do christian celebrate chinese new year what are some traditions during chinese new year

The above guidelines have sought to help us be on guard from turning our celebration of Chinese New Year into a materialistic experience. Being Chinese Christians, we should celebrate Chinese New Year to maintain our ethnic identity and heritage. But as Christians, our real identity is found in our relationship with God, our Creator and Maker. Unfortunately, some of our Chinese New Year celebrations focus too much on our temporal earthly life and tangible success. Chinese Christians, much as they value their culture, must seek to understand its symbolism and be careful to avoid religious elements that do not accord with Holy Scripture. Chinese New Year (CNY), also known as the Lunar New Year or the Spring Festival, is the most important of the traditional Chinese holidays. The date of Chinese New Year is determined by the Chinese calendar, based on a combination of lunar and solar movements. This is why CNY falls on a different date each year. This year, it falls on 12 Feb 2021. This is the legend of the Chinese New Year. However, the Lunar New Year date was fixed in the Han dynasty (about 202 BC–220 AD), with certain celebration activities becoming popular from then on. The custom of burning firecracker bamboo spread to the common people and has continued to this day. That is why all of us are reminded that God alone is the source of all of our blessings and graces, and we must be careful as we carry on our numerous Chinese cultural practices and expressions that we do not end up subscribing to the various superstitious practices and beliefs that surround the celebration of the Chinese New Year and other The beginning of the lunar year has symbolised the act of starting over with renewed hopes for happiness and prosperity. It is also a time to renew ties with family and friends, through family reunion dinners and social visits. Chinese and many other Asian Christians continue to celebrate the New Year so as to maintain their ethnic identity. In such an experience, "we become full of joy and hope for life, we are made new by the love of Christ, in the grace of God." Lent is "the time of preparation for the joy of Easter." And precisely, the time of the Chinese New Year, underlines Mgr Gan, is a golden opportunity to bear witness to the Catholic faith to and with one's family. Lunar New Year Practices & Traditions. Many of the practices and traditions of Lunar New Year focus on how to bring peace and prosperity. The Evangelical Times article: “Chinese new year – a Christian perspective”, written by Jack Sin, expands on many of the common practices and traditions of Lunar New Year. You can read more in-depth The year is predicted to bring wisdom, adaptability, and a sense of transformation. As we face a variety of challenges and conflicts across Asia and the world, we will need all of these characteristics this year. Second, let us remember that we are celebrating the Lunar New Year and not the Chinese New Year. Lunar New Year is the most important festival on the Asian calendar. “[It’s] like New Year’s Day, Fourth of July, Thanksgiving, and Christmas all rolled into one,” says an American writer. The festival begins on the first new moon of the Chinese lunar calendar, or between January 21 and February 20 on Western calendars. It lasts from By Asst Ps Patrick Chan YinChinese (or Lunar) New Year is this Sunday 22nd January 2023 and according to the Chinese Zodiac, it will be the first day of the Year of the Rabbit.As I was passing by the West Coast market, a big statue of the Chinese god of prosperity was erected to greet the people and I could not help but notice some of the people bowing before it, perhaps whispering a quick Astrology & Zodiac: The Chinese zodiac is based on the lunar calendar and “each year in the repeating zodiac cycle of 12 years is represented by a zodiac animal, each with its own reputed attributes.” 2 This year, Lunar New Year begins on February 10, 2024, which marks the beginning of the Year of the Dragon. The beginning of the lunar year has symbolised the act of starting over with renewed hopes for happiness and prosperity. It is also a time to renew ties with family and friends, through family reunion dinners and social visits. Chinese and many other Asian Christians continue to celebrate the New Year so as to maintain their ethnic identity. Pre-Chinese New Year Preparations and Activities (Jan. 7–Feb. 12, 2025) Jan. 7, 2025: Laba Festival. Some Chinese start to celebrate and prepare for Chinese New Year as early as day 8 of the 12 th month of the lunar calendar. Notice: “Chinese New Year is celebrated officially for a month beginning in late January or early February,” and, “The Muslim New Year falls on the first day of the month of Muharram and commemorates the date of the Hegira (July 16, [AD] 622, on the Gregorian calendar), the starting point of the Muslim calendar. 3. Celebrate it in a way that glorifies God. “Christians can eat, drink and be merry during the new year without any involvement in superstitious matters,” affirms Rev. Elijah in an article ‘Annual Debate’ on Chinese-Tradition and Christianity: Should Christians Celebrate Chinese New Year? by Elsie Hu published in China Christian Daily. A Fresh Start for the New Year. Many people, no matter what they believe, look at January 1 as a chance for a new beginning. If the previous year was disappointing or they made significant mistakes, they imagine wiping the slate clean and starting over. Christians know that new starts are available any time, they are not dictated by the calendar. Rediscovering the Roots of Chinese New Year. Chinese New Year celebrations are believed to have begun as long ago as the 14th century BC. As such, a multitude of origin stories surround the many traditions associated with this festive occasion. These include firecrackers (to chase away the much-feared monster Nian), dragon and lion dances (to Astrology & Zodiac: The Chinese zodiac is based on the lunar calendar and “each year in the repeating zodiac cycle of 12 years is represented by a zodiac animal, each with its own reputed attributes.” 2 This year, Lunar New Year begins on February 10, 2024, which marks the beginning of the Year of the Dragon. The great red dragon is not the ‘Chinese’ dragon. The Chinese dragon is often seen as benevolent and not as the embodiment of evil. Chinese Christian scholars have even questioned whether the word for the creature called long2 (龙 / 龍) should have been translated as “dragon”.

do christian celebrate chinese new year what are some traditions during chinese new year
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