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Chinese lunar calendar. The Chinese generally have adopted the Western calendar since 1911, but the lunar calendar, based on astrology and the cycles of the moon, is still used for festive occasions such as the Chinese New Year. Astrology is one of China’s most ancient philosophies – perhaps more than 3,000 years old. 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. Rev. Elijah from Shanghai believes that Christians should have a correct view of the Chinese New Year celebrations, away from the opinion that this issue is "untouchable". The pastor mentions that the older generation considers that no kitchen knife or cooking are permitted on the first three days of the Chinese lunar new year and bad words are This is why CNY falls on a different date each year. This year, it falls on 12 Feb 2021. It starts on the first day of the new year containing a new moon and ends on the Lantern Festival fourteen days later. Chinese New Year’s Eve and Chinese New Year’s Day are celebrated as a family affair, a time of reunion and thanksgiving. 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. Chinese across the nation are cleaning their homes and purchasing red outfits for their annual celebration of Chinese New Year. Despite China’s official adherence to atheism, most Chinese fully embrace Zodiac tradition. “The Chinese Christians, however, use this as a way to reach out to their communities, and to their friends and their families,” says Erik Burklin of China Partner. I recently had the chance to interview a mainland Chinese pastor about the opportunities and challenges faced by Christians during this holiday season. Here are three questions that I asked him. 3 Questions 1. What are the opportunities and challenges for Christians (and churches) during the Chinese New Year holiday season? First of all Coinciding with the Catholic Church's Jubilee Year, the Lunar New Year "can be a time of change and renewal" of faith, two U.S. bishops' committee chairmen said in a special message to Catholics from Asian cultures who celebrate the Chinese New Year. Chinese and many other Asian Christians continue to celebrate the New Year so as to maintain their ethnic identity. But while the celebration was traditionally marked by a religious ceremony in honour of Heaven and Earth, the household gods and ancestors, Chinese Christians will celebrate the event from the perspective of their faith in Christ. 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. 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. So there comes the annual question for Christians: Should Christians observe the Chinese New Year? How Should Christians join in the celebration at home? Rev. Li from Jiangxi tells CCD that "the significance of the Spring Festival differs from that in the past so Christians can view it in a different perspective. Therefore, during the Spring Festival, Christians should not reject the custom of the New Year celebration. We should not refuse non-Christian customs for the purpose of setting ourselves apart for holiness. Otherwise, we will fail to win the approval of others, with the previously close relationships damaged. First, the Chinese calendar is measured by different animals and this year is the year of the rooster and like the Jewish Passover Festival, Chinese New Year is based on the lunar calendar, not the solar calendar. This is why Easter falls on a different Sunday every year. During Chinese New Year, almost every home puts banners on their door. 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. So there comes the annual question for Christians: Should Christians observe the Chinese New Year? How Should Christians join in the celebration at home? Rev. Li from Jiangxi tells CCD that "the significance of the Spring Festival differs from that in the past so Christians can view it in a different perspective. China’s Lantern Festival, or Yuan Xiao Jie, is another example. The festival began long ago as a religious observance but now is often seen simply as a new year’s celebration of traditional Chinese culture. There’s also the traditional Hawaiian hula dance, which began as a form of worship to Laka, the goddess of love, forests, and plants. 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.
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