The well-known proverb «An old horse knows the way» reflects wisdom gained through experience. As a result, the horse became a powerful cultural symbol of loyalty, endurance, and dedication. Other folklore suggests that the order of the zodiac animals was determined by a great celestial race.
One of the most well-known practices of the current day is receiving money from their elders after performing a formal bow, a tradition likely adopted from Confucian customs.citation needed Nianhua can be a form of Chinese coloured woodblock printing, for decoration during the Chinese New Year. However, this only helps you get even more control over your life as you learn to stay ahead of everything by being cautious. According to Chinese tradition, the year of the pig is a generally unlucky year for the public, which is why you need to reevaluate most of your decisions before you come to a conclusion. On the Chinese opera stage, a painted red face usually denotes a sacred or loyal personage and sometimes a great emperor.
- But long before modern calendars standardised dates, societies measured passing months by the moon, tracking its phases to mark time.
- It’s believed that arguments are more likely to happen on this day, so some people will avoid social interactions and visit temples to make offerings to offset any potential bad luck.
- Every member of the family was then served a bowl, with leftovers distributed to relatives and friends.
- These packets contain money in an amount that reflects good luck and honorability.
- Therefore, on New Year’s Eve, people fled to the deep mountains to avoid the harm of the Nian monster.
- In general, except for those in lucky colours like red and yellow, chrysanthemums should not be displayed at home during the New Year, because they are normally used for ancestral veneration.
- The fifth day of the new year is dedicated to welcoming Cai Shen, the God of Wealth.
A 2026 guide to Lunar New Year as we gallop into the Year of the Horse
As one of the twelve traditional zodiac animals in Chinese culture, the Horse corresponds to the Earthly Branch ‘Wu’ and appears in a twelve-year cyclical pattern within the traditional calendar system. The first and second days of the Lunar New Year are reserved for visiting family and friends. For those born in a Horse year, 2026 is their Ben Ming Nian—a year traditionally believed to bring bad luck due to a clash with Tai Sui, the God of Age. Lunar New Year, also known as Chinese New Year or Spring Festival, marks the start of a new zodiac cycle based on the Chinese lunar calendar. Nowadays, cities worldwide still put on massive lantern displays and fairs on the festival’s final day.
Why do Chinese New Year dates change every year?
- Discover the 12 Chinese zodiac signs, their personality traits, and compatibility.
- Called Yuan Xiao Jie in Mandarin Chinese, it’s considered the perfect ending to the weeks-long Lunar New Year preparations and celebrations.
- The Chinese zodiac system combines a 12-year animal cycle with a 60-year elemental cycle created by pairing the five elements with yin and yang.
- One year, the villagers discovered that Nian feared the color red and loud noises.
- The celebration attracts between 300,000 and 500,000 people yearly, according to the organisers.
The first day of the Chinese New Year falls on the new moon that appears between 21 January and 20 February.a Chinese New Year dates vary slightly between years, but it usually comes during the period from January 21st to February 20th in Gregorian calendar. The Chinese New Year of 2026 falls on February 17th (Tuesday), and will last to February 21th.
Watching Spring Festival Gala (春晚)
A big family reunion dinner is usually held on Lunar New Year’s Eve, which falls on February 16 this year. On a related note, many say you shouldn’t wash or cut your hair on the first day of the new year either. Ringospin Casino The aim is to rid your home of any bad luck that’s accumulated over the past year.
Their son was very sleepy, however, so they let him go to sleep after placing a red paper bag containing the copper coins under the child’s pillow. Red envelopes are then kept under the pillow and slept on for seven nights after the Chinese New Year, before opening, because that symbolizes good luck and fortune. Red packets almost always contain money, usually varying from a couple of dollars to several hundred.
What foods are traditionally eaten during Chinese New Year?
Reunion dinners (particularly in the Southern regions) may prominently feature specialty meats (e.g. wax-cured meats such as duck and Chinese sausage) and seafood (e.g. lobster and abalone) that are usually reserved for special occasions. The New Year’s Eve dinner is very large and sumptuous and traditionally includes dishes of meat (namely, pork and chicken) and fish. The venue will usually be in or near the home of the most senior member of the family. A reunion dinner is held on New Year’s Eve, during which family members gather for a celebration. In China and Malaysia, this day is celebrated by individuals seeking a romantic partner, akin to Valentine’s Day. In some overseas Chinese communities in Southeast Asia, such as Malaysia and Singapore, it is also the day when tossed raw fish salad, yusheng, is eaten for continued wealth and prosperity.
Marking the end of winter and the beginning of spring, this festival takes place from Chinese New Year’s Eve (the evening preceding the first day of the year) to the Lantern Festival, held on the 15th day of the year. As an official public holiday, Chinese people can get nine days’ off from work, from February 4th to February 12. As an official public holiday, Chinese people can get nine days’ off from work, February 15th to February 23th.The Chinese New Year of 2027 falls on February 6th (Tuesday), and will last to February 10th. The horse stands as a revered symbol of freedom, vitality, and unbridled ambition. As the calendar follows the moon’s phases, the holiday falls on different dates each year, usually between late January and mid-February. But long before modern calendars standardised dates, societies measured passing months by the moon, tracking its phases to mark time.
Suddenly, the doors and windows were blown open by a strange wind, and even the candlelight was extinguished. The fever would eventually cause the child to have intellectual disabilities. In the mid-2010s, Chinese messaging apps such as WeChat popularized the distribution of red envelopes in a virtual format via mobile payments, usually within group chats.
How do families typically celebrate the reunion dinner?
On New Year’s Eve, all family members gather together to enjoy a sumptuous dinner. The process of purchasing all Chinese New Year’s goods, including food, wearing, using, pasting (New Year’s red), gifts, etc., is collectively referred to as Spring Festival shopping. It is the year-end household cleaning, symbolizing the elimination of bad luck of the past year. Later one New Year’s Eve, an elderly beggar came from outside the village and told people the methods to drive away the Nian monster.
In ancient Chinese society, it was the only day when young girls were allowed to go out to admire the lanterns and meet boys. It marks the departure of winter and the beginning of the spring season. The highlight of the whole Spring Festival, the Lantern Festival happens on the 15th and final day (March 3 in 2026). Different communities in Asia will serve various “birthday” foods on that day. Day three of the Lunar New Year, which falls on February 19, is named chi kou/cek hau, or red mouth.
As such, the Year of the Horse often becomes a point of dialogue in cross-cultural exchange, illustrating how shared archetypes transcend geographic boundaries. In Greek mythology, Pegasus represents divine inspiration and freedom, while throughout European history the horse has symbolised power, nobility, and movement. Countries shaped by Confucian and East Asian cultural traditions, including South Korea and Vietnam, also observe the lunar New Year cycle. In traditional belief, individuals born in the Year of the Horse are often described as cheerful, energetic, independent, and proactive. Similarly, expressions such as «dragon-horse spirit» evoke boundless vitality, while idioms like «sky-horse soaring across the heavens» metaphorically describe bold imagination and unrestrained aspiration.
The fifth day of the new year is dedicated to welcoming Cai Shen, the God of Wealth. When visiting, it’s customary to bring gifts, such as fruits or beverages, and exchange greetings like Gong Xi Fa Cai (wishing you prosperity) and Guo Nian Hao (happy new year). In the past, the gesture behind the red pockets was more important than the amount of money inside. A key part of this tradition is the exchange of Hong Bao (red envelopes), which carry good wishes.
This is why fireworks and firecrackers are a huge part of the celebrations that take place across the globe. Another is wearing red in some form to ward off evil spirits. But the animals in the zodiac can slightly differ in other countries, like the Boar replacing the Pig in the zodiac in Japan and the dragon being substituted for a mythical creature, known as Naga, in Thailand. All animals were invited, but as a reward, the 12 who arrived and took part had a year named after them in the zodiac, with the race determining in which order the animals would be placed. According to the traditional legend of The Great Race, it was the Jade Emperor who organised a race which saw the 12 species take part.
During this period, red packets are also known as yasuiqian (壓歲錢; 压岁钱; yāsuìqián), which evolved from a homophonous phrase yasuiqian (壓祟錢; 压祟钱; yāsuìqián), literally meaning «money to suppress evil spirits». Like many other New Year dishes, certain ingredients that have names that relate to long life, prosperity, or wealth also take precedence over others. Several of the Chinese food names are homophones for words that also mean good things.
