About 20 percent of the world celebrates the Chinese new year. The celebration is done in China and also the most important holiday there. People celebrates it all over China. Here are certain interesting facts about the Chinese new year.
1. Chinese year is also known as Spring celebration
In China the day is known as Chunjie or Spring festival. It is wintry but still the holiday marks the end of the coldest days. People welcomes spring as it brings along with it the planting and the harvest. This signifies fresh start and new beginning. Its another name is Lunar new year as people in North Korea and Vietnam also celebrates it.
2. There’s no set date for the Chinese new year
Chinese New Year ranges from January 21 to February 20. In 2019, it occurs on February 5th.
3. It is a day for praying to God
The day is a ceremonial day to celebrate the good harvest and the start. Being an Agrarian society harvest is everything for them. People also prayed to their ancestors as they were given the treatment of God.
4. And fighting off monsters
Here are the myths are much more interesting. According to the people there was a monster named Nian. It used to come every new year’s eve. During the time people hid inside their homes and burst firecrackers the very next day.
5. The most fireworks are set off in the world that night
As in the myth about Nian, firecrackers are supposed to scare off monsters and bad luck.
6. But sometime it’s illegal
Because if the safety reasons and the concern for air pollution the fireworks are banned in the certain cities of China.
7. The longest holiday in China
The spring festival is technically of 15 days. But the celebration starts from new year’s eve. It is basically of 16 days.
8. It is reason for highest migration in the world
The most important part of the spring festival is the reunion of the families. Everyone come back home for the new years eve dinner.
People live in rural areas thus migration is faced for the celebration.
9. Singles hire cake boyfriend and girlfriends to take home
Do you know those nosy relatives during Thanksgiving? The culture of passing on generations is a culture there in China.
Some desperate singles resort to hiring a fake boyfriend or girlfriend to take home. Those who can’t (or don’t want to) go home can rent themselves out. For some of the other questions though, such as your salary, career or when you want to have kids, can’t be helped.
10. No sweeping, showering or throwing out the garbage is permitted
Showering or throwing garbage is not allowed on the new years eve and till 5th. This is because good luck should not be washed away. There are certain taboos on the Chinese New year.
1.Hair cutting
2. Use of sharp things like scissors etc.
3.Arguing, swearing
4. Breaking things
5.Saying unlucky words.
11. Children get lucky money in red envelopes
In other cultures, children receive gifts for holidays. Gifts are also exchanged during the Spring Festival. But Chinese children receive something else too—red envelopes.
