January
22nd marks the first day of the Chinese New Year.
Here we explain the significance of the day and how it will be
celebrated in Manchester.
The Imperial Arch
New
Year in Chinatown
Also
known as the Spring Festival, the date of the new year is determined
by the new moon, and celebrations traditionally last until the appearance
of the full moon 15 days later.
As the year of the ram/sheep/goat exits, the year of the monkey
will begin. Preparations for the Chinese New year usually begin
about a month before the date.
Houses are given a thorough spring cleaning from top to bottom to
get rid of any bad luck, and decorated with ‘red couplets’ which
are Chinese good luck sayings written on red paper.
Debts are repaid, hair is cut and new clothes and presents are bought.
On New Year’s Eve houses are brightly lit and families sit together
for a large meal. Most people stay up all night celebrating and
at midnight fireworks and firecrackers are set off to frighten away
evil spirits.
New
Year in Chinatown
On
New year’s Day itself children wake up early to find small red envelopes
containing money, a tradition called Hong Bao meaning ‘red packet’.
Unmarried adults will also receive packets of money.
Greetings of ‘Kung Hey Fat Choi’ are exchanged. There are many rituals
and taboos associated with Chinese New Year.
Cleaning
a house on New Year’s Day runs the risk of washing or sweeping away
good luck. For the same reason washing hair is avoided. Sharp implements
are also avoided as they run the risk of cutting the threads of
good fortune brought in at New Year.
The
Lantern festival marks the end of the festivities on the 15th day
of the Chinese New Year. This is celebrated with lantern displays
and a dragon dance where a huge dragon head and body supported by
a team of dancers weaves it’s way around the streets collecting
money on it’s route.
Kung
Hey Fat Choi
