The lunar month including the winter solstice is the 11th month in the Chinese calendar, hence Lunar New Year normally happens on the second new moon after the winter solstice.
Lunar New Year celebrations begin the night before the first day of the new year, just like the Gregorian calendar’s New Year (January 1).
(Note: China uses the Gregorian calendar for regular business, but the Chinese calendar is still used for important festivals, auspicious dates such as wedding dates, and lunar phases.)
In This Article...
Who Celebrates Lunar New Year?
Although it is known in the West as “Chinese New Year,” China is not the only country that celebrates it. The Spring Festival, also known as the Lunar New Year, is the most widely celebrated and longest of all Asian celebrations, with millions of people around the world participating.
At this time, a number of other East Asian countries, including Vietnam, Korea, Japan, and the Philippines, have their own new year celebrations. (Due to time zones and other circumstances, the day of celebration may vary by one day or even one lunar cycle.)
How Is Lunar New Year Celebrated?
The symbolic gloom of night is banished by the light of fireworks, lanterns, and candles, as it is with many winter solstice celebrations. Hundreds of man-made paper lanterns are displayed in public places to bring good fortune in the new year.
Dragon dances, shows, and festival parades with music and acrobatics are all part of the festivities. The celebrations last for two weeks, culminating in a spectacular lantern festival that marks the end of the New Year season.
Of course, there is a lot of excellent food prepared and served! Long noodles are traditionally served during New Year’s to symbolize a long life. See our Longevity Noodles recipe.
Chinese Dumplings, which represent good fortune and wealth, are another favorite New Year’s recipe. As the clock strikes midnight, families wrap them up and devour them.
“The notion of good fortune is also a popular New Year’s theme. Many kids are given “Red envelopes contain lucky money. Offerings are sometimes offered to temples.
To welcome good fortune, people clean their homes and open their doors. No one should pick up a broom, according to tradition, lest they sweep the good luck for the New Year out the door!
What Is the Animal for Chinese New Year This Year?
The Year of the Tiger, one of the 12 animals in the Chinese zodiac, will begin in 2022. The zodiac animal classifications have a 12-year cycle and are always used in the same order.
What Qualities Does the Tiger Represent?
Those born in the Year of the Tiger are supposed to be fearless leaders full of self-assurance and zeal. These strong characteristics go hand in hand with their exceptional compassion, natural empathy, and unwavering devotion to helping others.
How the Chinese Zodiac Works
12 months and 353 to 355 days make up the traditional Chinese lunisolar year (or during a leap year, 13 months and 383 to 385 days).
As a result, the Chinese calendar year normally starts several weeks after the western 365-day year (usually between January 21 and February 20), rather than on January 1 of the Gregorian calendar.
The Chinese zodiac assigns animal signs to each lunar year in a 12-year cycle, as is customary. At the start of each year, the animal designation changes.
On a larger scale, the Chinese lunisolar calendar uses the stem-branch system, a 60-year revolving naming system also known as the Chinese sexagenary cycle, to tally its years. The name of a year is divided into two parts: the celestial stem and the earthly branch.
- The celestial, or heavenly stem, is chosen from a list of ten phrases describing the yin/yang forms of the five elements, which changes on a regular basis.
- Jia, yi, bing, ding, wu, ji, geng, xin, ren, and gui are the stem (wood, fire, earth, metal, and water).
- The terrestrial, or earthly, branch is chosen from a rotating list of the Chinese zodiac’s 12 animal names.
As a result of combining the stem and branch terminology, the first year of a 60-year cycle is known as jia-zi (Year of the Rat), with jia (celestial stem) and zi (terrestrial branch). The following year is designated as yi-chou (Year of the Ox), and so on. The eleventh year is jia-xu, and so on until a new cycle begins with jia-zi.
Which Chinese Zodiac Sign Are You?
The Chinese zodiac’s 12 animal signs are listed here. (Please note that if you were born before the start of the Chinese New Year in the year given, you were born under the preceding Chinese zodiac sign.) The Chinese New Year, for example, began on January 28, 2017, and the Rooster has been the sign ever then. The Monkey is the zodiac sign for persons born between January 1 and January 27, 2017.):
Tiger (Yin)
You are brave because you are forthright and sensitive. You have the potential to be a strong leader with a lot of empathy. Compatibility with both horses and dogs. The monkey is your polar opposite.
What is the Chinese zodiac’s first sign?
Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig are the 12 Chinese zodiac signs, in order: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig. Each sign is named after a different animal, each with its own set of traits.
What Chinese zodiac sign is the first to appear this year?
Each year is attributed to one of the Zodiac’s 12 signs. The Chinese year 2021 is the Year of the Ox, which begins on February 12, 2021 and ends on January 31, 2022. The Year of the Tiger will begin on February 1, 2022, and will end on January 21, 2023.
According to the Chinese zodiac, what year is 2020?
2020 is the Year of the Rat, which begins on January 25th and ends on February 11th, 2021. It’ll be a year of Metal Rats. The year of the Ox will begin in 2021. In the Chinese zodiac cycle, the Year of the Rat is the first sign. According to the Chinese zodiac fable, the quick-witted rat urged the hardworking ox to take him on a trip across the river and jumped off before the ox crossed the finish line, winning the race and becoming the first of the zodiac animals.
Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig are the 12 zodiac animals, in order. Every 12 years, there is a Rat year.
Which Chinese zodiac is the most fortunate?
The rat is the first of the twelve Chinese zodiac signs. It’s also regarded to be the luckiest zodiac signperhaps because the first one is always the greatest. People born in the year of the rat will have good fortune. They will have a better chance of living a happy and prosperous life.
Rats born into wealthy homes will receive financial assistance from their families in order to succeed in their jobs.
People born in the year of the rat excel at seizing opportunities and making the most of them in order to achieve success in life. When they are having challenges in their employment or education, they will seek assistance from others.
Rat guys have a good chance of marrying a beautiful wife since they are quick-witted and intelligent. Details regarding the Rat’s Horoscope in 2022 may be found here.
Is there a new Chinese zodiac?
Do you know what Chinese zodiac sign you belong to? Chinese astrology has been practiced for thousands of years and uses a distinct set of zodiac signs than Western astrology.
Unlike Western zodiac signs, which are based on your birth date and fluctuate monthly, Chinese zodiac signs are based on your birth year and change annually. Following the Year of the Ox in 2021 and the Year of the Rat in 2020, the Year of the Tiger will begin on February 1, 2022, with the Lunar New Year beginning on February 1.
The date of the Lunar New Year varies from year to year, although it always falls between January 21 and February 20. This is due to the fact that it is based on the lunisolar calendar rather than the Gregorian calendar. It occurs on the second New Moon after the winter solstice, to be precise (the date of which also varies a bit from year to year but is usually December 21 or 22it was December 21 in 2021). Oh, and if you were born in January or February, double-check to see if your birthday happened before or after the Lunar New Year in the year you were born, as this will have an impact on your Chinese zodiac sign.
Is 2021 a good year to start a family?
According to lunar astrology, the year of the ox, 2021, is an excellent year for giving birth. According to Lunar knowledge, the highest possibilities for having a baby boy are in July, and the best chances for having a baby girl are in April.
What does 2021’s Year of the Ox imply?
The Chinese zodiac signs are represented by twelve animals in Chinese astrology. Each year, a different animal and its personality qualities are attributed to each month of the year. The Year of the Ox, which begins in 2021, is thought to offer stability and tranquillity. It is prophesied that this year would be full with wonderful prospects and economic prosperity.
In China, what do rats represent?
Rat (Chinese Zodiac) The rat is a symbol of shyness and meanness, and is one of the symbolic animals associated with the first of the Twelve Terrestrial Branches. A rat is a symbol of fertility, reproduction, and wealth (since the species proliferate quickly and abundantly and always finding hoards to eat).