中 国 Zhōng guó 春 节 Chūn jié CHINESE NEW YEAR

Common expressions heard at this time are: GUONIAN: to have made it through the old year BAINIAN :to congratulate the new year Traditional Celebration of the Chinese New Year

The Chinese New year is celebrated on the first day of the First Moon of the lunar calendar. The corresponding date in the solar calendar varies from as early as January 21st to as late as February 19th. Chinese New Year, as the Western new Year, signified turning over a new leaf. Socially, it was a time for family reunions, and for visiting friends and relatives. This holiday, more than any other Chinese holiday, stressed the importance of family ties. The Chinese New year's Eve dinner gathering was among the most important family occasions of the year Turning Over a New Leaf

What is Chinese Lunar Calendar? The Chinese calendar will often show the dates of both the Gregorian (Western) calendar and the Chinese Lunar Calendar. The Gregorian dates are printed in Arabic numerals, and the Chinese dates in Chinese numerals. Chinese Lunar Calendar is based on the cycles of the moon, and is constructed in a different fashion than the Western solar calendar.

Customs of Chinese New Year 1.Sweeping the Dust 扫尘 2.Pasting Spring Couplet 贴春联 3.Pasting Paper-cuts & Up-sided Fu 贴窗花和 “ 福 ” 字 4.Pasting New Year Prints 贴年画 5.Staying Up Late on New Year’s Eve 守岁 7.Setting off Firecrackers 放鞭炮 6.The CCTV New Year’s Gala 春节联欢晚会 8.New Year’s Visit &. Luck Money 拜年 和 压岁钱 10.Festival Greetings / Festival Greetings via Text Massage 新年祝福 / 短信祝福 9. Eating Jiao zi 吃饺子

Festival Greetings 新年祝福语 恭贺新禧 (gōnghé xīnxǐ) Happy New Yew 吉祥如意 (jíxiáng rúyì) Everything Goes Well 恭喜发财 (gōngxǐ fācái) Wish You Prosperity 年年有余 (niánnián yǒuyú) Surplus Year After Year 岁岁平安 (suìsuì píng’ an) Pearce All Year Round 新春大吉 (xīnchūn dàjí) Good Luck in the New Year

Chinese Zodiac & the 12 animals

Lantern Festival the 15 th day of Chinese New Year

Lantern festival

Lantern festival & dumplings

Chinese New Year Decorations

Oranges & tangerines

aniaania Candy tray Candy melon Red melon seeds Candy

Lotus seeds peanut coconut

Decorative Flowers

Poetic couplets

Chinese posters The boy with the fish Wishes come true & Wish you good fortune

Lucky Symbols fu 福 Fortune 福 lu 禄 prosperity 禄 shou 寿 longevity 寿 xi 喜 happiness 喜 cai 财 wealth 财

Chinese New Year’s Traditional foods

Round Table Togetherness Happiness

Dumplings

Cold and hot appetizers Soup Fried food Dishes sweetened with honey or suger Preserved foods Meat Seafood Fresh fruit Typical New Year ’ s Eve Banquet

Lotus seed 莲子 - signify having many children. Ginkgo nut 银杏 - represents silver ingot. Traditional New Year Food

海带 - Black moss seaweed- is a homonym for exceeding wealth. 豆腐干 - Dried bean curd- Is another homonym for wealth and happiness. 竹笋 - Bamboo shoots- is a term that sounds like “wishing that everything would be well. Traditional New Year Food

年糕 New Year Cake- the favorite and most typical dish that also foster togetherness and cooperation of spirit. 元宝 Boiled Dumplings- which also foster togetherness and cooperation of spirit. 饺子 Dumplings- are a New Year’s tradition that fosters togetherness and cooperation of spirit. Traditional New Year Food

斋 - Vegetarian banquet- is the most significant New Year’s dish, because everyone of its ingredients promises to deliver good fortune, prosperity, and longevity. Traditional New Year Food

Chinese New Year Customs & Traditions

New Year Customs & Traditions promote change in energy deliver new beginnings Provide protection from harm/bad luck: It is believed that ear-deafening bangs scare mortals and animals alike so the year would be of good health, prosperity, and happiness. 鞭炮 bian pao

On the 23 rd or 24 th day of the 12 th lunar month the Kitchen God is transported to the Jade Emperor to report on the family’s behavior from the previous year. Families sit down to feast on foods of good fortune. The Kitchen God is represented by a paper image and is hung throughout the year near the family’s stove.

 Old debts and past quarrels are resolved for a new start  Serious spring-cleaning of the home and the minds  “Lucky papers” for good wishes  a brand new outfit with some red in it  Chinese New Year’s eve is a night to instill harmony  Everyone stay up after midnight to welcome the New Year  Red candles are lit so bad luck can’t wander into the houses Traditional customs

. Red envelopes are part of the Chinese New Year tradition. Red envelopes are given to young or unmarried children by elders. The money is inside the envelopes usually in even numbers except four because the Chinese word for four is associated with death. Red is a sign of good luck because it is associated with fire, life energy, and the lifeblood that demons fear most. 红包 hong bao

New Year Greetings 新 年 快 乐 xin nian kuai le 恭 喜 发 财 wish you good fortune

Chinese New Year Taboos & Superstitions

Taboos and Superstitions A taboo is something you can not do or say. A superstition is a belief of what may happen if you obey or disobey the taboos.

Do ’ s and Don ’ ts No saying foul or unlucky words No talking about death All debts must be paid before the New Year No borrowing or lending money in the New Year

谢 谢！ THANK YOU!