In 2014, Chinese New Year is on 31st January.
The exact date is calculated according to lunar and solar calendars, so it changes every year.
This year will be the end of the Chinese year of the snake and the beginning of the year of the horse.
A week long celebration will commence this Friday to welcome in the year of the horse
Photograph: Christopher Thomond for the Guardian
What is Chinese New Year?
New Year is one of China's oldest festivals. It marks the beginning of a new year and a new agricultural season, and is considered a time for loved ones to reunite and take part in traditions designed to bring good fortune for the next 12 months.
When is it?
Chinese New Year is held each year between 21 January and 20 February. The main celebration will be held this year on 31 January, although the festival will begin a day earlier. The Chinese calendar's origins can be traced back as far as the 14th century BC. This year's celebrations will mark the beginning of the year 4712 on the Chinese calendar.
Where is it celebrated?
The largest celebrations take place in China, naturally, although countries with a large Chinese population also mark the day. The biggest celebrations outside of mainland China are in Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines.
The largest celebration outside Asia takes place in London. The festival begins on 30 January and the main event will be a huge parade through Chinatown and the West End on Sunday 2 February. There are similar celebrations in Chinatowns in cities around the world.
How is it celebrated?
In China, New Year traditions vary depending on the region, although there are a number of customs that remain at the heart of all Chinese New Year celebrations.
- Out with the old and in with the new. In the run up to New Year, houses are cleaned top to bottom.
- Doorways, windows and various other parts of houses are decorated with red ribbons and banners to ward off evil.
- Chinese New Year is a time for families to reunite and the New Year's Eve meal is the most important of the year.
- It wouldn't be Chinese New Year without fireworks and fire-crackers.
Long ago in China, there lived twelve animals. There was a rat, an ox, a tiger,
a rabbit, a dragon, a snake, a horse, a ram, a monkey, a roster, a dog and a
pig.
When the old year was coming to an end, all the animals began to quarrel
noisily. Each one wanted the New Year to be named after it.
The animals made such a noise that even the king heard the quarrel from far
away.
The king had a clever daughter. She asked the animals why they were
quarrelling.
“I want to have the New Year named after me”, said the tiger.
“Me too”, said the rat.
“Me too”, said the ox.
“Me too”, said the rabbit.
“Me too”, said the dragon.
“Me too”, said the snake.
“Me too”, said the horse.
“Me too”, said the ram.
“Me too”, said the monkey.
“Me too”, said the rooster.
“Me too”, said the dog.
‘Me too”, said the pig.
The princess said, “We shall have a swimming race across this river. The
winner will be named after the New Year. The animals agreed. They lined up
on the bank of the river. “One, two three, go!” shouted the princess.
All the animals jumped into the river and began to swim to the opposite bank.
Very soon the ox was in the lead. But he didn’t see the crafty rat who climbed
up his tail and onto his back.
When the ox was near the bank, the rat ran along the ox’s head and jumped
onto the grass.
“I am the winner!” said the rat.
“Well done”, said the king. “The New Year will be name the Year of the Rat”.
The princess felt sorry for the other animals as, one by one, they finished the
race.
“The next eleven years can be named after the other animals”, she said. And
so the order is, Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Ram, Monkey,
Rooster, Dog and Pig.
British Council
Red packets o envelopes ‘angpow’
Confucio says: Quotes to celebrate Chinese New Year
Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in getting up every time we do.
Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach a man to fish and he will eat for a lifetime.
Chineasy.org - The easiest way to learn Chinese by ShaoLan Hsueh
Rise and shine! Start your day with a morning in Burma photographed by Hamni Juni.
World Tree Day
Bicycles have a magical effect on their riders. There are moments of reflection that only the pedals can give to us–bicycles point out a different way of looking at the world, a cheap technology, non-polluting, that humanizes and harmonizes the city and its inhabitants. - from " Cabelo" , Brazilian artist.
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