Hollywood, MD – If you have already gotten used to 2017 but want to keep celebrating, the Chinese have given us reason to keep the New Year’s party going for at least another week. Saturday, Jan. 28 is Chinese New Year’s Day, the first day of the Chinese lunar calendar. That last fact should tell you that the day does not occur every year on the same day on our Gregorian calendar, which is a solar calendar.
According to the web site China Highlights, the Chinese New Year’s Day always occurs between Jan. 21 and Feb. 20. “Like Christmas/New Year in other countries, Chinese New Year is simply a much-needed winter holiday at an auspicious time,” the site states. The spirit of the day is part of China’s agrarian heritage, as the holiday was considered a period of rest for farmers. “Chinese New Year was set to coincide with the slack time just before a new year of farm work begins, as a time of preparation, China Highlights states. “When most Chinese were farmers this made sense. Now 55 percent of China’s population is urban—a generation ago it was 25 percent—but 100 million-plus return to their roots for Chinese New Year. Chinese traditionally celebrated the start of a new year of farm work, and wished/prayed for a good harvest. Now it has evolved into celebrating the start of a new business year and wishing for profits and success in various vocations.”
Chinese New Year 2017 is the start of the year of the Rooster. So, if you were born during a Rooster year that’s good, right? Wrong. You must take measures to avoid bad luck—wear red, wear jade accessories and face away from Tai Sui (this one is really complicated to explain). To achieve that last measure many born in the zodiac year will rearrange furniture. People born in 1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993 and 2005 were born in the year of the Rooster.
Some other Chinese New Year sidebars
Giving red envelopes filled with money as gifts is a custom at Chinese New Year (I’m not particular so if my envelope isn’t red I won’t be upset!)
Certain foods are eaten during the festival because of their symbolic meanings. Eating fish is believed to bring a surplus of money and good luck for the coming year. Other fare connected with the celebration includes dumplings, spring rolls, rice cakes and rice balls.
It’s also a time for shooting off firecrackers but fire officials throughout Maryland frown on this. Those born in the year of the Rooster especially shouldn’t be lighting fireworks—and now you know why!
Happy Chinese New Year!
Contact Marty Madden at marty.madden@thebaynet.com