What is Lunar New Year?

Typically, in America, we celebrate the new year with fireworks, parties, and parting ways with bad habits in preparation for a fresh start, but how do other parts of the world commemorate a new beginning?

Lunar New Year, also known as Chinese New Year or the Spring Festival, is a 15-day celebration that marks the start of spring and the beginning of a new year on the lunar calendar. It is a rich cultural event typically celebrated by East Asian countries such as China, South Korea, and Vietnam, with specific traditions varying in each area. 

To prepare for the new year, it is customary to clean your house thoroughly to remove any bad luck that might follow you. Doors are decorated with couplets telling of wishes for the coming year; homes are adorned with red paper cuttings, a tradition that began from a legend of the monster, Nian, who was believed to feast on human flesh on New Year’s Day. It was said Nian feared the color red, along with loud noises and fire. As a way to drive the beast away, the people burned lanterns throughout the night and lit firecrackers to frighten it. 

Nian, a keystone of Lunar New Year celebrations, has been a part of Chinese mythology for hundreds- or thousands- of years.

Beginning with the first new moon of the lunar calendar, the festival kicks off with the Lunar New Year’s Eve reunion dinner, a time when families reconnect through a feast with significant cultural dishes. Often served are yuan xiao- sticky rice balls seen as a symbol of family unity- fa gao, which is known as prosperity cake, and fish- a symbol of abundance. 

Many festivities take place throughout the 15 days of the celebration. Similar to a New Year celebration in America, there are dances, fireworks, and parades characterized by colorful costumes and traditional music. 

The full moon on the lunar calendar marks the end of the lunar new year and the beginning of the night known as the Lantern Festival. Although it is the final night, the celebration is as jubilant as ever; children carry colorful lanterns around the neighborhood, a tradition derived from a legend going back as far as the Han Dynasty. It is said the Jade Emperor wanted retaliation for the townspeople killing his goose, and he planned to burn the village down. However, he was outsmarted by a fairy who cleverly told the people to light lanterns all across the town. The Emperor mistook the bright lantern light for flames- thus, the village was spared. To express their gratitude for being saved, the people commemorate the event yearly for the Lunar New Year. 

Lunar New Year is not only a celebration of a new beginning, it is also a time for families to reconnect and create memories and new traditions.