All about the lunar new year  

Lunar New Year is a tradition in Asian cultures to celebrate the first new moon in the lunar calendar. This year, it starts on January 29 and lasts sixteen days. It is one of the most important holidays in China and celebrated by people all over Asia. People celebrate by dressing up in red clothes and giving red envelopes with money to loved ones and friends. They also play traditional games and gamble.   

This year is the year of the snake. The snake symbolizes wisdom and transformation, and it is an opportunity for personal growth and change within a person. Unlike most calendars, the Chinese calendar uses names repeated every 60 years, each corresponding to five repeats of the zodiac cycle of 12 animals. The zodiacs include the rat, ox, tiger, hare, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog, and pig. The origins behind the zodiac is a myth that the 12 animals of the Chinese New Year came down from the heavens to help people with their crops and celebrate the coming of spring.  

A part of the tradition involves lighting firecrackers. Firecrackers are a symbol of good fortune and prosperity. Their ancestors believed that the noise of firecrackers would dispel evil spirits. One of the evil spirits is Nian. Nian is a terrifying monster with sharp teeth and horns. It lives in the deep sea every year. On New Year’s Eve, he would reclaim havoc among the villages. One year, one of the villagers realized Nian feared red and loud noises. To protect themselves, they hung out red decorations and lit firecrackers to scare Nian away. 

“Red means luck and happiness in Chinese culture.” Said DBHS Sophomore Evin Hylow, “people wear red and decorated to bring good vibes and scare away bad spirits.”

Lunar New Year is a colorful and deeply ingrained tradition in Asian cultures, heralding the first new moon of the lunar calendar. This sixteen-day celebration is filled with joyful customs like wearing red, exchanging red envelopes, and lighting firecrackers to denote prosperity, good fortune, and sweeping away evil spirits. Being the year of the snake, this Lunar New Year is all about wisdom, transformation, and personal growth. The mythology of the zodiac and tales like Nian’s are a reminder that there is so much cultural significance and historical depth behind the celebrations that make up Lunar New Year a time to be cherished for reflection, renewal, and unity.

Written by Rigby Scott | Graphic Designed by Rigby Scott 

Published January 27, 2024 | ePathfinder | Feature