevity, wealth and joy. According to ancient custom, when celebrating the New Year, people are supposed to have noisy fun. To do this, Chinese residents launch fireworks, as well as explode firecrackers and firecrackers. You must make some noise, because according to legend, on New Year's Eve, evil spirits, expelled from everywhere, look for a new secluded corner, settle in it and then cause various troubles for the owners for a whole year.

Before the invention of firecrackers and firecrackers, any household items found nearby were used to create noise. From the 14th century n. e. In China, on New Year's Eve, a tradition arose of throwing bamboo sticks into the oven, which, when burned, made a strong crackling noise and thereby scared away evil spirits. Later, these sticks (baozhu) were replaced by firecrackers and pyrotechnics, but the name did not change. The Chinese believe that evil spirits are afraid of the color red, so on this day the color red predominates everywhere. Before the New Year, red strips of paper are glued to a variety of objects.

Some of the ancient New Year's rituals are a thing of the past in urban cities, but are sometimes found in rural areas. These customs include covering windows and doors with paper. In general, the doors had to be closed all day to prevent evil from entering the house.

According to ancient tradition, by the beginning of the New Year's celebration the house should sparkle with cleanliness. Cleaning usually starts from the threshold and ends in the middle of the house. In the evening, all work equipment should be put away in secluded places. This rule is associated with the legend that on New Year's Eve the gods bestow good luck on every home for the entire coming year and that this luck settles into dust during the celebration. Therefore, it is believed that if anyone takes revenge or cleans up during the New Year , it can sweep away good luck and bring misfortune to the house and all household members.

Instead of a Christmas tree in China they install Tree of Light. It is decorated with flowers, garlands and lanterns.

In China, great importance is attached to the festive New Year's dinner, during which all relatives and friends gather at one table. Seats at the table are also reserved for those family members who, for one reason or another, are absent from the celebration.

Nourishing festive table covered on New Year's Eve is called "nyanfan"(this is translated as “dinner on New Year’s Eve”), but in some areas of China it is called “tuanyanfan” (dinner for celebrating the New Year), “hejiahuan” (fun with the whole family), “fensuijiu” (the ceremonial table separating two year), "shousuijiu" (ceremonial table for being awake on New Year's Eve) or "cisuijiu" (ceremonial table for seeing off the old year).

According to local beliefs, as you celebrate the New Year, so it will pass. Therefore, the Chinese carefully ensure that the festive table is bursting with a variety of dishes.

The festive dinner is traditionally prepared a few hours before the New Year, so as not to use a knife in the last hours of the old year, which, according to Chinese beliefs, can inadvertently cut off happiness and good luck.

In northern China, an indispensable traditional dish on the New Year's table is dumplings(jiao zi), which are sculpted by the whole family, in the south - soup with dumplings and long noodles, which symbolizes long life (hunychun).

New Year's Eve dinner is sure to end distribution "money of happiness". Adults give children red envelopes containing money, which are supposed to bring good luck throughout the year. In ancient times, New Year's money was given in the form of one hundred copper coins, which were tied together and symbolized the hope of living up to a hundred years. After New Year's dinner, no one fell asleep: it was believed that by falling asleep, you could miss your happiness.

In China, there is also an interesting custom that originated in ancient times: during the New Year celebrations, when visiting, the owners were given gifts. two tangerines, and when leaving, they received two other tangerines from their owners. The emergence of this tradition is due to the fact that the words denoting a pair of tangerines in Chinese resemble the word “gold” in sound.

In China, in general, for the New Year, it is customary to give gifts of paired items that signify unity, family harmony: two vases, two mugs, etc. It is not customary to present watches, especially to older people; give toys and children's things to those who do not have children or are still expecting them. As a rule, guests give New Year's gifts to the hosts before leaving, sometimes even leaving them secretly.

Following the onset of the New Year there are three holidays: Chui, Chuer and Chusan, during which friends and relatives visit each other and give gifts. Then the holiday resumes, and the fun continues for another two weeks.

During festive performances they dance traditional lion and dragon dances. The lion dance signifies protection in the new year from troubles and misfortunes, it became popular throughout China, it was danced during the Chunjie festival in 14? 16th centuries The dragon dance is also a very ancient dance. It was part of the holiday program back in the 12th century and expressed the Chinese people’s admiration for the dragon.