[ Shuping's Page | Introduction | Chinese calendar: A Definition | Traditional New Year Foods | Art & Culture | Conclusion | References ]
IntroductionMany Asian Countries celebrate Chinese Lunar New Year, which is different from the international New Year on January 1 in the world. The Lunar New Year comes from the Chinese Calendar, so we usually call it as Chinese New Year. In this paper, I would like to explain the Chinese Calendar, traditional New Year Foods, and special celebration arts.
The Chinese Calendar: A Definition
Studying the definition of the word "Chinese calendar" can help us understand the Chinese New Year background in this holiday. According to Chinese New Year, 2001. The Chinese calendar is based on a combination of lunar and solar movements. The lunar cycle is about 29.5 days. In order to "catch up" with the solar calendar the Chinese insert an extra month once every few years. This is the same as adding an extra day on leap year. This is why, according to the solar calendar, the Chinese New Year falls on a different date each year.Chinese New Year starts with the New Moon on the first day of the new year and ends on the full moon 15 days later. The 15th day of the new year is called the Lantern Festival,which is celebrated at night with lantern displays and children carrying lanterns in a parade.
Food is one of the most important aspect, of the Chinese New Year, and huge amounts are bought, prepared, and eaten in Chinese households. Many of the foods served at New Year have symbolic meanings. Some foods have a name which sounds the same as a Chinese written character with a lucky meaning and for some foods their shape and color are emblems of words special to the New Year such as happiness, prosperity, fortune, or luck.
Chinese Rice Cake (Nian Gao)
Most Chinese New Year dishes have names that sound like good or fortunate things [e.g, fish (Yu) for abundance and New Year rice cake (Nian Gao) for advancement]. The rising effect of the cake during baking symbolizes advancement (Gao Sheng) so it is no surprise that parents will urge their children to have Nian Gao during the Chinese New Year. According to Food and fortune (celebrate Chinese New Year with cake and cookies) is a recipe for the Chinese Rice Cake or Nian Gao. Try it and may you have advancement year after year (Nian Nian Gao Sheng)!
Chinese New Year Dumplings
Image Copyright @ 2001 Chinese Culture. Used with Permission.
A Chinese New Year dumpling party is a family tradition. It brings everyone together and is a great way to celebrate togetherness.
A whole fish
To represent togetherness and abundance, and a chicken for prosperity.
Noodles should be uncut, as they represent long life.
Art & Culture
New Year Graphics
Each new year, people will decorate their homes with many New Year Graphics; the best of which are from the small town called Yangliuqing, in the North of China.Image Copyright @ 2001 New Year (Spring Festival). Used with Permission.
Poetic Couplets
Image Copyright @ 2001 Arts and Crafts for Chinese New Year. Used with Permission.On walls and doors are poetic couplets, happy wishes written on red paper. These messages sound better than the typical fortune cookie messages. For instance, "May you enjoy continuous good health" and "May the Star of Happiness, the Star of Wealth and the Star of Longevity shine on you" are especially positive couplets. See Chinese New Year, 2001.
Tangram Puzzle: Make a tangram for Chinese New Year.
Image Copyright @ 2001 Arts and Crafts for Chinese New Year. Used with Permission.
Tangram is an ancient Chinese puzzle. This activity is sometimes called "seven pieces of cleverness." The object of the puzzle is to rearrange the pieces of a square (the puzzle pieces) to form figures (like a picture of a cat) using the tangram pieces. Date from 2001 Arts and Crafts for Chinese New Year.
Dragon Dance Image Copyright @ 2001 Family Culture. Used with Permission.
It is a special New Year for all Chinese to celebrate, not only because the Year of Dragon is powerful, but it is the first Chinese New Year in the last five hundred year of history that we Chinese can celebrate with all our land back from westerners. The western invasion into China is now a history. It is over. We Chinese will never let it happen again.
Conclusion
China has long history and special culture. Celebration of Chinese New Year is one way of keeping their brillant tradition and custom. Also, Chinese will progress with other nations and their people can live happily and peacefully from hereafter.
References
Yong, K. C. (2001). Chinese New Year. [Online]. Available: http://www.brokersys.com/~kcyong/cny.html (2001, April 15).
The Chinese calendar. (2001). "Chinese New Year Home Page". [Online]. Available: http://www.educ.uvic.ca/faculty/mroth/438/CHINA/chinese_new_year.html (2001, March 20).
Blain, E. (2001). Harvest moon Festival. [Online]. Available: http://www.educ.uvic.ca/faculty/mroth/438/CHINA/moon.htm (2001, March 25).
Latsch, M. L. (1984). Chinese traditional festivals. New World Press, Beijing.
Shen, J. (2001). Chinese culture. [Online]. Available: http://chineseculture.about.com/culture/chineseculture/cs/dumpling/index.htm (2001, March 26).
CondeNet. (2001). Food and fortune (celebrate Chinese New Year with cake and cookies). [Online]. Available: http://www.epicurious.com/e_eating/e04_chineseny/chinese_newyear_intro.html (2001, April 20).
Pei, M. L. (1995-2001). New Year Graphics" China the Beautiful". [Online]. Available: http://www.chinapage.com/newyr.html (2001, April 10).
Chinese Historical and Cultural Project. (1994-2001). San Jose's Golden Parade Dragon. [Online]. Available: http://www.chcp.org/Pdragon.html (2001, April 15).
EnchantedLearning.com (1999-2001). Tangram Puzzle. [Online]. Available: http://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafchinesenewyear/tangram/ ts/ (2001, April 15).
LinLin, Lai(????@yahoo.com). (2001, March 25). Culture of Chinese New Year. E-mail to Tao Hu (????@hatmail.com).
shuping's Page
