Xīn nián kuài lè (Happy New Year)
raceandconvosBy: Amy Cheng & Lindsay McDonnell
To me Chinese New Year is like Christmas, Thanksgiving and New Year all rolled into one massive celebration!! It is a time to celebrate my family, spend days cooking, and eat certain traditional food. But before we dig into the family feast, we would clean our house, visit our ancestors at the graveside and pray at the temple. As a kid, I always looked forward to the fire crackers, sweet treats, and of course the red envelope! We would all line up and wish our elders a happy Chinese holiday. Of course, the sweeter our compliments to them the bigger our red envelopes would be! I hope everyone get a chance to eat one or two traditional food to celebrate the new year. Don’t forget to learn how to say happy chinese new year in mandarin.
Lunar New Year: 2021 Year of the Ox
Happy Chinese New Year! This year is the Year of Ox!! The story goes that the Jade Emperor chose 12 animals to race and according to the order they finished was the order they would be in the zodiac calendar. According to the legend the Ox was winning the race until the Rat grabbed his tail climbed up on top and jumped ahead off the back of the Ox to win.
The Ox (Nig) represents harvest and good fortune. In the story the Ox started out as a messenger of the heaven palace until he over planted the fields for the farmers. The Jade Emperor was so mad he cast him down to earth to help the farmers until one day they had more food than ever. Earning him characteristics of diligence, honorable, self-sacrificing, and patient.
Chinese New Year is the most important celebration, it is a 15 days festival of family, food, and good fortune. The legend for the lunar new year started with Nian, a scary beast that would sneak into the village and scare everyone. Until they were taught by a wise man that three things that would scare Nian away, loud noises, the color red and fire. These things scared Nian away and he never returned. Then the people started celebrating the new moon instead of fearing it. The celebrations have fireworks, dragon dances, lanterns, music, time with family and red envelopes.
Representation
Red– the color of Lunar New Year symbolizes prosperity and happiness
Red Envelopes (yā suì qián) – It is tradition during new year for elders to distribute red envelopes with money. To receive a red envelope, you must give well wishes to the elders. Learn more
Red lantern festival – This takes place on the last day of the celebration. They glow in the night to bring good fortune to all.
Spring rolls – Represent wealth because they resemble gold bars.
Noodles – Represent health for long life, so you are not to cut them.
Shrimp – Represents happiness because the words in mandarin for smile and shrimp sound similar.
Candy and sweets – These items symbolize a sweet life.
Watch more on the foods and their meanings.
Full article on taboos.
In the comments share what you learned. What did you appreciate? What will you try? Share about what foods you try. Do you have questions for Amy or those in R&C community who identify as Chinese?
Check out our EVENTS page for some more things happening to celebrate the Lunar New Year.
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