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, or the Spring Festival (see also § Names), is a festival that celebrates the beginning of a new year on the traditional lunisolar Chinese calendar. For Chinese people, Lunar New Year is the Spring Festival, (yu), meaning surplus or extra. In public buildings like offices, hotels, and malls, visitors will notice tasseled, red-paper Chinese New Year is the festival that celebrates the beginning of a new year on the traditional Chinese lunisolar calendar. Chinese New Year 2025 will fall on Wednesday, January 29th. The date changes every year but is always somewhere in the period from January 21st to February 20th. 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. The New Year itself is a seven-day-long state holiday, and on the eve of the new year, Chinese families traditionally celebrate with a massive reunion dinner. Considered the year’s most 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. For more than 3,000 years, Lunar New Year was just what it sounds like—the beginning of a new year in the Chinese calendar. The historic Chinese calendar is a lunisolar calendar, meaning dates are determined by both the moon (lunar) and the sun (solar). 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. The holiday was Lunar New Year rush starts after China lifts COVID travel rules. By Associated Press. Lion dancer makes impact on Chinese Lunar New Year tradition. By Mori Rothman, Michael D. Regan. Happy Lunar Because the dates of Chinese New Year change every year, individuals born in January or February will need to pay special attention to their birth date in addition to their birth year. Chinese Zodiac Calculator. If you don’t know your Chinese zodiac use our calculator below to quickly find your animal sign by entering your birthday, and be The Meaning of the Chinese New Year Red Envelopes. Chinese New Year red envelopes are a traditional gift for children or elderly people during Chinese New Year. In China, the red envelope (money) is called ya sui qian (压岁钱 /yaa sway chyen/), which means 'suppressing Sui [the demon]money'. Each Chinese lunar year has a Chinese zodiac sign animal. The Chinese zodiac year's stsarting date is a little different from the Gregorian year. It starts from Chinese New Year. The Chinese zodiac years chart below is provided to help you find out the exact starting and ending dates of the Chinese zodiac years. (This is especially useful for Chinese New Year is thought to date back to the 14th century BC, when the Shang dynasty ruled. In Vietnam, the day is called Tết Nguyên Đán, or Tết, for short, meaning Festival of the An annual celebration event is coming up this week to mark a fresh start for many. The Chinese New Year is imminently approaching, with celebrations and festivities expected to take place all over Lunar New Year, festival typically celebrated in China and other Asian countries that begins with the first new moon of the lunar calendar and ends on the first full moon of the lunar calendar, 15 days later. The dates of the holiday vary from year to year, beginning some time between January 21 and February 20. Preparing for the Lunar New Year. The phrase Guo Nian, meaning “celebrating the new year” in Chinese, evokes warm feelings of family reunions. In China, the Lunar New Year is marked by Chun Yun, the world’s largest human migration, as millions travel to reunite with their families weeks in advance. What are the animals of the zodiac? Each year honors an animal based on the Chinese zodiac. The circle of 12 animals — the rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog and pig — measure the cycles of time. Ox is the second animal in the 12-year cycle of the Chinese zodiac, coming after the Rat and before the Tiger. Recent years of the Ox include 2021, 2009, 1997, 1985, 1973, 1961, and 1949, with the next Ox year in 2033 (Year of the Water Ox). The Year of the Ox corresponds with the earthly branch symbol chǒu. Ox is the 2nd animal in the Chinese
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