Kung Hei Fat Choy! Kung Hei Fat Choy!
That’s Happy New Year in Chinese. 2019 is the Year of the PIG. The PIG is a symbol of loyalty. Those born under this Chinese zodiac sign are said to value friends, are positive people and love to learn. Those born under this zodiac sign are often entertainers, politicians and work to help others. On the Chinese calendar, called Yan Tan, the new year is 4717. Chinese New Year is not always held on the same day each year. It depends on when the second new moon of the winter solstice occurs. In 2019, Chinese New Year starts on February 2nd. It is the beginning of a 15 day celebration!
Some of the following are Chinese good luck foods and customs:
1. Long, uncut noodles are a symbols of long life and friendship.
2. Giving oranges and tangerines are symbols of wealth and good luck.
3. Dumplings are eaten as a symbol of a happy family.
4. Wearing red is thought to bring good luck.
5. People put up lights and decorate windows and doors with red and gold paper. Messages of good fortunes are written.
6. The Chinese word for fish is similar in sound to the word for plentiful, so fish are important in the Chinese New Year.
7. Using knives or scissors on New Year's Day are considered bad luck as they may cut your good luck for the new year.
8. It is also considered bad luck to wash your hair on New Year's Day.
9. It is considered good luck to hear a bird sign on New Year's Day.
10. The number 4 sounds like the Chinese word for death, so people try not to use the number on New Year's Day
11. Fireworks are shot off on New Year's Eve to send away the old year and welcome the new.
12. Before the new year, it is a custom to clean the home from top to bottom to sweep away any bad luck from the previous year.
13. It is considered bad luck to own money from the previous year, so people try to pay any bills before the New Year.
14. It is bad luck to clean on New Year's Day. You might sweep away any good luck!
15. At exactly midnight on New Year's Eve, all windows and doors are opened to send away the old year and welcome in the new.
16. If a flower opens on New Year's Day, it is considered good luck.
The Legend of the Chinese Zodiac
Several stories are told about how twelve animals came to be honored with a year in the Chinese calendar. One is that Buddha was having a party and invited all the animals of the world to come. It was very cold and only twelve animals braved the weather to attend the party. Buddha was so grateful to those that attended his party, that each that came got a year named in their honor. The rat was the first to get to the party, with the ox being second. If you look at the 12 year calendar, which animal arrived last? Man didn't brave the weather to come to the party and is the reason that a year isn't given to man on the calendar.
There are twelve animals in the Chinese calendar and everyone has a year in their honor. The year just ending was the year of the rat. Other animals include: pig, monkey, snake, dragon, goat, rabbit, dog, tiger, rooster,and horse.
*Purple Annie at the Great Wall of China
•Write 3 things you learned that you found very interesting about Chinese New Year.
•Write a paragraph describing Chinese New Year. Include 4 facts learned from the information listed.
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Note: Download the free resource: Chinese New Year Factoids
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