There are many Chinese New Year traditions about dos and don'ts. Find out the top 18 things you should not do. Some are taboos on the first day of the Chinese New Year and some are superstitions for the whole New Year Festival season (from the 1st to 15th of the Lunar New Year). 1. Avoid taking medicine. On the 1st day of the 1st lunar month, there is a Chinese New Year taboo on sweeping the house and dumping the trash. Otherwise, all the savings and valuables will be swept away. If it is really necessary, the house owner should start the sweeping from outside to inside of the house, which intimates collecting money. The Chinese New Year taboos mentioned above are widely observed throughout the entire Lunar New Year celebration. Keep reading to learn about more Chinese New Year taboos day by day from the Chinese New Year's Eve. 10. Don't Eat All of the Fish. Fish is a must-have dish at the Chinese New Year's Eve dinner. It's a homophone for the word But during the actual celebration, cleaning is taboo. Cleaning or throwing out garbage may sweep away good luck instead. If you must, make sure to start at the outer edge of a room and sweep inwards. Bag up any garbage and throw it away after the fifth day. Similarly, you shouldn’t take a shower on Chinese New Year’s Day. 4. Refrain from doing laundry during the first few days of the Lunar New Year to ensure that you preserve the blessings and prosperity of the auspicious occasion. 20. Refrain from Taking Out the Garbage. Taking out the garbage during Chinese New Year is believed to discard good luck and prosperity along with the trash. In traditional Chinese culture, people wear red for the New Year. White clothes are often used to show memory of the deceased, so they are not seen as lucky. However, with the changing times and the influence of new cultures, some young people might choose to wear white clothing during the New Year to show their style. 2025 Chinese New Year Day is on Wednesday, January 29, 2025 and the Chinese New Year's eve is on Tuesday, January 28, 2025. 2025 is the year of the Green Wood Snake. Chinese celebrate Chinese Festival for 15 days long, from Chinese New Year Day to Chinese Moon Festival. There are many Chinese New Year Taboos are taught from elder generations to On New Year’s eve: Do not eat fish head or tail. “Fish” has the same pronunciation as “abundance” in Chinese, so if you leave some fish on New Year’s Eve till the next day, it means you will always have enough wealth to spend for the next year. Similarly, your rice jar should not be empty on New Year’s Eve. 12. A married daughter is not allowed to visit her parents’ house on Chinese New Year’s Day. In some Chinese cultures, it is believed that having a married daughter visiting her parent’s house on the day of the Chinese New Year will bring bad luck to the parents, causing their family to suffer from economic hardship. Therefore, it is Here are some of the key taboos to avoid during Chinese New Year, as outlined by China Highlights. 1. Sweeping the Floor. Sweeping the floor during the Chinese New Year is considered to drive away good fortune. It is also associated with sweeping away wealth. Lunar New Year’s Eve: The Reunion Dinner. At the heart of Lunar New Year celebrations is the reunion dinner on Lunar New Year’s Eve, which falls on January 28, 2025. A traditional reunion dinner has many dishes, including steamed or fried fish, rice cakes and balls, noodles and dumplings. The Origins of Chinese New Year Superstitions. Many Chinese New Year superstitions have their roots in ancient folklore and legends. One of the most famous stories involves a mythical beast called Nian, which would terrorize villages on New Year’s Eve. People discovered that Nian was afraid of loud noises, fire, and the color red. One of Chinese yearend events is the Farewell Day for the God of the Stove on the 24th lunar day of 12th month in Chinese calendar. On this day, God of Stove has return to the Heaven to report his duty to the Jade Emperor, Emperor of Gods. What color should you not wear on Chinese New Year? You Might Also Like. 15 Things You Should Not Give as a Chinese New Year Gift; Chinese New Year Taboos and Superstitions; How to Celebrate Chinese New Year: Top 18 Traditions Most hair salons are closed during the entirety of Chinese New Year because hair cutting is taboo. What else is taboo during Chinese New Year? Hair cutting (before February 2) Using scissors, knives and other sharp things. Arguing, swearing. Saying unlucky words (such as “death” and “sickness”) Breaking things Yes, this sounds very absurd. The reason for this Chinese New Year taboo is that the pronunciation of hair (发, fa) in Mandarin is the same as that of fa in facai (发财). Thus, meaning to become wealthy. So, washing or cutting hair on the day of the New Year is equivalent to washing your fortunes away. Put a Halt to Needlework In Chinese tradition, cleaning during the new year is believed to sweep away wealth and good fortune. Even taking out the garbage is seen as tossing out prosperity from the home. So, yes – this gives you the perfect excuse to put off housework until after Chinese New Year. Let the tradition work in your favour! 11. Enjoy festive CNY events Here are 15 interesting facts about Chinese New Year. 1. Chinese New Year is also called "Spring Festival". Though in winter, Chinese call their New Year holidays 'Spring Festival' (春节 chūnjié /chwnn-jyeah/), because 'Start of Spring' (3 February) is the first of the terms in the traditional solar calendar. 7. Sending Chinese New Year Wishes. During Chinese New Year, Chinese people will greet each other with pleasant words like: 'Xin nian kuai le' which means 'Happy New Year' (simplified Chinese: 新年快乐). See more Chinese New Year Greetings and Wishes. 8. Watching the New Year TV Gala Chinese New Year or Lunar New Year celebration usually lasts 15 days, from New Year's Eve to the 15th day of the Chinese New Year—the Lantern Festival. In 2025, the celebration starts on Jan. 28th and ends on Feb. 12th. Chinese New Year Celebrations
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