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

European New Year in China(the so-called Yuan-dan) is rather quiet. 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, are sparkling artificial Christmas trees and doll Santa Claus placed here and there.

"Yuan-dan" is translated as the first, starting day of the new year. New Year in China until the 20th century was counted according to the lunar, and not at all according to the calendar we are accustomed 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 January 1 according to the Western calendar - "Yuan-Dan". Since that time, January 1 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.

Celebration stories Chinese new year many centuries, and this holiday has no specific date. The ancient Chinese astronomers calculated that the new year in China will 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. Therefore, the 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's signs are associated with the New Year. Before the New Year, five long strips of paper were attached to the lintel of the door, which meant "five types of happiness": luck, honor, longevity, wealth and joy. According to an ancient custom, when celebrating the New Year, one is supposed to have noisy fun. To do this, the inhabitants of China launch fireworks, as well as blow up firecrackers and firecrackers. It is imperative to make some noise, because according to legend, on the eve of the New Year, evil spirits, expelled from everywhere, are looking for a new secluded corner, settle in it and for a whole year then fix the owners various troubles.

Before the invention of firecrackers and firecrackers, any household items that were nearby were used to create noise. From the 14th century. n. NS. In China, a tradition arose on New Year's Eve to throw bamboo sticks into the oven, which, when burned, emitted a strong crackling and thereby frightened off evil spirits. Later, these sticks (baozhu) were replaced by firecrackers and pyrotechnics, but the name has not changed. The Chinese believe that evil spirits are afraid of red, therefore, on this day, red prevails everywhere. Before the New Year, red strips of paper are pasted on a variety of objects.

Some of the old New Year's rituals have become a thing of the past in urban metropolitan areas, but are sometimes found in rural areas. These customs include the gluing of windows and doors with paper. In general, the doors had to be closed all day so that evil did not enter the house.

According to an old tradition, by the beginning of the New Year's celebration, the house should shine with cleanliness. Cleaning usually starts at the doorstep and ends in the middle of the house. In the evening, all work equipment should be removed to secluded places. This rule stems from the legend that on New Year's Eve, the gods bestow good luck on every house for the coming year and that this good fortune settles in the form of dust during the celebration. Therefore, it is believed that if someone will take revenge or clean up during the New Year , it can sweep away good luck and bring misfortune to the house and to all household members.

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

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

Hearty festive table, covered on New Year's Eve, is called "nianyefan"(this translates as "New Year's Eve dinner"), but in some areas of China it is called "tuannyanfan" (dinner for celebrating the New Year), "hejiahuang" (fun with the whole family), "fensuiju" (a ceremonial table separating two of the year), "shousuichiu" (a ceremonial table for waking up on New Year's Eve) or "tsuytszyu" (a ceremonial table that sees off the old year).

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

A 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, they, according to the beliefs of the Chinese, can inadvertently cut off happiness and good luck.

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

The festive New Year's Eve dinner must end distribution "money of happiness "... Adults give children red envelopes with money invested in them, 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 life up to a hundred years. After New Year's dinner, no one fell asleep: it was believed that falling asleep, you can miss your happiness.

In China, there is also an interesting custom, which originated in ancient times: during the New Year celebrations, when they came to visit, the owners were given two tangerines, and, leaving, received from the owner two other tangerines. The origin of this tradition is due to the fact that the words for a pair of tangerines in the Chinese language sound like the word "gold".

In China, in general, for the New Year, it is customary to give gifts from paired gizmos that mean unity, family harmony: two vases, two mugs, etc. It is not customary to present a watch, especially to the elderly; to give toys, children's things to those who do not have children or who are just waiting for their appearance. As a rule, guests give New Year's gifts to the owners before leaving, sometimes they even leave them in secret.

Following 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 dances of lions and dragons... The lion dance denotes protection in the new year from troubles and misfortunes, became popular throughout China, it was danced during the Chunjie holiday at 14? 16th century The dragon dance is also a very ancient dance. It was included in the festive program as early as the 12th century and expressed the admiration of the Chinese for the dragon.

New Year in China differs in many respects from the European holiday we are accustomed to. It is not tied to any specific date on the calendar, and each time it falls on a different date. Typically, this event takes place in February or late January. For example, in 2012 it fell on January 23rd, in 2013 it fell on February 10th, and in 2014 the Chinese celebrated it on January 31st. When is Chinese New Year 2015? According to the eastern calendar, it will come on the night of February 19.

Traditionally, this holiday is celebrated on the first spring new moon, which is why it is often called the Spring Festival. For many hundreds of years, for the Chinese, it has been the most important event of the year, which always happens on a large scale. You will surely be interested to know the history and traditions of this holiday.

The history of the holiday

According to legend, a huge terrible monster lived in Ancient China - Nian, which hid in the abyss of waters all year round. Only on the very eve of the new year did it climb to the surface, devour people in the surrounding villages and ravaged their homes. The peasants were very afraid of this monster, therefore, before his arrival, they left their homes and hid high in the mountains. Once, when in the small village of Tao hua ("Peach Flowers") people were preparing for the arrival of Nanny, an old beggar with a silver mustache appeared there. He held a sack in one hand and a cane-staff in the other. No one paid attention to the old man, everyone was busy with their own business: someone was closing the shutters and doors, someone was getting ready to go. Fear and panic reigned in the village. Only one old woman gave the traveler some food and sheltered him in her house. She persuaded the old man to leave the village as soon as possible, so as not to meet the monster. However, the beggar told her that he would stay and could easily drive the Nanny away. So he did, the old woman had to go alone. When the monster burst into the village, it saw only one house, in which a light was burning, and its doors were painted red. Nian got closer, and then there was a loud crackle of firecrackers. Seeing this, the monster fled in horror. As it turned out, it was afraid of red, loud noise and bright flames. The residents who returned the next morning were surprised to find their houses intact, rejoiced at this and began to congratulate each other. This is how the tradition of celebrating the Chinese New Year came about.

Bright explosions of fireworks

Despite the fact that no mythical monsters threaten the inhabitants of the Celestial Empire, they still celebrate the New Year with bright fireworks and explosions of petards. Nowadays, modern pyrotechnic products are used for this, and before the invention of firecrackers and firecrackers, all objects capable of making noise were used. Most often, bamboo sticks (baozhu) played the role of pyrotechnics, which, when they hit the oven, emitted a loud crack and caused sparks. The noise is designed to drive away evil spirits from the house, looking for a new home on New Year's Eve. If the house is quiet, the spirits will gladly settle in it and throughout the next year they will arrange minor troubles for the owners.

House cleaning

The Chinese New Year must be celebrated clean, so the Chinese always do a general cleaning the day before. Before evening, all brooms, buckets, rags, mops, brushes and other cleaning equipment must be removed from prying eyes. The reason for this is an ancient legend, according to which on New Year's, every family receives good luck from the gods for the next year. Luck settles in the house in the form of dust, so whoever decides to clean up during the holiday risks brushing off the luck intended for him and even incurring trouble. Cleaning usually starts at the threshold and ends in the middle of the room.

In the New Year - only in red

All the inhabitants of the Celestial Empire put on bright red clothes for the holiday. Red is a special color for the Chinese; it is the color of ceremonial, festive garments. For example, a traditional Chinese wedding dress is bright red.

The emergence of this tradition was facilitated by the same legend about a monster who, like fire, is afraid of everything red. Therefore, at least some element of this color is necessarily present in the festive attire of the inhabitants of China.

New Year's table

In the Celestial Empire, it is customary to celebrate the New Year at the festive table with the family. Dinner will not begin until all family members are together. And if someone still cannot be present at the holiday, they still leave a special place for him and put cutlery.

The festive table is always distinguished by the richness and variety of dishes. Traditionally, fish, chicken and bean curd tofu are served on the table.

In Chinese, the names of these dishes are consonant with the words "wealth" and "happiness." The tastes of the inhabitants of the north and south differ. For example, northerners prefer dumplings (jiaozi), while people in the southern provinces prefer niangao (small balls made from glutinous rice). And this also has its own symbolic meaning: the word "jiaozi" is consonant with the phrase "farewell to the old and the meeting of the new," and "niangao" means the annual improvement of life.

Money of happiness

Another tradition of the Chinese New Year is interesting: the dinner ends with the distribution of money of happiness. On the eve of the holiday, adults prepare red envelopes and put some money into it. It is believed that they will bring prosperity and good fortune to the owner for the next year. It used to be customary to put in an envelope one hundred copper coins tied together with a red ribbon. This symbolized financial well-being and the hope to live a hundred years.

Two tangerines and other gifts

Not only in our country, mandarin has become the main New Year's symbol, in China it is also an indispensable attribute of this holiday. A very interesting custom is associated with this citrus. Everyone who comes to visit on New Year's Eve should give the owners two tangerines. And when they were about to return home, they also received a couple of other tangerines from the owners. This custom arose due to the similarity of the sound of the phrase "two tangerines" and the word "gold". It was believed that such a gesture would bring wealth and prosperity for the next year.

It is customary to give gifts to married couples, they denote harmony and common interests of husband and wife. Money is also considered a good gift. But some things are not worth giving. For example, older people should not be gifted watches, while expecting couples should not be given toys and baby items. Gifts are handed over just before leaving, and sometimes they are simply put in a secluded place so that the owners do not immediately notice them.

Dance of lions and dragons

Street dancing is a must-have for the Eastern New Year. The most popular dances in China are the Lion and Dragon dances. It is believed that they drive out evil spirits, bring the country good luck, prosperity and prosperity. These dances are very energetic and colorful, often accompanied by rhythmic drumming and gong sounds. The start of the show is eagerly awaited by both children and adults.

The origin of the Lion dance is associated with the traditions of the ancient Han people, for whom the lion served as a symbol of happiness and prosperity. To perform the Leo dance, only two dancers are needed, one is responsible for the head of the beast, the other moves the body. The first dancer bears great responsibility, the lion's facial expressions depend on his movements, he also sets the rhythm and direction of the whole dance.

In the culture of the Celestial Empire, dragons have always occupied an honorable place. It is not surprising that he is assigned the most important role at the festival. The dragon personifies courage and strength, dignity and virtue, he is considered a sacred creature.

To perform the dragon dance, many experienced dancers are required - at least ten people. With their movements, the dancers express admiration for the Dragon, ask him to tame the winds and irrigate the earth with rain so that a good harvest will come out. Inexperienced tourists may confuse these two dances, since the costumes of the Lion and the Dragon are somewhat similar, but the movements of the dancers are always different.

Other signs and superstitions

There are many other folk customs and prejudices, one way or another associated with the celebration of the New Year.

  • It is not customary to celebrate this holiday in your bedroom; it is considered a bad sign, which will entail seven years of troubles and misfortunes. Even old and sick people try to celebrate this event at the table with their families.
  • The first person he meets and the first word he utters speaks of what the next year will be like. A bird that has flown into the house, especially a swallow, is a very good sign, it portends wealth and prosperity.
  • On the first day of the new year, it is not customary to use cutting objects, including scissors and knives. Otherwise, you risk cutting off your luck.

For the Chinese, the New Year is the most solemn and joyful event. This is a time of reconciliation and reunion, when the whole family gathers for a festive dinner. They communicate, give each other gifts, make family Photo. Chinese New Year has rich traditions and customs that have come from time immemorial and are sacredly revered even in our progressive age. By the way, the wooden Sheep, or Goat, will be the symbol of the Chinese New Year 2015.

Chinese New Year, also known as Lunar New Year or Chinese Spring Festival, is the most prominent among all Chinese festivals and holidays. Chinese New Year lasts for 15 days of the Chinese lunar calendar, which, according to the Western calendar, falls between January 21 and February 21 (this date may vary slightly from year to year). The celebration includes decorations, parades, folk traditions and an incredible feast. There are many things and traditions that you too can use to join the celebration of the Chinese New Year.

Steps

Part 1

Preparation for the holiday

    Clean up the house. This tradition is based on the belief that cleaning the house at this time of year "cleans the house of the misery" that has accumulated over the past year. Cleaning will also prepare your home for good luck.

    • Keeping your body clean is an important part of the celebration. You can even just get your hair cut.
    • Do not clean the house after the celebration starts. This will only "sweep away" all the luck you just got. For the next 15 days (or at least the first couple of days if you can't wait that long), you are exempt from housework.

  1. Decorate everything with red ornaments. The color red in Chinese culture is a symbol of good luck, and this color is most often used for New Year's decorations. The number "8" also symbolizes good luck and prosperity, as the Chinese word for "eight" rhymes with the words "luck" and "prosperity."

    Decorate your home with other decorations. Complete your crafts and paintings with bowls of food, flowers, and other goodies.

    Appease the kitchen god. It is said that seven days before the New Year, the god of the kitchen reports to the Jade Emperor about the well-being of the house. Behave and serve fruit, candy, water, or other food. Some people burn the image of the kitchen god to send it to heaven with the smoke.

    • In some parts of China, two days after people honor the god of cuisine, they cook bean curd or tofu and eat this unpleasant food to show the Jade Emperor his prosperity when he comes to test them. If you like, you can change this tradition a little and make the tofu a little tastier!

    Part 2

    Celebrating Chinese New Year

    1. Dress up for the holiday. If you have traditional Chinese clothing, now is the time to put it on. Various outfits can be bought in Chinatown, including the finest silk. In addition to the associated joy, happiness, luck and prosperity, red clothing will also allow you to fully experience the whole spirit of the holiday. Another suitable color is golden. Try combining the two for a real festive look.

      • During the period of celebration, you should not often wear black things. Black symbolizes misfortune and even death, and now is the time for good luck and life!

    2. Run fireworks . Launch fireworks at midnight. The fireworks used in China and Hong Kong are very loud and noisy and are often launched from the ground. It is believed that the noise should scare away evil spirits so that they do not bring bad luck with them.

      • Many people put on fireworks for the entire 15 days or for the first 4-8 days before returning to work. Expect a lot of buzz and buzz if you live in a Chinese community!
      • In some countries, it is illegal to launch fireworks yourself, but you may be able to watch the official fireworks show.

    3. Give cash gifts in red envelopes. During this holiday, adults give children lucky envelopes with money. Sometimes they are also gifted to co-workers and friends.

      Honor your ancestors. Express your gratitude and respect for what your ancestors did for you. Many customs are associated with this, for example, worshiping in front of a shrine dedicated to them or offering food and drinks. If you want, you can join the conduct of these customs.

      Communicate with others in a positive way. Chinese New Year is a time of happiness and grace, and goodwill must be shared. During the holidays, do not argue, quarrel and express your negativity. All this will only bring you bad luck.

      • Visit your friends and family often and share your cheerful mood with them.
      • Greet others celebrating with the phrase "Gong Xi", which is pronounced "gong zii". This phrase translates as "Congratulations!" A longer greeting looks like Gong Hei Fat Choi or Gong Xi Fa Chai, in Cantonese and Mandarin, respectively.

    Part 3

    Eat traditional food

    1. Learn about the traditional New Year food. The main banquet usually takes place on New Year's Eve, before the official start of the holiday. There are many traditional New Year's Eve dishes, but some foods have special symbolism:

      • Jiu (traditional spirits) and daikon (Chinese radishes) symbolize longevity.
      • Red chili means good luck.
      • Rice is a symbol of harmony.
      • Fish, chicken and other small animals are served whole and cut at the table. It reminds us of our unity and prosperity.

    2. Make Chinese dumplings (Tanyuan) for the Lantern Festival . They are prepared with various sweet fillings and eaten on the fifteenth day of the Chinese New Year.

      • All types of dumplings can play a special role during the Chinese New Year, and all due to their shape, which resembles ancient gold and silver bars.

    3. Prepare traditional meals. If you want to do more than just order food at a local Chinese restaurant, then use this recipe for a traditional New Year's Eve meal:

    Part 4

    Parade

      Find out if there is a parade in your city. Look online or in your local newspaper for information on the Chinese New Year parade. Sometimes the parade is not held on New Year's day itself, but on the first weekend or immediately after all the celebrations.

      • Be sure to bring your camcorder and dress warmly if you live in an area where the Spring Festival is celebrated during the winter.
      • You are incredibly lucky if you live in San Francisco. Its annual Chinese New Year parade is considered the largest and oldest of all such parades held outside Asia.

    1. Watch the parade on TV or the Internet. In the United States and other countries, major parades are often broadcast on local and regional television. In China, hundreds of millions of viewers watch the Spring Festival broadcast on national CCTV.

      Pay attention to special dances. In addition to fireworks, food, festivities and music, the Chinese New Year parades provide a rare opportunity to see dragon and lion dance.

    2. Celebrate the Lantern Festival. The last, fifteenth, day of the Chinese New Year, holidaymakers celebrate among a variety of decorative paper lanterns. Some cities even create huge art productions out of flashlights.

      • Many people write riddles on lamps, which then have to be solved by children.
      • Now is the time to eat traditional sweet dumplings filled with various fillings. They are called tangyuan.
      • Light a candle to send good spirits into your home.

New Year in China is a holiday of the imminent arrival of spring and the beginning of sowing work. It is celebrated based on the lunar calendar. There is no specific date in China. This holiday is the longest in the country. It symbolizes the beginning of the awakening of nature after winter and the beginning of the life cycle of both each person and the whole country.

About the specifics of the holiday

New Year in China lasts 2 weeks. Fireworks, bright concerts with performances by famous artists, congratulations and gifts - all this happens in the same way as in all other countries of the world.

The New Year in this country is interesting in symbolism: 12 animals correspond to certain years and are talismans. Some countries happily follow Chinese traditions, using animal symbols appropriate for each year.

What date is New Year in China

This holiday comes from January 12 to depending on the lunar cycle. For Russians accustomed to the Gregorian calendar, the calendar date of the New Year in China seems to be random. The Chinese associate this holiday with the first new moon of the year, which comes after the winter solstice. In China, after the culture of the West penetrated into Asia, the New Year began to be called Chunjie, that is, the Spring Festival.

About the history of the holiday

New Year has been celebrated in China for thousands of years. The history goes back centuries to the rituals of sacrifice and the cult of the remembrance of ancestors. The holiday is associated with the era of the Shang dynasty (1600-1100 BC). Then the tradition was born to give a red envelope, which is filled with money, to all children who entered the house.

In mythology

New Year in China is associated with the legend of the horned monster Nian. All year he lives at the bottom of the sea. And only once does Nian crawl out onto the shore, eating pets and food supplies, scaring away the villagers. The monster was afraid only of red. The savior from the monster in one version of the legend is a child, in another - an old sage.

According to mythology, a rich table protects from the monster, which can feed him his fill. Based on this fact, the New Year in China is usually celebrated with a variety of delicious dishes. Also, the Chinese hang red posters with congratulatory inscriptions, which depict the golden hieroglyph Fu, which means "prosperity."

New 2018

What date is New Year in China? In 2018, the Spring Festival begins on February 16th. As usual, the holiday will last 2 weeks. Although earlier the Chinese celebrated the New Year for almost a whole month! But, obeying the business regime, the country decided to reduce the number of days of rest. New Year traditions in China require the whole family to gather at the festive table. The Chinese believe that deceased ancestors celebrate this holiday together with the living. Therefore, it is also called "Meeting after parting."

Earth Dog will be the patroness of this year. She will replace the Fiery Rooster. They expect peace, kindness and tranquility from a Dog in all spheres of life. To meet her correctly, you need to know her character and habits. Dog Release - Earth, responsible for the balance of relationships and the stability of life. The Fiery Rooster will carry away stormy passions. They will be replaced by the desire for peace. The dog is honest, loyal, loyal, friendly, although, on the other hand, it can be unpredictable.

How to prepare for the holiday

The Chinese, following traditions, throw away their old clothes, do general cleaning, thus letting in positive energy into their home. When the holiday comes, brooms, mops and rags should be hidden away. In China, it is believed that settling dust on a holiday symbolizes good luck. Anyone who does New Year's cleaning runs the risk of losing happiness.

On the eve of the holiday, people not only carry out a thorough cleaning in their houses, but also hang a red cloth on the door with a gold image of the hieroglyph Fu in a straight or inverted form. And in the kitchen they hang the image of the "sweet god". Before the holiday, women plentifully smear his lips with sugar syrup or honey, so that when he goes to heaven to report on human behavior, he can speak only kind words.

Festive table

In different regions of China, there are different traditions of New Year's table setting. However, they are united by the fact that one of the main dishes is dumplings. They symbolize wealth, abundance and well-being. All family members make dumplings. In China, New Year's dumplings are often shaped like ancient precious ingots. The Chinese put a coin in one dumpling. The lucky one who gets it will be lucky all next year.

There should be more than 20 dishes on the table, among which must be chicken, fish, beef, pork and duck. In families with a good income, all these dishes are present. Poor families put only 1 meat dish on the table, although no one eats it so that the neighbors can see: they can afford it.

On the eve of the holiday, pork sausage is prepared, which is dried on the street.

Also very popular are tangerines, which symbolize the rebirth of life. There should be 8 of them on the table - the number of infinity.

About traditions

Spring Festival in China is celebrated in the family circle. New Year's celebrations are long enough, so the Chinese have time to see all their relatives.

Fun fact: Chinese people don't have vacations. It turns out that New Year's weekend is the only chance to travel. One can only guess what kind of crowd of people within 2 weeks after the holiday in the popular tourist corners of China.

People really enjoy participating in traditional entertainment and processions. On New Year's Eve, a lantern festival is held, as well as the launch of firecrackers. Undoubtedly, the main decoration of the holiday is the dances of dragons - giant bright dolls of fairy-tale monsters. This action attracts a large number of tourists to China. How is New Year celebrated in China? Of course, as in all other parts of the planet: bright and fun.

In China, there is a rather strange tradition: in order to scare off trouble and attract success, people wear red underwear for the holiday, which appears in large quantities on store shelves on the eve of the New Year's celebration.

Superstition breeds tradition. Even launching firecrackers and fireworks is a tradition that has its origins in ancient China. So it was customary to scare away evil spirits who strive to enter people's homes on the eve of the New Year's holiday. The Chinese have a special love for fireworks. Therefore, they decorate them with a magical radiance for any celebration.

Present

Residents of China give their loved ones such gifts that symbolize family unity and harmony: mugs, paired vases, hongbao (red envelopes with money), niangao (rice cookies). Also, the Chinese give their friends and loved ones gifts such as fruits, clothing, cosmetics, perfumes. It is generally accepted in China that gifts should be useful. And do not hesitate to present the essentials. But the gifts of ties, necklaces and belts are regarded as a hint of an offer of intimate relationships.

The gift box is mostly red or gold in color, because these are the colors that will bring good luck and wealth.

When the first day of the year comes, the Chinese visit friends and family. They bring gifts with them, based on practicality: cigarettes, alcohol, bottles of vegetable oil or packaging of milk.

Hongbao is usually given as a gift to either children or the elderly. The amount put in the envelope depends on the financial situation of the donor, as well as the status of the recipient. The more a person is, the more money they give him. Banknotes are placed exclusively new, since old bills are considered a sign of disrespect. But it must include the number 8, which any Chinese thinks is a lucky number.

Residents of China are sure: you cannot wish New Year's greetings to those families who buried a loved one less than a month ago. According to legend, this will bring in the near future a repeated repetition of such a misfortune.

When receiving and giving a gift, the Chinese use both hands as it expresses mutual respect.

New Year in China is considered the most important holiday of the year; it has been celebrated grandly, on a grand scale, for several millennia. Once upon a time in ancient times, the celebrations lasted more than a month, because there is no agricultural work in winter. Now that the pace of life has changed, the weekend has been reduced to a week and a half. However, this fact does not exclude the general fun.

The most ancient, the most important

Due to the great popularity of the "international" New Year, celebrated on the night of December 31 to January 1, the Chinese have decided to rename their national New Year, the celebration of which often falls in the second half of the not too cold winter in this region, the Spring Festival. It happened more than a hundred years ago.

By the way, the Chinese New Year has another distinctive feature - it does not have a fixed day. The specific date of the celebration varies from January 21 to February 21 and depends on the lunar calendar: in Chinese, the New Year starts on the second New Moon after the winter solstice. It is difficult to realize this, but over the years the Chinese have learned to understand dates without much difficulty. So, for example, the year of the White Metal Rat will actually begin on January 26th.

Do not sleep - you will freeze

Unusual traditions of celebrating the New Year are present in every country, in Catalonia, logs are planted at the table, in Austria they are chasing a mythical monster, but in China, on the night before a significant date, you cannot go to bed. Indeed, judging by the belief, on the last day before the beginning of the New Year, all troubles and misfortunes go out on the hunt to attack the Chinese who have gape in the literal sense of the word. So if you want to spend a year without facing big problems, don't go to bed. Especially if you live in China.

And the Chinese do not advise buying new shoes before the holiday and cutting their hair - all for the same reason. They are convinced that those who broke the rules will face continuous setbacks next year.

No fireworks? Make noise!

Traditions demand: the holiday must be noisy. Nowadays, there are no big problems with this, because the Chinese are real masters of the production of fireworks, and the rumble from them is more than enough (even too much). By the way, some time ago, during the celebration of the International New Year (no less beloved by the modern Chinese), a local landmark, a tower that was almost 600 years old, even suffered from fireworks. The version that it caught fire precisely from the firecrackers still remains unproven, but if we consider that the fire happened in the midst of the holiday, the conclusions suggest themselves ...

But here's what is interesting: at the time of the emergence of the "loud" tradition of fireworks simply did not exist, but it was still necessary to make noise. The resourceful Chinese did not get lost - after all, by and large, noise can be created with the help of the most everyday objects.

Also, the Chinese traditionally burn bamboo sticks in ovens: when burned, they emit a kind of crackling that scares away evil spirits. Today, firecrackers and sparklers have replaced sticks.

Mythic Nian

One amusing myth is associated with the celebration of the New Year in China - about a magical monster, which the inhabitants of the Celestial Empire nicknamed Nian. The monster is especially angry and hungry on the first day of the year and is not at all averse, according to the legends, to feast not only on cattle, but also on its owners (yes, it obviously did not work out with the kind Grandfather Frost in the Celestial Empire). Nian is especially fond of small children who behaved inappropriately in the past year. To appease the monster, the villagers leave food and drinks on the doorstep of houses and temples - the only way to avoid a sad fate and not be eaten is in this way.

Hiding brooms and mops

Another fun tradition associated with celebrating the Chinese New Year is to hide all cleaning items. The day before the celebration, the house must be put in perfect order, and on the eve of New Year's Eve, it is customary to hide all brooms, rags and brushes so that they do not catch your eye. This ritual is associated with the legend that on New Year's Eve the gods bring happiness and good fortune to families for the next year. This luck settles in the house in the form of dust, so in order not to brush off the luck, it is impossible to clean up immediately after the New Year for some time. In addition, to avoid setbacks in the coming year, the festive night should not be spent in their own bedroom - so even the elderly leave their rooms to join their family at the festive table.

Pair of tangerines

In addition to traditional sweets and other pleasant gifts, in China, it is customary to give two tangerines on arrival at the National New Year in China. And leaving the hospitable house, you need to take with you the other two tangerines, already accepted as a gift from other participants in the celebration. The solution to the strange rite is simple: it turns out that in Chinese, "para tangerine" sounds exactly the same as the word "gold", so that the present in the form of delicious fruit symbolizes the wish for wealth and prosperity next year.

If wishes are not shouted out, they will not come true

Chinese is one of the most difficult languages ​​in the world. And not only thanks to the record number of hieroglyphs that a European seems to be unable to memorize, but also due to the unusual pronunciation. Have you ever noticed that the Chinese are talking too loudly? Sometimes this behavior seems to be a manifestation of bad manners and even annoying. In fact, in this language, some words really need to be shouted out, because if you say them quietly, there is a risk that no one will understand you. The same story is with wishes for the Chinese New Year: they must be shouted out, the louder, the greater the chance that everything will come true in the very near future.

Tree of Light instead of a tree

Red is one of the most beloved colors in China. It is believed that it brings good luck, and since there is no traditional New Year tree in China, the most common tree, which in China is called the Tree of Light, is decorated with red balls and lanterns.

Dragons are the main guests

One of the most important events that takes place annually in all cities and villages of China is the Dragon Dance. For the first time, judging by the research, the Dragon dance appeared in the 12th century - for the Chinese it has tremendous importance, because it has long been believed that certain body movements protect against grief and misfortune in the New Year. Dragons are made of paper and wire: the long body can be up to 10 meters long. The body segments of the dragon are made separately, each with a pole attached, which is operated by the performers.