3. CHINESE NEW YEAR
Zhōngguó xīnnián(中国新年)
• The Lunar New Year, also called the Spring
Festival, is the most important holiday for
the Chinese people.
• It begins with the New Moon and ends on
the Full Moon and lasts for 15 days.
• The New Year is celebrated with
firecrackers, dragon dances and visits to
friends and family.
4. YEAR OF THE DOG (2018)
• The Chinese zodiac is based on a 12-year
cycle with each year represented by an
animal.
• February 16, 2018 marks the start of the
Year of the Dog i.e. on Friday.
• Èr yuè (二月), Shíliù (十六), Xīngqíwǔ (星期五)
Gǒu(狗)
5.
6. ORIGIN OF SPRING FESTIVAL
• Long ago, there was a monster whose name
was "Nian". This monster came once each
year to a little village and scared everyone.
• One day, the villagers discovered that "Nian"
had a couple fears of his own. He was afraid
of red colour and scary loud noises.
7. ORIGIN OF SPRING FESTIVAL
• The villagers prepared.
• When "Nian" appeared, everyone
in the village ran for the red
banners and noise makers they
had made.
• They waved their
banners and
rattled their noise
makers.
• This scared "Nian"
so much that
"Nian" ran away
and was never
heard from
again!
9. Usually the preparation starts a month
before the new year. Many of the
decorations – which typically include
lanterns and paintings - feature the color
red as it is a symbol of good luck in Chinese
culture.
10. From the 23rd of the 12th lunar month
(February 8, 2018), Chinese people carry out
a thorough cleaning of their houses. The
cleaning is called "sweeping the dust", and
represents a wish to put away old things,
bid farewell to the old year, and welcome
the New Year.
House cleaning:
11. Its a kind of literature. Chinese people like
to write some dual and concise words on
red paper to express their new year's
wishes. On the arrival of new year, every
family will paste couplets.
Paste couplets(chinese:春联):
12. The new years eve is the time for families. It
is the biggest dinner of the year. People
travelling or residing in a place far away
from home will come back to their home to
get together with families.
Family reunion dinner(chinese 团圆饭):
13. A bell is a traditional symbol of Chinese New
Year, and Chinese believe that ringing a
large bell can drive all bad luck away and
bring good fortune. In recent years people
have begun to go to mountain temples to
wait for the first ringing of a bell in the new
year. Hanshan Temple in Suzhou, in East
China's Jiangsu Province, is famous for its
bell to herald Chinese New Year.
Listening to a New Year Bell:
14. Shousui means to stay up late or all night on
New Year's Eve. After a great dinner,
families sit together and chat happily to
welcome arrival of the New Year. The old do
it for cherishing their past and the young do
it for their parents longevity.
Staying up Late ("Shousui守岁"):
15. It is an important custom to set off
firecrackers and fireworks during the
Chinese New Year period. .Chinese people
think that the sound of the firecrackers can
drive away devils, and the fire of the
firecrackers can make their life thriving in
the coming year
Set off firecrackers(放鞭炮
pinyin: Fàng biānpào):
16. In north China elders will put some money
into red packets and then handout to the
younger generation during new year
festival. In Southern China, red envelopes
are typically given by the married to the
unmarried, most of whom are children. In
recent years, electric red packets are
popular among younger generation.
Handout Red Packet
(chinese 紅包 pinyin: tǎo
hóngbāo):
17. It's become a China custom for many
families to watch the CCTV New Year Gala
while having their dinner. The Gala starts at
8pm and ends at midnight when the New
Year arrives, featuring traditional, folk, and
pop performances from China's best
singers, dancers, and acrobats.
Watching CCTV's New Year Gala:
18. As the New Year approaches, open-air
markets selling decorations, red envelopes,
toys, clothes and trinkets are a frenzy of
activity. In Hong Kong and Macau, where it
is a tradition to give flowers for Chinese
New Year, street markets are also teeming
with flowers and potted plants.
New Year’s Markets
19. Dragon dance (simplified Chinese:
舞龙;pinyin: wǔ lóng)
It is a form of traditional dance and
performance in Chinese culture. .
Chinese dragons are a symbol of China,
and they are believed to bring good
luck to people, therefore the longer the
dragon in the dance, the more luck it
will bring to the community. Dragon
dances are performed by a troupe of
acrobatic dancers, whereas lion dances
are performed by just two dancers.
20. The lantern festival(元宵节
pinyin:Yuánxiāo Jié):
The fifteenth day of the New Year is the
Lantern Festival (元宵节 Yuánxiāo Jié) It is
the traditional end of the Spring Festival
celebrations. People send aloft glowing
lanterns into the sky while others let
floating lanterns go on the sea, on rivers,
or set them adrift in lakes.
21.
22. Special Food for Spring Festival
Because of their symbolic meanings, certain dishes are
are
eaten during the Chinese New Year.
Chinese Dumplings: (饺子) Jiǎozi
Lucky saying for eating dumplings:
招财进宝 [Zhāo cái jìn bǎo] means
“Bringing in wealth and treasure”
23. Sweet Rice Balls: (汤圆) Tāngyuán
.
Lucky Sayings for eating sweet rice balls:
团团圆圆 [Tuántuán yuányuán ] means
“families all gather together and happy reunion.”
Tangerine :(橘子) júzi
Lucky sayings for eating tangerine :
大吉大利[dà jí dà lì] means
“the most favorable auspices, good luck for the new
year.”
24. Fish:(鱼) Yú
Lucky sayings for eating fish
年年有余 [Nián nián yǒu yú]
“means wish you always have more than you need.”
Noodles: (面) miàn
Lucky sayings for eating noodles:
常来常往【chánɡ lái chánɡ wǎnɡ】 means
“to visit families and friends frequently.”
25. Day-by-Day Activities of Spring
Festival
The First Day:
Welcome the gods of the heavens and earth; Visit
families (especially those older than yourself) and friends
friends to pass on your good wishes for the New Year.
The Second Day:
Chinese people pray to their ancestors as well as to all
all the gods.
26. The Third And Fourth Day:
Married Women will come back to
their parents' home with the husband
and children to pay Spring Festival visits
and extend New Year greetings.
家庭
Jiātíng
The Fifth Day:
The fifth day is called Po Woo. On
that day people stay home to welcome
the God of Wealth.
钱
Qián
27. From The Sixth To Tenth day:
On the sixth to the 10th day,
the Chinese visit their relatives
and friends.
亲戚们
Qīnqīmen
The Seventh Day:
The seventh day of the New
Year is the day for farmers to
display their produce. 农民
Nóngmín
28. The Eighth Day:
On the eighth day people have another
family reunion dinner, and at midnight
they pray to Tian Gong, the God of Heaven.
家庭
Jiātíng
The Ninth Day:
The ninth day is to make offerings
to the Jade Emperor.
玉帝
Yù dì
29. From The Tenth to Twelfth Day:
These days are the ones on Which
friends and relatives should be invited
for dinner.
亲戚们
Qīnqīmen
The Fifteenth Day:
People celebrate the Lantern Festival
by eating Sweet Dumplings, making and
displaying lanterns.
元宵节
Yuánxiāo jié