Chinese New Year - Febuary 7, 2008

 

Happy New Year!

Xin Nein Kuai le! (Pronounced in Chinese Mandarin) and Sun Nin Fy Lok! (Chinese Cantonese)

Chinese New Year will officially be celebrated this coming Thursday, February 7, 2008. According to the Chinese calendar, this is year 4706 and the year of the Rat.

This is a special time of the year for most Chinese-Americans throughout the United States. This is a time where family and friends come together and celebrate this special occasion; family members gather at each other home’s and share meals as most Westerners do celebrate typical holidays such as Hanukkah, Christmas, and New Year. A Chinese family typically serves long noodles which symbolize long life, spring rolls which symbolizes wealth and prosperity, and fruits such as tangerines and oranges which are freely passed out during Chinese New Year; tangerine and orange sound like luck and wealth in the Chinese language.

In many parts of the country particularly large metropolitan areas such as New York and Washington, DC the Chinese New Year is celebrated with the Dragon dance. The Dragon which stretches hundred feet long is made of silk, paper, and bamboo; the Dragon is held by young men and paraded through the streets. Fire crackers are typically added during the procession of the Dragon Dance. Fire crackers are believed to chase away the mythical monster, Nian, which is said to have terrorized the people in ancient China. Fire crackers and the Dragon dance is synonymous to the Chinese Year. This procession and dance is usually reserved and held on the weekends. In the United States, Chinese-Americans have added marching bands and floats in addition to the traditional parade.

The Chinese New Year ends with the Lantern Festival on the 15^th day of the month. The lanterns are atypically painted with birds, animals, flowers, zodiac signs, and paintings of China’s ancient past and history. Chinese Americans hang glowing lanterns in temples and carry lanterns to an evening parade under a full moon.

Date Published: 2008-02-06 02:00:00

Section: Holidays 2008, Photos: Chinese New Year,