A Festive Journey: Discovering the Richness of Chinese Lunar New Year Celebrations in Asia
How does the Chinese New Year unfold? The Spring Festival, often called Lunar New Year, is a significant traditional Chinese celebration that marks the beginning of the Chinese New Year. It is the beginning of the first month according to the old Chinese calendar. While the Gregorian calendar marks the beginning of a new year, the traditional Chinese lunisolar calendar marks the conclusion of the year for the Chinese people. In China, the New Year is celebrated for sixteen days, starting on the first day of the traditional calendar and ending with the first full moon. The Lunar New Year will start this year on 10th February, 2024.
Every nation has its own unique manner of celebrating it, even though it is observed globally. Each city with a sizable Chinese community has its own special method of celebrating. To help you ring in the New Year with a bang, we’ve compiled a list of the top Chinese New Year celebrations throughout Asia, complete with parades and fireworks
How do people celebrate Chinese New Year?
It is also called the Spring Festival, which is another name for the Chinese New Year. across the course of thousands of years, people from all across China come together to honor this most serious holiday, which takes several shapes depending on the location in question.
When we celebrate the New Year, we do it with the intention of letting go of the negative and the old and making room for the positive and the new. This is a time to honor the dead, drive out bad spirits, and ask for a bountiful crop.
It is now being observed by Chinese communities abroad. Some examples of these vibrant events include temple festivals, lion and dragon dances, flower market shopping, and many more.
Before the New Year, many individuals clean their homes to remove clutter, trash, and other unwelcome things. In addition to purchasing ingredients for banquet specialties, they will renovate the rooms with red couplets, lanterns, fresh flowerpots, and furnishings.
Because the New Year is a time for family gatherings, those who are away for business or other reasons often go back home before the celebration. Tens of millions of people use the extensive public transportation networks or private transportation in China to return home to be with their families during what is now called Chun Yun (Moving in the Spring).
What stories and myths are told to celebrate Chinese New Year?
Various parts of China celebrate the Chinese New Year with their own unique myths and legends.
There was a planet full of ghosts once, so the myth goes. There was a mountain with a large peach tree that stretched over the huge area that was contained inside it. This tree was occupied by a golden rooster. Every time the rooster crows, the specters would hastily make their way back from their nocturnal adventures. On each side of the gate leading into the afterlife were two Door Gods. The Door Gods would chastise a returning spirit if it had done something bad the night before. People think that the couplets shown at the Spring Festival may ward off evil spirits and ill luck, and this is where the practice originated.
Another legend has it that long ago in China there lived a unicorn beast. Nian was the name of the aggressive unicorn. Though it spent most of its time below, it sometimes surfaced to harass humans and steal their cattle. The whole hamlet, young and old alike, would take refuge in the bushes every year as New Year’s Eve drew closer, evading the monster each time.
There was once a wise old man who claimed to possess the magical ability to ward off this monster. The beast reappeared one night with the intention of plundering the community, but just as he was about to do so, a barrage of loud and unexpected firecrackers went off. Laughter erupted from the senior in the crimson robe as he arrived.
As soon as it saw this, the beast was so embarrassed that it ran away in terror. The locals began celebrating the occasion annually by adorning their houses with crimson decorations and setting off fireworks. Over time, decorating for the New Year with blaring music and crimson decorations has become a tradition.
Top 6 best places in Asia to celebrate Chinese Lunar New Year
Shanghai, China
Shanghai is a great place for tourists and people who live outside of China to experience a mix of familiar and traditional Chinese culture. The Yuyuan Old Town Bazar radiates a soft orange color under the beautiful light displays, and people from all over the world watch as traditional acts wind through the Yuyuan Garden. To take advantage of the Chinese New Year deals, you can also ring the bells and burn joss sticks at the 1403-year-old City God Temple or the 242 AD Longhua Temple. You can also go on a shopping spree on Nanjing Road, which is one of the busiest shopping streets in the world. To celebrate the New Year, many people buy new clothes, especially red clothes, and things for their homes.
Singapore
Singapore’s people are mostly from the Chinese, Indian, and Malaysian ethnic groups. The Chinese New Year celebrations are an interesting mix of old and new practices, as well as the effects of many different cultures. In Singapore, the lively Chinese New Year event has brought people together at the River Hongbao every year since 1987. A great outdoor food market and streets lit up with pre-war shophouses, churches, and clan homes are where most of the celebrations take place. Don’t miss the red and gold lanterns and lights that are spread out across Victorian and Baroque buildings, as well as the traditional song and dance performances, foreign foods, and amazing fireworks shows. The International Lion Dance Competition, street bazaars, athletic carnival shows, and parties and shows every night are all examples of activities that use traditional songs and dance. It really is a Carnival!
Hong Kong, China
It’s easy to see that Hong Kong is painted RED for the Chinese New Year! The parties began with the famous Tsim Sha Tsui night parade, which goes along the harborfront and has bright, colorful boats and intricately planned dance routines that rain down confetti and other fancy decorations. The show is one of the best things to see in Hong Kong. It lasts for almost thirty minutes and includes traditional dragon and lion dances as well as amazing fireworks. There is also the Wheel of Fortune at the Peak of Hong Kong Island for tourists who want to get lucky. From there, you can get gifts and see amazing views of Central, Victoria Harbor, Lamma Island, and more.
Kuala Lumpur and Malaysian states of Penang
Like many other multiethnic countries, Malaysia is home to Malays, Chinese, Indians, and several indigenous Bumiputra communities. Thus, it should come as no surprise that even the New Year is celebrated in Malaysia in a variety of ways. George Town Heritage District on the island of Penang is much more famous for its celebrations of the Chinese New Year, although Kuala Lumpur, the bustling capital of Malaysia, also has temples where the festival is observed, including Thean Hou, one of the biggest and oldest temples in Southeast Asia.
People in Kuala Lumpur tend to be more restrained when it comes to celebrating. Temples are bustling with worshippers who come to honor the gods, ignite joss sticks, burn paper cuttings to honor the ancestors, and take in the ornate décor. In the evening, when the streets come alive with the sounds of open-air markets and fireworks, malls come alive with dazzling decorations and little parties. Because of its large Chinese community, Penang hosts one of Malaysia’s busiest Chinese New Year events. The Penang Chinese Clan Council annually decorates George Town with lanterns and colorful lights, and the town’s squares are set ablaze with parades, dragon dances, and fireworks, creating an atmosphere that is both festive and welcoming.
Bangkok, Thailand
Since Bangkok is fortunate to have the greatest Chinatown in Thailand, it gladly accepts the honor of hosting the country’s largest Chinese New Year festival. Although the event is often celebrated across three days, the bulk of the festivities happen on the actual New Year’s Day, and the Chinese community takes a day off to enjoy themselves. Around midday, the streets are filled with parades, but throughout the day, the Chinese travel to temples to worship and honor the elderly.
As the sun sets above the Chinatown Gate, the red lanterns adorn the vendor-lined streets of Chinatown, setting the scene for a colorful procession complete with drummers, dancers, floats, and lanterns. As a way to honor the long history of Chinese influence in Thailand, the Chinese community celebrates the new year with a plethora of traditional parades and performances. The Thai princess often opens the festivities and is a sight to see as she joins in the excitement all day long. As the procession marches on with its LED-lit long dragon, acrobats whirl in the air, and musicians perform nonstop, the city takes on a stunning hue of crimson at night.
Is this the first time you’ve celebrated Chinese New Year at one of these locations? If that’s the case, please share your story with us below! If that isn’t the case, now would be a perfect moment to bring out the red lanterns, stage grand parades, extravagant red displays, and the legendary Golden Dragon, wouldn’t you agree?
Macau, China
Just one week from now, we’ll be saying goodbye to the Rooster Year and hello to the Dog Year. The Lunar New Year begins on February 16, and there are several ways to celebrate and welcome it with a new beginning. To make the most of your time in Macau over the holiday season, I suggest reading this article.
In preparation for the Lunar New Year, gather your belongings and go to Macau to experience the city’s famous love of festivals and its distinctive blend of Chinese and Portuguese influences. With the arrival of the new year, the city will come alive with a variety of festivities as the sky is illuminated by fireworks and the ground is covered with parades, flowers, lanterns, dancers, and enthusiastic revelers. There are a lot of posh hotels that are having sales on themed dinners and hotel and spa packages. Macau is a one-of-a-kind city, so celebrate with gusto while honoring long-standing customs and creating new ones.
At the Chinese New Year, what dishes are traditionally eaten?
In Chinese culture, the most significant meal of the year is the New Year’s Eve feast, when family gathers to celebrate the arrival of the new year. Even though everyone’s had a rough year, they still make an effort to put the greatest food on the table for the New Year’s Eve feast.
various parts of China have various culinary traditions and staple foods since the nation is so large. For New Year’s Eve supper, “Jiaozi” (dumplings) is the most popular dish in many regions of Northern China. Jiaozi come in a variety of flavors, each paired with a unique filling—be it meat, fish, or veggies.
The New Year’s Eve supper dishes in southern China, especially in coastal regions like Guangdong, Fujian, Zhejiang, etc., are even more varied and colorful.
In general, regardless of where you are in the country, a fish dish would be a staple at most banquets. This is due to the fact that the symbols for “fish” and “plenty” are almost identical. The tradition of serving fish at the New Year’s Eve feast represents the “Niannian Youyu” (enjoying abundant prosperity year after year).
Laba Congee is also eaten by residents in the Beijing area and other northern regions of China. Rice, peanuts, dried fruit, lotus seeds, almonds, sugar, etc. are all ingredients in this meal that represent the harvest from the previous year.
Nian Gao, also known as New Year’s cake, is consumed by the majority of southerners rather than Laba Congee. One kind of cake is Nian Gao, which is made by steaming sticky glutinous rice with cane sugar.
A “cake” made from sticky rice flour, Tang Yuan has the form of a ping-pong ball. Bean or nut powder with sugar is a common filler, and it is often cooked and enjoyed with soup. Eating sticky rice balls during the new year symbolizes family happiness and reunion since the Chinese word for reunion, Tang Yuan, sounds similar to Tuan Yuan.
How else does the Chinese New Year vary from one place to another?
On New Year’s Eve, the majority of people in Northern China choose to do shou Sui. When making Jiaozi, the whole family pitches in to load dumplings with peanuts, dates, chestnuts, and meat—and sometimes coins (to represent luck)—and bake them together. People would go to the temple fairs first thing in the morning and continue to do so throughout the following days. They would also see vibrant street entertainment.
After a hearty New Year’s Eve meal, it is customary in southern China for family members to gather around the stove for some sunflower seeds, television, and lively conversation. On the first day of the new year, certain areas, including Hong Kong, observe a vegetarian diet. Eating vegetables represents a fresh start of new funds for the next year since the Cantonese word for vegetables, 菜, sounds like wealth, 订 cai. The south of China is more fond of street entertainment like Lion and Dragon dances, whereas the north prefers visiting temples.
Could you please tell us anything further about the Chinese New Year?
Traditional Chinese New Year celebrations in the United Kingdom and other Western nations often take place the weekend after the actual New Year’s Day. Reason being, unless it’s a weekend, most individuals will have to work on New Year’s Day.
It doesn’t matter whether it’s on a Saturday or Sunday; the majority of folks would still want to remain in and have a hearty family meal. People in the West don’t have it so simple when it comes to gathering from the tiny towns and villages where they work and reside, unlike in China, Hong Kong, and the Far East in general. Consequently, the ideal time to have a public gathering is on the weekend immediately after New Year’s Day, after the actual holiday has passed.
Midway through January on the Chinese calendar is when the traditional Chinese New Year festivities would conclude. However, as of late, some Chinese and Hong Kong residents have opted to go on vacation beginning on the second or third day after the New Year rather than remain at home for the whole celebration. The majority of people who take this brief vacation around the new year go to Southeast Asian countries.
Conclusion
No matter where you are in the world—in China, South Korea, or anywhere else—you will be able to celebrate the Chinese Lunar New Year with your loved ones via shared customs, exquisite cuisine, and spectacular performances.
Finally, for everyone of Chinese descent all over the world, the Chinese Lunar New Year is a joyous and beloved holiday. This joyous event provides a rare opportunity to experience the grandeur and relevance of Chinese culture via its storied past, enduring traditions, and varied regional practices. Lunar New Year celebrations include lion dances, red envelope exchanges, and delicious family feasts that bring people together in celebration of the coming year. A tribute to the perseverance and customs of the Chinese people, this joyous festival keeps changing and adapting to the contemporary world. Everyone who celebrates the Lunar New Year, may each year bring you joy, wealth, and limitless prospects.
