(CNN Español) –– The Chinese New Year officially starts on February 12, making it the longest and most important celebration on that calendar. A holiday that lasts 15 days and is the equivalent of combining Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years. In 2021 we will say goodbye to the year of the rat and welcome the year of the ox.
However, this is the second Chinese New Year to come in the shadow of the coronavirus. What is the largest migration in the world every year has been suspended. The Chinese government asked to avoid non-essential travel during the holidays to prevent another outbreak of Covid-19. And that means millions of people will stop traveling to their hometown or cities to celebrate the Chinese New Year.
For many Chinese people who left their places of origin in search of jobs in the big cities, this is the only chance to see their families this year. Parents who have left their children in the villages to work can live without them for another 12 months. To dissuade people from traveling, China’s National Health Commission has imposed new measures requiring people returning to rural areas to submit a negative covid-19 test administered in the past 7 days and then in 14 days upon arrival. home observation ‘.
But what exactly is the Chinese New Year, despite the pandemic? Here we explain everything you need to know about this celebration that extends to many countries in Asia.
What is the Chinese New Year?
This is actually not the official name: in China, the festivities are known as the Spring Festival or Lunar New Year. Exactly, they start with the second moon after the winter solstice, a date that in the Gregorian calendar can run from the end of January to the middle of February. In 2022 it will be Friday February 12th when the year of the ox begins.
No day is celebrated either. The Chinese New Year celebrations begin on the first day of the first lunar month in the Chinese calendar and span 15 days when the full moon arrives. It’s a time when families usually congregate and travel long distances to get home to see their loved ones. A tradition that has been threatened by the corona virus for two years in a row. For many, this is the only chance of the year to go home and bring bags of goodies.
Last year, Beijing’s main train station was packed with travelers ahead of Chinese New Year, as authorities had not yet announced that the coronavirus was being passed on from person to person. It was also not admitted that it spread beyond Wuhan, the outbreak’s first epicenter. Two days before the Lunar New Year, this city was completely locked up. However, millions of people in Beijing had already traveled to their places of origin before the holiday began. Which accelerated the spread of the virus.
As it is celebrated?
Each of the 15 days that make up the celebration has its own traditions. For example, on the eve of the Chinese New Year, families gather for dinner. There is also the custom of staying at home to receive happiness or to visit in-laws. In addition, money is given in a red envelope called ‘hong bao’ to children and adults without a partner. In recent years, the gift has migrated to digital.
The tradition of firing fireworks stems from the practice of lighting bamboo stems to ward off evil spirits, such as the half dragon and half lion monster “Nian”, which according to legend comes out of hiding on the Lunar New Year to help people to attack . But his ears are his weakness, so in ancient times people set fire to bamboo stems to scare him. Over time, this led to fireworks.
And the Lunar New Year ends with the Lantern Festival, which is celebrated in the evening with parades and displays of decorated lanterns. The main event of this day is the Dragon Dance: beautiful paper, silk and bamboo dragons are held above their heads and it looks like they will dance during the parade.
Still, many of the traditions are likely to be practiced virtually – or even discontinued – as the coronavirus pandemic continues. Therefore, some tourist sites offer free entry for those forced to spend the festivities outside of their families. Companies also launched tools to help people celebrate a “lunar new year in the cloud,” delivering everything from virtual marketplaces to conference tools and online dinners.
Why is it the year of the ox?
You may be familiar with the 12-year Chinese zodiac calendar, represented by 12 different animals. But in reality it is much more complicated. A year is classified not only by its zodiac animal. There is also a complex sixty-year cycle: a combination of one of the 10 heavenly stems and one of the 12 earthly branches.
February 12 is the start of the year xin chou, according to the sixtieth cycle. “Xin” represents the celestial stem for the metal element, while “chou” is the symbol of the earthly branch of the ox, making it the year of the metal ox, to be precise. Thierry Chow, a feng shui master, explained to CNN’s Maggie Hiufu Wong that the coming year will have “a strong emphasis on the element of metal.” “The metal element represents everything that shines, from jewelery to an injection needle. Therefore, in 2021 we see a greater emphasis on metal-related industries. The ox is a hardworking zodiac sign in Chinese culture. Usually it means movements. So hopefully the world will be less static than last year and will start moving again in the second half of the year.
This calendar plays an important role in making crucial decisions for many people in the coming year, such as getting married or starting a business.
What superstitions characterize the Chinese New Year?
The first is not to take out the trash. The reason? It is said to wipe out happiness and prosperity. You also enjoy time with your family, especially your in-laws and your partner’s relatives, on the second day, which is considered the start of the year.
On the third day, however, it is better not to visit anyone. According to tradition, it is a day open to arguments. You can celebrate by the seventh.
And red is the color that should never be missing: it is associated with happiness and prosperity, but it is mainly used for protection. (The monster “Nian” is also afraid of the color red).
Will the world’s largest migration take place on Chinese New Year?
Yes, before COVID-19 stopped the vast majority of travel around the world, the Chinese New Year was considered the greatest human migration on Earth. In 2020, 3 billion trips were expected during “chunyun”, China’s busy 40-day season, which begins weeks before the Lunar New Year. The Chinese do everything they can to see their loved ones.
Why are the Chinese years identified with animals?
According to Chinese legend, Buddha called all animals to meet him on New Year’s Day and named the years with the 12 animals that came. So the animals on the Chinese calendar are the dog, the pig, the rat, the ox, the tiger, the rabbit, the dragon, the snake, the horse, the sheep, the monkey and the rooster. Tradition also says that people born in any animal year have a characteristic of that animal’s personality.
Featuring information from Nectar Gan, Lily Lee, Maggie Hiufu Wong and David Culver, all from CNN.