Why does Chinese New Year fall on different dates? Rather than following the western Gregorian Calendar with 365-day years, the Chinese New Year follows a lunar calendar based the moon's 12 phases Since the mid-1990s people in China have been given seven consecutive days off work during the Chinese New Year. This week of relaxation has been designated Spring Festival, a term that is sometimes used to refer to the Chinese New Year in general. The origins of the Chinese New Year are steeped in legend. One legend is that thousands of years Chinese New Year's Eve and the first 3 days of Chinese New Year; will be made up on subsequent working days if any of the 4 days fall on Saturday or Sunday. The day before Chinese New Year's Eve is also designated as holiday, but as a bridge holiday, and will be made up on an earlier or later Saturday. The Chinese New Year celebration is based on the lunar calendar, with the date varying each year. It marks the beginning of the new year and the end of winter, symbolizing renewal and fresh starts. Families come together to honor their ancestors, pay respects to gods and deities, and wish for good fortune in the coming year. Chinese New Year starts a new animal’s zodiac year. In China, each lunar cycle has 60 years and 12 years is regarded as a small cycle. Each of the 12 years is defined by an animal sign: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig. 2025 is the Year of the Snake and 2026 is the Year of the Horse. The origin of the Chinese New Year Festival can be traced back to about 3,500 years ago. Chinese New Year has evolved over a long period of time and its customs have undergone a long development process. A Legend of the Origin of Chinese New Year. Like all traditional festivals in China, Chinese New Year is steeped with stories and myths. Though China has a day off on January 1, and some fireworks are let off then, most attention is focused on the traditional date of New Year. Chinese New Year falls in the period from January 21 to February 20. In 2025, Chinese New Year will fall on Jan. 29. Click to see more about Chinese New Year date. 5. Chinese New Year is the most important holiday in China. Tied to the Chinese lunar calendar, it begins on the new moon that appears between January 21 and February 20. Each year is associated The Chinese New Year is also a time when the annual zodiac sign changes, meaning that each year is assigned to a specific zodiac animal. Zodiac signs play an integral role in Chinese culture. It is said that your luck regarding financial situations, health and relationships for each year can be calculated based on your zodiac sign. Each year is associated with one of the 12 animals in the Chinese zodiac. This year is the Year of the Tiger. It is said that children born in the year ahead will be brave, competitive and strong. What is Lunar New Year? Lunar New Year, also known as Chinese New Year or Spring Festival, marks the start of a new zodiac cycle based on the Chinese lunar calendar. Each year, the date shifts within the Gregorian calendar. Lunar New Year is celebrated around the world, particularly in Asian countries like China, shown here (Beijing). The date of Chinese New Year moves every year, in accordance with the moon, falling any time between January 21 and February 20.. Each year is assigned one of 12 zodiac animal signs, with the For East and Southeast Asian cultures, Chinese New Year is a very big deal. This includes Vietnamese, Korean, Chinese, and other Asian communities. When Chinese New Year first became a celebration, it was used as a time for loved ones to gather and enjoy delicious food while honoring their households and heavenly deities. Trump has proposed tariffs of between 60% and 100% on Chinese goods, and a tax of between 10% and 20% on every product imported from all U.S. trading partners. Trump's tariffs would cost the On the 28th, 29th or 30th day of the new year, every household "posts the New Year's Red" (the New Year's Red is the collective name for the red festive elements pasted during the New Year, such as Spring Festival couplets, door gods, horizontal batches, New Year pictures, and the word "Fu"). Q: Why does the Chinese New Year date change each year? A: The Chinese New Year is based on the lunar calendar, which follows the cycles of the moon. Why the date of Chinese New Year changes annually. So, each year, Chinese New Year will fall somewhere between January 21 and February 20, coinciding with the relevant year’s lunar cycle. Chinese New Year is the most important holiday in China. Each year in the Lunar calendar is represented by one of 12 zodiac animals included in the cycle of 12 stations or “signs” along It begins anywhere between 21 January and 20 February on the Gregorian calendar, but must coincide with the lunar cycle. The first day of Chinese New Year starts with the new moon, and the last Since the date of the Chinese New Year was different every year (see Table S2), after divided the 9th periods, the number of days left in each year would be slightly different. These days were mainly in the summer and had little effect on the study of the Chinese New Year celebration periods in winter. Well, the Chinese New Year coincides with the lunar calendar, where the first day of the month begins during the new moon. This means that the Chinese New Year falls on different dates each year
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