Why Does Chinese New Year Fall On A Different Date Each Year?

Author: Kah Joon Liow

Source: isnare.com



I'm sure you've noticed that Chinese New Year falls on a different day each year.

Here's a list of Chinese New Year dates from the year 2000 to 2014 at http://www.living-chinese- symbols.com/chinese-new-year-dates.html

Why is this so?

I asked myself the same question and finally I figured it out.

Spring begins (立春, l์chūn) each year around Feb 4th (in the Western calendar).

The first day of Chinese New Year starts on the New Moon closest to spring.

(That's why Chinese New Year is called the Spring Festival.)

And ends on the Full Moon 15 days later with the Lantern Festival.

The first day of Chinese New Year is always between Jan 21st and Feb 21st.

But why are Chinese New Year dates so "unpredictable"?

To answer this question, one has to look at how a month in the Chinese calendar or lunar calendar is calculated.

A Chinese month yue4 月 which means "moon" is a REAL moon.

Each lunar month starts on the day of the new moon.

This is the day the moon is closest to the sun and not visible at all.

Does it mean that one has to look at the sky each time to tell the new moon?

Fortunately, the answer is "no".

Otherwise there'll be a lot of stiff necks!

Because the new moon occurs with enough regularity to devise a calendar based on its phases.

(Full moon in the middle of the month. Moon wanes at the end of the month).

On average, each lunar month is 29.5 days.

(Sometimes the months are 29 days and other times they are 30 days.)

But multiplying 29.5 days by 12 months gives 354 days.

Which is 11 days short of 365 1/4 days, the cycle of the four seasons.

Or 11 days "faster" if you like.

So, how does the Chinese calendar "wait" for the natural world to catch up?

By adding an extra month to make a "thirteen-month year".

Well, not every year but every few years.

How often? It turns out seven times every nineteen years.

In this way, the Chinese calendar year keeps in step with the real world.

Each year in the Chinese Calendar is also named after one of 12 animals of the Chinese Zodiac.

Last year, 2005 was the year of the rooster and 2006 the year of the dog.

Go to http://www.living-chinese- symbols.com/chinese-new-year-dates.html for a chart of Chinese New Year dates from the year 1900 to 2019 you can use to tell which is your animal sign.

It's a "cool" system because you won't have to remember how old you are.

You'll just have to know which animal year you were born in!

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8 Ways To Celebrate Chinese New Year

Author: Kah Joon Liow

Source: isnare.com



What are the Chinese New Year activities for celebrating this most important festival in the Chinese calendar?

Let's start at the beginning...

In China, Chinese New Year is called the Spring Festival.

That's because the first day of Chinese New Year falls on the start of spring.

The beginning of spring is a fresh start…

It's the start of a new year of sowing and reaping.

A wish for a good harvest in the year ahead.

(That's how the Chinese character for "year" nian2 年 came about.)

A cause for celebration!

All around the world, Chinese families... put up Chinese New Year scrolls on both sides of the door,

set off firecrackers (It's illegal in many Chinese cities now, but people do it anyway)

and married adults give children red envelopes filled with "lucky money".

Chinese New Year activities begin 2-4 weeks before the "big day".

Here's what you can do to celebrate Chinese New Year.

It's what Chinese families do all over the world.

1. Clean up the house

Select a day and together with the family, clean up the house.

This ritual gets rid of bad luck in the ending year and welcomes in good luck in the new year.

2. Send greeting cards

Send greeting cards with new year wishes to friends, relatives and colleagues.

Remember to post your greeting cards early!

3. Go shopping

Go shopping to buy new clothes for the whole family, food and sweets, and festive home decorations.

Looking for Chinese New Year activities for kids? Go to the website below.

4. Get ready some red packets.

You'll need them later.

5. Decorate the house

Hang Chinese New Year scrolls called spring couplets on both sides of the door to usher in good wishes for the new year.

Paste paper cuts of upside down good fotune "fu" characters, happy children and tangerine oranges on the wall.

Make sure you have vases of flowers in the house during Chinese New Year.

They do more than just add a new year atmosphere to the home.

Living plants symbolize growth and flowers represent wealth and prosperity.

Pum blossoms can be arranged together with bamboo and pine.

They stand for endurance, nobility and longevity.

Other favorite flowers are pussy willow, azalea, peony and water lily or narcissus.

6. Prepare the reunion dinner

Gather your family together for this most important and sumptuous meal of the year on Chinese New Year's eve.

Prepare a meal with auspicious dishes like chicken, fish, oysters, dumplings, green vegetables and noodles.

They have meanings of prosperity, longevity and abundance.

I've put together some Chinese New Year recipes and a list of what different foods symbolize at http://www.living-chinese-symbols.com/chinese-new-year-activities.html

7. Pass the year

After a hearty meal, stay up late to "pass the year" guo4 nian2 过年, an ancient tradition.

You can watch TV, play card games, or chat.

After midnight (or on the morning of Chinese New Year's day), give your children the red envelopes filled with money (called "lucky money").

Put the red packets under the pillow of children. This is said to ward off evil.

8. Send New Year greetings

Call up friends or SMS them on the morning of Chinese New Year and wish them Happy New Year, Good Health and Prosperity.

Visit the homes of friends and relatives with two big tangerines.

Bring red packets to give to the children at the homes you're visiting.

These are eight ways to have a roaring Chinese New Year celebration with family and friends!

Eight is the most auspicious number for Chinese people.

It means wealthy and properous.

Here's to your good health and prosperity in the New Year!

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