Top 10 to know about the new year of the moon

Lunar New Year is a festival beyond comparison. Technically, it is determined by the moon calendar, but it is always decided from January to mid -February, but for many people, Chunji (Spring Festival) is similar to a 40 -day celebration. Related trips are called the largest immigration of humans worldwide. China has accommodated 1.4 billion people (18.4 % of the world's total population, who counts), and nearly 3 billion people nationwide have returned to their hometowns. Here are 10 important things to know about this large -scale annual event.

Name the holiday

Holidays are not celebrated only in mainland China and Hong Kong. For Chinese, the new year of the moon is a spring festival, and in countries where many Chinese, such as Singapore and Malaysia, are widely celebrated in Taiwan and Southeast Asia. In Korea, the new year of the moon is called SEOLLAL. Vietnam, Tet. And Tibet, Rosar.

(Related: See Hong Kong like NAT GEO Explorer.)

“Happy new year!”

In Mandarin, it will be called GONG XI Fa Cai. In Cantonese, it is Gong Hey Fatchoi. Nevertheless, if you want someone for Xin Nian Kuai Le (New Year), it will be literally welcomed, “Happy New Year”.

I hear the firecrackers are popping out

Until the spring festival, the street in China sounded like a war zone. The firecracker exploded all night. Following the large tightening of people who cause fireworks in urban areas, you will probably hear only these sounds in small towns and countryside. Bamboats fulfill two purposes. One is fun and celebration. Second, they departed traditionally to scare the dragon lion Monster Nian. As the legend has, they attack villagers and sometimes eat children, but they may be scared of loud noise.

(Related: Learn about other top New Year celebrations around the world.)

Please read the constellation in China

This year is a snake year. There are 12 Chinese constellations, which are much more serious than the back of the tabide. Dragon is authoritative, strong, and successful, so some signs like a dragon are outraged. The couple aims to give birth to a baby in the year of the dragon. It is said that a specific sign is often matched with others: dogs (sincere, faithful, independence) and rabbits (sensitive, modest, warm) are considered good pairing. Your sign will be determined by the date of birth using the monthly calendar. So if you are born between February 17, 1988 and February 5, 1989, you are a dragon. You may be lucky to have your Zodiac year (Benmingnian, your favorite year), but that's the opposite. You need to be careful about bad luck and avoid it.

Look at red everywhere

In traditional and modern Chinese culture, red represents prosperity and happiness. It is considered a lucky color, and people will celebrate the new year and to keep the bad atmosphere away from the bad atmosphere. Jumpsuit, sweater, trousers, scarves, socks, hats, everything is a game. If it is the year of your constellation, you need to wear more red than others and build yourself from misfortune. Monster Nian is afraid of red in addition to scared of noise. So, probably red may not be your favorite color, and you probably want to be closely protected every day. It is a place where red underwear is useful. If you enter a department store from December to February, or stop at one of many street stalls that sell socks and underwear, you will see a pair of pairs.

Decorate for good luck

Walk around the old neighborhood of a Chinese city (or countryside) and see the decorated people's windows, walls, and doors are displayed. The square of the red paper of a white character such as Fuku (Fú, lucky luck) is paste diagonally. A red paper cutting is fastened on the window with tape, and passers -by can praise them, and a red banner (two vertical, the third hanging type of options) showed off the spring festival couplet. Masu. Similarly, in old areas, it is not unusual to see a huge salted fish hanging from the dry power line next to the laundry. Fish that symbolize prosperity is needed for the Lunar New Year. Fish (鱼, yu) is a homogeneous synonym for the surplus (yu), meaning surplus or excess. In public buildings such as offices, hotels, and malls, visitors will have tassel -stretched red paper lanterns, and will notice Cumcat trees arranged for good luck and wealth. In Mandarin, Kumcut is called Jinju (Kinachibana), and Jin (Friday) is a gold word.

Exchange envelope

Honbao (红。), which is literally a “red packet”, is an important element of the Lunar New Year. The internal cash is considered a lucky money next year. Honbao is generally given to the younger generation, especially children, but if you make a lot, it is polite to share it with your parents and grandparents at this time. If you are married, you need to give Honbao. If you are single, you usually receive it. If you are invited to someone's house for the New Year in China and know that you have children, it's a good idea to put cash in Hong Kong. If you are traveling north, ask for a round number. Use lucky numbers (6 to 8) in the south. Do not give four multiples. The number is the homogeneous sentence of death.

Cut your hair quickly

It's good to be in the New Year without a split end, but for many people celebrating the spring festival. By midnight on New Year's Day, the hair salon is crowded with drinking, and I want to go out of last year's bad luck and go out with a beautiful and glossy slate. Then, we will not wash 24 hours to avoid the luck.

Rent the date

China's only child generation is now in his late 30s or early 40s. Many are calm down to two parents and four grandparents. Taobao -Tech Titan Alibaba's Amazon competitors are considered the world's largest e -commerce website. Enhance the solution. You can rent a boyfriend or girlfriend. The price is different, but if a fake needs to move far away to his hometown, expect to pay more than a day per day for about $ 10 per day.

(Related: Read about the young and lonely heart of China in China.)

Please look forward to it

The spring festival is celebrated at home with your family. The restaurant is closed, but it will be pushed into the pile plate of DUMP (Jiao Zi) until the New Year. The second symbol, Jiao, means “exchange”, and the child (Zi) is an abbreviation from 11:00 pm to 1:00 am. In the city, you will not be invited to someone's house for dinner. Red lantern canopy is stretched overhead, and performance is held every day. Rice square) and jiaoquan (or the most delicious cruis soaked in fresh soy milk).