新年快乐

Read this post in English!

在即将来的星期日(122日),许多国家与地区将会庆祝一年一度的农历新年这些国家包括了中国、北、南韩、越南、新加坡、马来西亚、泰国、印度尼西、菲律,和世界上各个国家的唐人街。大家都将以各自的文化和习俗庆祝义重大传统节日新西兰也将举办许多大大小小的活动!农历是一月亮的圆缺变化环为依据的日历。 

Chinese New Year Display and books inChinese languages at Johnsonville Library

Chinese New Year Display and books in Chinese languages at Johnsonville Library.


Library events:

Lunar New Year Mandarin Storytime 10.30-11.00am, Tuesday 24 January

Te Awe Library, 29B Brandon Street, Wellington

为了庆祝农历新年,提亚威图书馆将于年初三,1月24日(星期二)早上10.30至11时举办中文普通话故事时间

Lunar New Year Storytime Tuesday, 31 January 10:30am

Johnsonville Library, 34 Moorefield Road, Johnsonville 

欢迎参加Johnsonville图书馆组织的迎中国新年活动. 我们将用普通话, 福建话和英语讲述有趣的故事, 和以歌曲等形式开展与孩子们的互动活动


今年,2023兔年。在十二生肖里,兔子是排行第四的属相。十二生肖的传说中,兔子是一只有一点点小骄傲的动物。它自己跑得很快的速度引以为傲,经常嘲笑它的邻居,牛,总是吞吞的。有一天,玉皇大帝为了找出一个可以简单计算的方法,而找了十二只动物赛赛跑。兔子也参加了这项赛,并早早就到达了赛现场。为对自己的速度很有信心,兔子决定先睡个午觉。结果等它醒来时,有三只动物终点线了!其中牛还得到了第二名!等兔子匆匆忙忙地过终点时,它只获得了第四名。此外,兔子也经常被描一只很善良,很有自信小动物。也偶尔会有点严肃,但兔子也是很感性,会努力地朝着目进。更多关于兔年的资料,可以浏览 Year of the Rabbit (chinesenewyear.net)

LNY

Artist impression of Bánh chưng and bánh tét wrapped up for cooking.

在越南,农历新年被称作元旦Tết Nguyên Đán)。越南人将会穿上传统服装,并准备许多美味的食物像是Bánh chưng bánh tét庆祝这重要的节日Bánh chưng bánh tét是一种用糯米,绿豆和猪肉做成的越南粽子,差别在于Bánh chưng 使用一种称为“ dong”的叶子包成正方形,而bánh tét则用香蕉叶包成圆柱形,并在食用时会切成轮形 

Illustration of hanbok

Artist impression of hanbok.

在南韩和北韩,农历新年被称为Seollal설날在这一天,他们会穿上韩服,吃可口美味的传统食物,玩有趣的传统游戏,以传统习俗来庆祝春节。 

在马来西亚,其他种族,像是马来人和印度人,也会和当地华人一起欢庆农历新年你可以对马来西亚人(或称作大马人新年快乐”,“Happy New Year”,或者是“Selamat Tahun Baru Cina”,即马来文的新年快乐”。因为有着在除夕前夜一家人整整齐齐地围着餐桌吃“团圆饭”的传统,在外工作读书的华人都会赶在除夕前夜,或称年三十晚前回家小孩子或未婚的晚辈都会在年初一时从长辈那里收到代表着祝福的红包。在收到红包时,除了说谢谢,小孩子和晚辈也会对长辈说一些代表吉祥如意的祝福语,像是“身体健康”、“恭喜发财”、“出入平安”等等。 

更多关于其他国家庆祝农历新年的方式,你可以浏览https://www.thoughtco.com/search?q=lunar+new+year也可以借阅以下关于农历新年的书本 


The 12 days of Lunar New Year / Lettice, Jenna
12种庆祝农历新年的方法这本书很可爱地描绘了一系列从年初一到年十二一家人如何以传统文化的方式庆祝农历新年。相信无论大人还是小孩都会喜欢上这本有趣又有意义的童书。 ” (Abridged and translated from catalogue)
Lunar New Year / Eliot, Hannah
这本书介绍了什么是农历新年,解释了包括食物,装饰,和节庆活动游戏等相关知识。 ” (Translated from catalogue)

Happy Chinese New Year! : A Festive Counting Story / Ho, Jannie
一起来看看十二生肖如何准备庆祝农历新年!可爱有趣的图案作者以童趣的方式介绍了每一只生肖小动物为了农历新年做了什么特别的准备!” (Abridged and translated from catalogue)

Korean celebrations : festivals, holidays and traditions / Cho, Tina
这本书介绍了韩国的各种节庆,让你能够了解韩国的传统节日,庆祝方式和美味的食物! .” (Abridged and translated from catalogue)
Vietnamese children’s favorite stories / Tran, Phuoc Thi Minh

一系列有趣优美的故事告诉读者越南人注重的五个品德,分别是Nhan (慈悲)Le (礼节)Nghia (正义)Tri (智慧)、和Tin (信任)。其中一个特别的小故事也告诉读者为什么不能够在Tết Nguyên Đán时扫地。

Lunar New Year Around The World: Celebrate The Most Colourful Time Of The Year / Li, Amanda
读者能够了解世界各国如何庆祝农历新年。  (Translated from catalogue)

Home for Chinese New Year : a story told in English and Chinese / Wei, Jie
农历新年时一家人团聚的节日。Jia Jun的爸爸总是常年在外工作。现在爸爸终于要回家了……  (Abridged and translated from catalogue)

威灵顿图书馆有许多童书和双语书籍,能够让小孩子了解不同文化 

Maylasia NY photo

Photograph by our blog author’s family of celebrations in Maylasia!

Thanks folks, Gong Xi Fa Cai” 恭喜发财 – May you be happy and prosperous! 

– Blog by Wei Jing & Joseph

Happy Lunar New Year!

Read this post in Mandarin

This year on Sunday, 22 January many countries and communities celebrate Lunar New Year, which is the calendar based on the monthly cycles of the Moon’s phases! There are Lunar New Year festivals and celebrations in China, North Korea, South Korea, Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, in Chinatowns all around the world, and there are plenty of local events to celebrate in Aoteaora New Zealand too!

Chinese New Year Display and books inChinese languages at Johnsonville Library

Chinese New Year Display and books in Chinese languages at Johnsonville Library.


Library Events

Lunar New Year Mandarin Storytime 10.30-11.00am, Tuesday 24 January

Te Awe Library, 29B Brandon Street, Wellington

To celebrate the 2023 Chinese New Year, Te Awe is going to have a Mandarin storytime on the Tuesday 24 January!

为了庆祝农历新年,提亚威图书馆将于年初三,1月24日(星期二)早上10.30至11时举办中文普通话故事时间

Lunar New Year Storytime Tuesday, 31 January 10:30am

Johnsonville Library, 34 Moorefield Road, Johnsonville 

Celebrate the Lunar New Year with stories, songs, and rhymes in Mandarin, Hokkien, and English.​

欢迎参加Johnsonville图书馆组织的迎中国新年活动. 我们将用普通话, 福建话和英语讲述有趣的故事, 和以歌曲等形式开展与孩子们的互动活动


About the Lunar New Year

2023 is the Year of the Rabbit, in the Chinese zodiac. The rabbit is the fourth zodiac animal. He was a bit arrogant about how fast he was!  He used to tease his neighbour, the Ox for being slow. But one day, the Jade Emperor organised a party to determine the order of the zodiac, in order of who arrived first. The Rabbit arrived early, so he decided to go away and take a nap. When he woke up three other animals had beat him to the party, including the Ox! The rabbit is associated with kindness, quiet confidence and earnestness, which means rabbit might appear quite serious, but always moves forward with feeling and purpose. You can learn more by visiting Year of the Rabbit – Chinese Zodiac on chinesenewyear.net

LNY

Artist impression of Bánh chưng and bánh tét wrapped up for cooking.

In Vietnam, Lunar New Year is marked by the Tết Nguyên Đán festival, which is associated with lots of important customs and wonderful foods! Bánh chưng and bánh tét are some of the tasty festival cuisines, made from glutinous rice, mung beans, pork. Bánh chưng is cooked in squares wrapped in lá dong leaves, and bánh tét is cooked in cylinders wrapped in banana leaves, which is then cut into wheel-shaped slices.

Illustration of hanbok

Artist impression of hanbok.

In South Korea and North Korea, Lunar New Year is known as Seollal and is celebrated through important traditions, games, food and often by wearing the beautiful colourful hanbok, which are usually worn on special occasions.

In Malaysia, Chinese people and other ethnic groups like Malay and Indian also celebrate Lunar New Year together. You can say “Selamat Tahun Baru Cina” to a Malaysian which means “Happy Chinese New Year” in Malay. Chinese people will have a reunion dinner on the Lunar New Year’s Eve. the children will receive “ang pao”, red envelopes with money inside, on the first day of the Lunar New Year from the elderly people, represent a kind of blessing and good luck. In return, children need to say some good words back to the elderly people, like stay healthy, stay happy, and “wishing you safety all the time

You can learn more about Lunar New Year is celebrated in other countries by reading some great articles from the list of lunar new year articles from ThoughtCo.com, and by checking out some of the wonderful books listed below.

Books

The 12 days of Lunar New Year / Lettice, Jenna
“Count out twelve ways to celebrate Lunar New Year!… This cheery addition to the 12 Days series celebrates tradition, culture, and family in the lead-up to Lunar New Year! Young readers and their caregivers will enjoy counting all the different ways they can engage with their communities and honour their ancestors…” (Abridged from catalogue)
Lunar New Year / Eliot, Hannah
“Introduces Lunar New Year, describing the food, decorations, and activities of the holiday.” (Catalogue)

Happy Chinese New Year! : A Festive Counting Story / Ho, Jannie
“Count to twelve with the zodiac animals as they get ready to celebrate Chinese New Year! Sweet, colorful illustrations introduce each of the zodiac animals as they bring special items to the celebration. Xīn Nián Kuài Lè! Happy Chinese New Year! The zodiac animals are ready to celebrate Chinese New Year with traditions and a big feast! Little ones can count to twelve as each animal prepares for the holiday…” (Abridged from catalogue)

Korean celebrations : festivals, holidays and traditions / Cho, Tina
“Korean Celebrations takes young readers on an exciting exploration of Korea’s colorful festivals and family celebrations–wonderful days that are filled with exciting activities and delicious foods.” (Abridged from catalogue)
Vietnamese children’s favorite stories / Tran, Phuoc Thi Minh

One of the special stories in this book explains why you shouldn’t sweep the house on Tết Nguyên Đán! Along with this story of Lunar New Year, there is a collection of wonderful stories connected to five great virtues of Vietnam: Nhan (Compassion), Le (Rituals), Nghia (Righteousness), Tri (Wisdom), and Tin (Trust).

Lunar New Year Around The World: Celebrate The Most Colourful Time Of The Year / Li, Amanda
“Find out all about Lunar New Year and how it is celebrated in different communities across the world!” (Catalogue)

Home for Chinese New Year : a story told in English and Chinese / Wei, Jie
“The Chinese New Year is a time for family reunions. This Chinese children’s story tells a delightful trip with lots of cultural details along the way! Jia Jun’s Dad worked out of town all year around. Now it’s time for him to come home…” (Abridged from catalogue)

Wellington City Libraries has children’s books and bilingual editions available in community languages from many different cultures!

Maylasia NY photo

Photograph by our blog author’s family of celebrations in Malaysia!

Gong Xi Fa Cai” 恭喜发财 — May you be happy and prosperous! 

– Blog by Wei Jing & Joseph

Lunar New Year & Chinese New Year of the Tiger

The Lunar New Year is celebrated by many countries and communities, particularly throughout East Asia. The Chinese New Year is an annual 15-day festival in China, and in Chinese communities around the world, that begins with the new moon.

This blog post will focus on the Chinese New Year of 2022, which falls on February 1st (Tuesday) with a festival lasting until February 15th, about 15 days in total.

The Chinese New Year animal sign this year is the Tiger.
Image courtesy of chinesenewyear.net

Did you know? Tigers are the third of the Chinese zodiacs. According to legend, Tiger was confident that no one could compete with its speed and vigor for the celestial race that would decide the order of the zodiacs. However, when Tiger climbed out of the river, thinking it was first, it was informed that Rat placed first for its cunning and Ox placed second for its diligence. This left the king of the jungle having to settle for third place.

To learn more about the year of the tiger, click here and read: 

Image courtesy of syndeticsIn the year of the tiger.

This Chinese folk tale traces the cycles of village life through the rich community celebration of the Lion Dance performed during the Spring Festival. Chiu Wing and his neighbours eagerly await the festival each year. (Catalogue).

 


For more information on what events are on around Wellington, check out the Chinese New Year website.

With New Zealand moving to Red Settings, Asian Events Trust will be implementing its COVID-19 back-up plan. For more information, click here.

How can you celebrate?

  • Create decorations to help join in the festive spirit.
  • Chow down on festive treats.
  • Watch the fireworks and traditional dancing.
  • Spending time with loved ones.
  • Giving red envelopes to kids.

Did you know: The colour red is regarded as the symbol of energy, happiness and good luck. Sending red envelopes is a way to send good wishes and luck (as well as money).

For more more craft ideas and recipes for festive treats, click on this link.

Where can I find information about Chinese New Year?

  • ManyAnswers has a page dedicated to websites, resources and ways to search for information about Chinese New Year.
  • NZ History has an amazing page dedicated to Chinese New Year.
  • Kids World Travel guide has an amazing page dedicated to Chinese New Year.
  • Also check out these amazing books!
    Books about Chinese New Year:

image courtesy of syndeticsChinese New Year.

This book explores the festival of Chinese New Year and the story behind it and features eight simple origami projects for your own festive fun! The book shows how people around the world celebrate Chinese New Year and what the Chinese calendar and the animals of the zodiac are. Attractively designed, its simple text and wonderful full-colour photos make this an essential book for children celebrating or learning about the festival. (Catalogue).

image courtesy of syndeticsChinese New Year : a celebration for everyone.

Part of the nonfiction Orca Origins series, Chinese New Year is illustrated with color photographs throughout. Readers will learn how a simple gathering of family and friends grew into a weeklong, worldwide festival. (Catalogue).

image courtesy of syndeticsChinese New Year.

Learn about the diverse and vibrant festivals that are celebrated around the world. This series encourages children to consider religious beliefs and cultural practices via easy to read text and informative, full color images. (Catalogue).

image courtesy of syndeticsChinese New Year.

“Chinese New Year is a time of hope and hapiness. During the festival, some people eat special foods and give gifts. Others watch parades and light fireworks. One thing all people do at Chinese New Year is have fun!” – Back cover.

image courtesy of syndeticsRuby’s Chinese New Year.

“As Ruby travels to her grandmother’s house to bring her a gift for Chinese New Year, she is joined by all of the animals of the zodiac. Includes the legend of the Chinese horoscope and instructions for crafts.” (Catalogue).

image courtesy of syndeticsHome for Chinese New Year : a story told in English and Chinese.

“The Chinese New Year is a time for family reunions. This Chinese children’s story tells a delightful trip with lots of cultural details along the way! Jia Jun’s Dad worked out of town all year around. Now it’s time for him to come home.” ( Adapted from catalogue).

image courtesy of syndeticsMaisy’s Chinese New Year.

“Maisy’s friend Tiger is coming home especially for Chinese New Year! Once the house is tidy and the decorations are up, Maisy changes into her lovely red dress and throws a big party for all her friends. They have a delicious feast, tell stories, see the fireworks together and, on new year’s day, watch a spectacular parade – with an amazing dragon dance!” (Catalogue).

image courtesy of syndeticsThe runaway wok : a Chinese New Year tale.

On Chinese New Year’s Eve, a poor man who works for the richest businessman in Beijing sends his son to market to trade their last few eggs for a bag of rice, but instead he brings home an empty–but magic–wok that changes their fortunes forever. Includes information about Chinese New Year and a recipe for fried rice.(Catalogue).

image courtesy of syndeticsThe little pigs and the sweet rice cakes : a story told in English and Chinese.

“Told in a bilingual Chinese and English edition, this is the story of three little pigs whose appetites initially get the better of them. In a shared dream, they met an old man who tells them to deliver sweet rice cakes to him a week before New Year’s Eve. The next morning, they see some sweet rice cakes on their kitchen table. The three little pigs completely forget the old man and eat every bit of them.”  Find out what happens next! –Adapted from publisher.

image courtesy of syndeticsPeppa’s Chinese New Year

“It is Chinese New Year and Madame Gazelle is teaching the children all about this very special celebration. Peppa and George and their friends make Chinese New Year cards, try tasty Chinese treats and even take part in their very own dragon parade!”(Catalogue).

Books about Tigers:

image courtesy of syndeticsMy big cats journal : in search of lions, leopards, cheetahs and tigers.

Follow Steve Bloom as he travels across continents taking photographs. Find out how big-cat predators survive in tough conditions; how they live, grow up, hunt and have babies. Bloom’s account makes a compelling narrative in the same way that the voiceover on a natural-history television programme is both informative and pacy.” (Catalogue).

image courtesy of syndeticsCan we save the tiger?

The tiger is just one of thousands of animals — including the ground iguana, the white-rumped vulture, and the partula snail — currently in danger of becoming extinct, joining the dodo, the marsupial wolf, the great auk, and countless others we will never see again. (Catalogue).

image courtesy of syndeticsAll about tigers : a description text.

This series uses the topic of big cats to present different text structures commonly used in informational writing. The interesting topics will engage independent readers and provide useful stimulus for teachers planning to teach how non-fiction texts are structured and presented. (Catalogue).

 

Chinese New Year 2021: Year of the Ox

Chinese New Year 2021 will fall on FridayFebruary 12th, 2021. The Chinese New Year animal sign is the Ox. 

What is Chinese New Year?

Chinese New Year is the most important festival in the Chinese calendar. Chinese New Year, also called Lunar New Year, annual 15-day festival in China and Chinese communities around the world that begins with the new moon. 

When is Chinese New Year?

Chinese New Year occurs on Friday, February 12, 2021, in many of the countries that celebrate it. Wellington’s Chinese New Year celebrations will take place on the weekend of 13-14 February.

For more information on what events are on, check out the Chinese New Year website and Facebook page.

How can you celebrate?

  • Create decorations to help join in the festive spirit.
  • Chow down on festive treats.
  • Watch the fireworks and traditional dancing.
  • Spending time with loved ones.
  • Giving red envelopes to kids.

Did you know: Chinese people love the colour red. The colour red is regarded as the symbol of energy, happiness and good luck. Sending red envelopes is a way to send good wishes and luck (as well as money).

For more more craft ideas and recipes for festive treats, click on this link.

Where can I find information about Chinese New Year?

  • ManyAnswers has a page dedicated to websites, resources and ways to search for information about Chinese New Year.
  • NZ History has an amazing page dedicated to Chinese New Year.
  • Kids World Travel guide has an amazing page dedicated to Chinese New Year.
  • Also check out these amazing books!

image courtesy of syndeticsChinese New Year.

This book explores the festival of Chinese New Year and the story behind it and features eight simple origami projects for your own festive fun! The book shows how people around the world celebrate Chinese New Year and what the Chinese calendar and the animals of the zodiac are. Attractively designed, its simple text and wonderful full-colour photos make this an essential book for children celebrating or learning about the festival. 

image courtesy of syndeticsChinese New Year : a celebration for everyone.

Part of the nonfiction Orca Origins series, Chinese New Year is illustrated with color photographs throughout. Readers will learn how a simple gathering of family and friends grew into a weeklong, worldwide festival.

 image courtesy of syndeticsChinese New Year.

Learn about the diverse and vibrant festivals that are celebrated around the world. This series encourages children to consider religious beliefs and cultural practices via easy to read text and informative, full color images.

image courtesy of syndeticsWinnie and Wilbur at Chinese New Year.

Winnie and Wilbur are having a Chinese New Year party! Winnie’s magic brings sparkle and spectacle to the occasion but when Wilbur goes missing just before it’s time for the fireworks, where can he be? Includes an audio CD with an entertaining narrated version of the story including music and sound effects.

image courtesy of syndeticsThe runaway wok : a Chinese New Year tale.

On Chinese New Year’s Eve, a poor man who works for the richest businessman in Beijing sends his son to market to trade their last few eggs for a bag of rice, but instead he brings home an empty–but magic–wok that changes their fortunes forever. Includes information about Chinese New Year and a recipe for fried rice.

image courtesy of syndeticsThe little pigs and the sweet rice cakes : a story told in English and Chinese.

“Told in a bilingual Chinese and English edition, this is the story of three little pigs whose appetites initially get the better of them. In a shared dream, they met an old man who tells them to deliver sweet rice cakes to him a week before New Year’s Eve. The next morning, they see some sweet rice cakes on their kitchen table. The three little pigs completely forget the old man and eat every bit of them. When their mother comes home, she is very angry to discover all the cakes gone. Seeing their mother unhappy, the three little pigs help her make more delicious sweet rice cakes. When there is only a week left before Chinese New Year’s Eve, their mother lays the sweet rice cakes in front of the portrait of the Kitchen God and prays for the peace for the family. On seeing the portrait, the three little pigs realize that the old man in their dreams is actually the Kitchen God!”–Provided by publisher

Chinese New Year: The Year of the Rooster

It’s that time of the year again with the Chinese New Year festivities beginning on Saturday 28 January and running through to Wednesday 15 February. This year is the year of the Red Fire Rooster, which represents inner warmth and insight, as well as family ties. Find your year of birth here to discover which of the 12 Zodiac animals you are!

 

 

The Chinese New Year, sometimes called the Spring Festival, has been celebrated for hundreds of years and is considered the most important event on the Chinese calendar. It is also celebrated by many of China’s neighbouring countries, such as Thailand, Singapore, Cambodia and the Philippines.

 

 

People in China and other countries celebrate this important occasion in all sorts of different ways. However, a couple of very popular traditions include a reunion dinner with family on the eve of the Chinese New Year, and many families do a thorough clean of their homes in order to sweep away bad things and make room for good fortune in the year ahead. Fireworks are also a common way to celebrate the Chinese New Year.

 

 

In Wellington, we celebrate the Chinese New Year with a festival day which is free to attend. Sample some special Chinese food, take part in the kids activities, or watch the parade as it proceeds from Courtenay Place to Frank Kitts Park. There might even be some fireworks in the harbour! Check out all the details for the Wellington festival day here.

 

 

Check out our wide collection of Chinese New Year books on the catalogue, and get involved this Chinese New Year!

Happy Chinese New year!

Chinese New Year 2016 logoChinese 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:

 

On this week – Late night storytimes at Johnsonville and Tawa Libraries

Web3

 

After a bit of family fun on these long summer evenings? Come along to the first of our monthly late night Storytimes for the year at Johnsonville and Tawa Libraries.

 

Tawa:

This month our theme is Chinese New Year. Come along for some fun New Year stories and activities.
Thursday 4th February at 6.30pm.
Why not wear your pyjamas or an animal costume?
This is a free event for 4 – 10 year olds.

 

Johnsonville:

Enjoy a 30 minute session of silly stories and games. Come in your pyjamas or wear something silly.
Friday 5th February at 6.30pm
This is a free event for 4 – 10 year olds.

 

Tawa and Johnsonville Libraries hold free storytimes on their late nights in the first week of each month. Check out the library Event Calendar for future dates and times.

Chinese New Year Celebration 2013

Kung Hei Fat Choy! Happy New Year!

Chinese New Year celebration runs from Sunday February 10 – Sunday February 24 this year. Now not only people in China can have colourful and dynamic performances and activities to mark this special occasion, people in New Zealand can also participate and enjoy them.

 

In Wellington, there will be exiting celebrations for the Year of of the Snake held on the weekend of Saturday 23 and Sunday 24.

 

Here are some details:

There is a New Clothes for New Year Fashion Show on Saturday 23 February at the TSB Bank Arena, Queens Wharf from 7pm-8.30pm.

On Sunday 24 February, Chinese New Year Festival Day, you can come and taste the delicious food at the Asian Market at the TSB Arena as well as enjoying the crafts and performances from10.30am-4.30pm.

– Cultural Entertainment will be held at Frank Kitts Park from 3pm-4.30pm.A colourful Street Parade will start at Courtenay Place at 2pm.

There will be performances from Shenzen Song and Dance Ensemble from 7pm-8.20pm (tickets from Ticketek)

The festival will finish with a Firework Display.

You can visit the Wotzon and Chinese New Year websites for more details.

Have fun!

 

Chinese New Year

Chinese New Year falls on Sunday February 10 this year. It’s the most important traditional Chinese holiday. In China, it is also known as the ‘Spring Festival’.

The date of Chinese New Year changes every year as it is based on the lunar calendar. The dates usually range between late January and late February.

While the western calendar is based on the earth’s orbit around the sun, the lunar calendar that China and most Asian countries uses is based on the moon’s orbit around the earth. Chinese New Year always falls on the second new moon after the winter solstice.

Chinese New Year celebrations traditionally run for 15 days: from Chinese New Year’s Day, the first day of the first month of the Chinese calendar to the 15th day of the first month, also called the Lantern Festival.

This year is the Year of the Snake, also called Junior Dragon by Chinese people.

The Chinese Zodiac is a rotating cycle of 12 years, which consists of 12 signs: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig, with each year represented by an animal.
Chinese New Year is celebrated by eating special New Year food, such as nian gao or sweet sticky rice cake and savory dumplings – which are round and symbolize never-ending wealth. People will travel home from far away to have a family reunion. The biggest feast is on Chinese New Year’s Eve where pork, fish, chicken, duck and dumplings will be consumed. People set off fireworks, visit friends and relatives, give out lucky money, deliver good wishes and hang lanterns.People born in the Year of Snake are believed to be intelligent, cute, charming, aware, elegant, mysterious, cunning, and passionate.

The origin of the Chinese New Year Festival is thousands of years old and varies from teller to teller, but all include a story of a terrible mythical monster called Nian, an extremely cruel and ferocious beast who preyed on villagers on New Year’s Eve. Nian (年) is also the Chinese word for “year.” To ward Nian away, villagers made loud noises with drums, set off fireworks, hang out red-paper couplets on the doors because Nian is said to fear the color red, the light of fire, and loud noises.