BMillions of people have begun a 15-day Lunar New Year celebration marked by lots of red paper cutouts, Chinese lanterns and flags decorating their homes and businesses.
Spring Festival is one of the most popular holidays in China, but it is also celebrated across the Asian continent and in some ethnic communities around the world. This holiday is a celebration that dates back to China’s agricultural traditions and marks the arrival of spring and the beginning of a new year according to the lunisolar calendar.
Also known as Chinese New Year, this holiday begins on the second new moon after the winter solstice each year. In 2024, this festival will be held on Saturday, February 10th, marking the Year of the Dragon. (There are 12 kinds of animals in the Chinese zodiac: the cub, the ox, the tiger, the rabbit, the snake, the horse, the sheep, the monkey, the rooster, the dog, the dragon, and the boar, each of which indicates the personality and fortune of the person born in that year. year).
Dragons have a special meaning in China. They are the only mythical animals in the zodiac, and this creature primarily symbolizes luck, strength, ambition, and charm.
See how communities around the world are celebrating.
How to celebrate Chinese New Year
In the world’s second most populous country, local Chinese and tourists gathered to celebrate the holiday by setting off firecrackers and fireworks.
According to ancient legends, this tradition wards off evil spirits, especially the mythical monster Nian, who is said to leave his underwater home at the beginning of the new year and prey on villagers and livestock. . That was until an old man realized that he could scare Nian by burning bamboo (similar to firecrackers), lighting candles and bright lights, and pasting red decorations on the door.
Since then, this tradition has taken root, and on the eve of Lunar New Year, people light red candles throughout temples and hold colorful fireworks displays. Fireworks bans in hundreds of urban communities in China have curtailed some celebrations, with lawmakers citing pollution and safety risks as reasons for the bans.
read more: 5 things to know about Chinese New Year
How to spend Chinese New Year in the US
Across the continent, the Asian community in the United States also commemorates this joyful event.
Although New York state has a large population, celebrations are particularly noticeable in California, which is the state with the largest number of Chinese immigrants.
In the Golden State, San Marino hosts a festival featuring lion dancing and flower art displays, while Los Angeles hosts the much-anticipated Golden Dragon Lunar New Year Parade. More than 100,000 spectators are expected to attend the aforementioned parade, which has been going on for 124 years.
Other communities, like Monterey Park, are commemorating the one-year anniversary of the shooting that killed 11 people and injured nine others at a local ballroom dance studio during Lunar New Year festivities, and are still healing from the heartbreak of the tragedy. be.
Indonesian new year festival
In Indonesia, it is tradition for families to go to local temples to celebrate the beginning of the Lunar New Year. Some temples have been built for centuries, like Yin De Yuan Temple in the capital Jakarta, which was built in 1650. Religious sites are usually decorated with red lanterns and large red candles.
Semarang City also hosts other fun cultural events such as lion dancing, music, and creative performances. There are also festivals that fuse Chinese and Javanese culture, such as the Grebeg Sudiro Festival held in Solo, Central Java. Grebeg celebrations include large cone-shaped displays of fruits, vegetables, cakes, and more. According to an Indonesian tourism site, it was “contested” by spectators. This custom originates from Javanese teachings that emphasize that people must earn what they eat.
How to celebrate Chinese New Year in the UK
The Chinese Society of London’s Chinatown will host a parade to celebrate the holiday on Sunday, February 11th. The festival moves through Chinatown and begins with traditional dragon dancers arriving in Trafalgar Square. Enjoy delicious food, opera, and martial arts performances.
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said: “As we begin the Year of the Dragon, I would like to thank London’s East and South East Asian communities for all they contribute to our city.” Posting to X (old Twitter). “Happy New Year to you all and to everyone celebrating in the capital and around the world.”
