Chinese New Year, the most important and longest running celebration in Chinese culture, is just around the corner for 2016, the Year of the Monkey.
Based on the lunar calendar and the moon phases, and sometimes called the Spring Festival for this reason, we can expect to see a new moon in the night sky on Monday 8 February.
It is a time for family, reunion, and giving, and the occasion is celebrated in many different ways. Just before the New Year, families give their homes a thorough clean to sweep away bad luck from the year before and symbolise a new beginning.
This is followed by up to 15 days of special celebrations and traditional Chinese food, decorations and practices that are believed to bring people good luck, wealth and happiness.
Although Chinese New Year is not recognised as a public holiday is New Zealand, Wellington will be celebrating Chinese New Year on the weekend of 13-14 February with a variety of special events including the Asian market, a waterfront carnival and fireworks display, and cultural entertainment.
If you would like to learn more about Chinese New Year, head over to our catalogue to see what books we have available. Here’s a selection of some cool things to read:
