![]() The majority of large cities - especially those with impressive Chinatowns - from London, to Liverpool, to Glasgow, hold dedicated festivities.Īs a student in the UK, you’ll have plenty of options - from sampling some of the best dumpling restaurants near you, to watching fireworks and lights displays, and going to see dragon dances. The UK is home to the largest celebrations outside of Asia. Generally, people celebrating will have cleaned their home and thrown away their rubbish before midnight. So, washing or cutting your hair is a taboo as it is seen as being symbolic of washing away your fortune and dramatically reducing your chances of prosperity in the year ahead.Ĭleaning of any kind is also not allowed. The Chinese character for ‘hair’ is the same as the first character in the word for ‘prosper’. It is tradition to leave your hair as it is on the first day of the New Year. The importance of the hóngbāo is the envelope itself, rather than the money inside, as the red colour symbolises good luck and prosperity in East Asian cultures. Now red envelopes are also given to friends, family, colleagues and many other relatives. ![]() ![]() The tradition of the lucky red envelope.Īt Lunar New Year, it’s tradition to give the gift of red envelopes known as 紅包 (hóngbāo) containing money to children - these symbolise good wishes and luck for the new year ahead. The winner was whoever arrived at the palace first. Legend has it that the Jade Emperor challenged all of the animals in the Kingdom to a ‘Great Race’. The Chinese zodiac consists of twelve animals that first appeared in the Zhan Guo period (over 2000 years ago). The ‘Great Race’ was the beginning of the Chinese zodiac. The Year of the Tiger is said to be about making big changes. People born in the Year of the Tiger are predicted to be brave, competitive, unpredictable, confident and to display great levels of willpower. 2022 is the Year of the Tiger (from 1 February). Since then, according to folklore, Nian was never seen again.Ĥ. From then on, the villagers learned to display the colour red outside their homes, crackle burning bamboo and light candles. He then revealed himself to be a god and taught the villagers that Nian was afraid of the colour red, loud noises and fire. Rather than hiding, he drove away the rampaging beast. Until one year, a sage appeared in the village just before Nian’s arrival. To keep themselves safe, villagers would board themselves up into their homes or flee into the mountains. Each New Year’s Eve Nian was said to descend upon villages, eating livestock, crops and sometimes even villagers themselves. ![]() Lunar New Year began with the legend of an ancient, mythical beast named Nian 年獸 (the character for ‘year). It began with the legend of the ancient beast. Take a look at the most important dates for the Lunar New Year this year. The Lantern Festival marks the first full moon of the new lunar year. Lunar New Year spans 15-days, closing with the Lantern Festival. ![]() Lunar New Year therefore falls on the second new moon after the winter solstice, which can occur anytime between 21 January and 20 February. Most East Asian countries follow the lunar calendar which is based on the moon’s orbit around the sun. In fact, did you know that the largest annual celebrations outside of Asia take place in London? Wherever you are, especially across larger cities and on university campuses, you’ll realise that Lunar New Year is widely celebrated in the UK. The UK is proud to celebrate diversity and difference, and as an international student in the UK you will be able to discover different cultures and meet fascinating people from all over the world. Did you know that one sixth of the world’s population celebrates the Lunar New Year? It has become one of the world’s most celebrated festivals and is traditionally a time to honour deities and ancestors, as well as welcoming prosperity and luck for the new year. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |