Thursday, January 30, 2014

What is Chinese New Year

TO many people Chinese New Year is little more than a novelty; a colourful celebration marked by firecrackers and dancing Chinese dragons. But scratch the surface of what is one of China's oldest festivals and you will find much more than food and festivities.

Here's what you need to know:
What is Chinese New Year?
New Year is one of China's oldest festivals. It marks the beginning of a new year and a new agricultural season, and is considered a time for loved ones to reunite and take part in traditions designed to bring good fortune for the next 12 months.
The noise and colour come from one of the legends associated with the celebrations - that of the beast Nian, a monster which would appear at the end of every year and attack people. Villagers worked out that loud noise, bright lights and the colour red kept Nian at bay, and so the seeds of Chinese New Year celebrations were sown.


When is Chinese New Year?
Chinese New Year is held each year between 21 January and 20 February. The main celebration will be held this year on 31 January, although the festival will begin a day earlier. The Chinese calendar's origins can be traced back as far as the 14th century BC. This year's celebrations will mark the beginning of the year 4712 on the Chinese calendar.


The exact date of Chinese New Year is determined by the lunisolar cycle. That means the calendar is based on exact astronomical observations of the sun's longitude and moon phases, explains the Time and Date website.

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