2022 may have already begun for the Western world, but in China (and some other East Asian countries) the new year is yet to arrive.
To celebrate the beginning of a new year, China holds its most important festival, the Chinese New Year, also known as Lunar New Year or Spring Festival.
This event happens according to the Chinese Lunar calendar and this year it is set to take place on the 1st of February.
Each year of the Chinese calendar celebrates one of the 12 zodiac animals who all have specific characteristics and evoke different tales in old Chinese folk. 2022 is the Year of the Tiger, known as the king of all beasts in China.
According to the Chinese zodiac, the tiger is associated with power, lordliness, competitiveness, self-confidence, bravery, willpower, and strength.
Celebrations and Festivities
While the Chinese New Year originates in Asia, it is celebrated worldwide and has a significant impact on western popular culture, particularly in the entertainment industry.
For instance, games such as Cyberpunk 2077 feature settings where Chinese New Year celebrations can be seen, with dragons flying on the street.
Also, in the online gambling sector, virtual casinos such as Genesiscasino.com/en-gb feature online slots machines that celebrate this event, such as “Chinese New Year” and “Dragon Tiger” which feature symbols related to culture.
Both games draw inspiration from the 12 zodiac animals who are included as winning symbols and feature traditional Chinese music.
For anyone in Swindon interested in celebrating this festival locally, there are several options and events to fully enjoy the season. As part of the celebrations, many Chinese restaurants will be hosting special events that include traditional Chinese meals.
Festivities are also set to happen in Bristol, with the Bristol International Student Centre setting up a celebration that promises to be a unique experience that includes authentic food from the Far East and lots of fun.
Similarly, Bristol Museum & Art Gallery will carry a series of events that feature traditional Chinese dances, martial arts demonstrations, and many entertaining activities to mark the New Year.
Tradition and History
Back in China, the yearly festival traditionally lasts about two weeks. It kicks off with Chinese New Year’s Eve and comes to an end with the Lantern Festival, also known as the Shangyuan Festival.
This final event, which is celebrated worldwide, as detailed by britannica.com, is usually marked by carrying lanterns in a night time parade.
In modern China, the New Year’s celebration is a time when millions of people return to their hometowns to spend a few days with their families. For many, it is the only time to see their family again, and therefore it is quite common for gifts to be exchanged.
In rural areas of China, the New Year also has a very important meaning, as it starts the period of preparation for planting rice, one of the most important crops in local agriculture.
While traditions differ according to each location there is a common theme to the festivities: the celebration of the new year and wishing for prosperity and luck.
Chinese mythology says that the practice of celebrating the New Year arose when an elder appeared in a village saying that wearing red, decorating the streets with red lanterns and inscriptions and bursting fireworks were the ways to scare off a monster called Nian.
Historically speaking, some believe that New Year’s celebrations date back to the period of Emperor Yao (around 2200 BC), but the first records of the celebration in China date back to the period of the Han dynasty (between the 3rd and 3rd centuries AD).
For anyone interested in learning more about different cultures and their traditions, the Chinese New Year is the perfect opportunity to do so while celebrating and eating delicious food.
