The Lunar New Year is different from the one that is celebrated on January 1. It is based on the lunar calendar, which follows the cycles of the moon rather than our Gregorian calendar based on the cycles of the sun. Lunar New Year is celebrated in many different cultures, the most well-known being Chinese New Year.
In 2023, the event falls on January 22, but it can happen any time between January 21 and February 20. The new year starts with a new moon.
“Lunar New Year is one of the most important celebrations of the year among East and Southeast Asian cultures, including Chinese, Vietnamese and Korean communities, among others,” said history.com. “The New Year celebration is usually celebrated for multiple (15) days….”
The celebration is about getting rid of the old and the bad and letting in the new and the good. It is also about celebrating family, both living and dead. It is a Spring Festival, and like spring in many parts of the world it is all about cleaning out the home and cleansing the self. It is about setting yourself up for good luck in the new year.
On the Chinese calendar, it is the year 4720. There is also a repeating 12-year cycle with each year represented by an animal. This year is the Year of the Rabbit. The rabbit, actually known as the Water Rabbit according to mirror.co.uk, is a sign of prosperity, peace and longevity. The “Japanese Times” tells us that overall the Year of the Rabbit will bring hope and a balance to the dynamism of 2022.
“In 2022, life was characterized by strength, vitality and growth, underpinned by the dynamism of the tiger, according to the Chinese zodiac,” said the “Japanese Times. “Moreover, as the year was designated as yang, the active principle of the universe in ancient Chinese philosophy, people may have felt enthusiasm, positivity and productivity, but also restlessness and inflexibility…The upcoming Year of the Rabbit, however, embodies yin, the passive principle of the universe, which manifests in relaxation, fluidity, quietness and contemplation.”
There are many Chinese New Year traditions. One is watching lion and dragon dancers. ”In China, Lunar New Year ends with the Lantern Festival, which is a celebration that includes dancing, games, parades, and dragon and lion dances,” says the Royal Museums Greenwich website. “However, you’ll see lion dances and dragon dances performed in China and in Chinatowns throughout Western countries all during the Lunar New Year period, and they are performed to bring prosperity and good luck for the upcoming year.” The Nashville Zoo’s Zoolumination will be celebrating the Chinese New Year, and they offer giant illuminated silk sculptures of dragons and lions.
Another important part of the celebration is “Spring Cleaning.” Preparations for the celebration begin weeks in advance, when families clean their homes from top to bottom to sweep away ill will from the previous way. Next comes decorating with red in the form of paper cuttings, lanterns and flowers. Red brings prosperity and purges negativity.
While cleaning the home, old clothes are purged, but new ones are purchased to wear at a dinner with the entire family after a cleansing bath. At that dinner, one of the most important things to serve is dumplings.
“They resemble ancient Chinese money,” says an npr.com article, are stuffed with humble ingredients like pork and cabbage, and are said to bring fortune to the household.”
The Greater Nashville Chinese Alliance and the Chinese Arts Alliance of Nashville usually offer events to celebrate the New Year. This year they will be offering them online. Details can be found here.
