The last weeks of Summer, normally sweltering with hot and dry weather, and the threat of bushfires, have this year been punctuated by rain and cold weather. It’s lovely to be spared the dog days of Summer (which will be the focus of next week’s article) and to see a green landscape all around when it is usually brown and desiccated but I can’t help feeling uneasy about the increasingly capricious and unseasonal weather. In saying that, thank you to the weather gods for sparing this part of the world from damaging storms, floods or fire (for now at least)!
I’ve enjoyed distracting myself with traditions from a completely different part of the world and I thought you might be interested too. In a couple of days, February 10 to be exact, many Asian communities and diasporas will celebrate Lunar New Year. Let’s take a quick look at the history, traditions, customs and of course, food that mark this widely celebrated time of year.
If you live in a place that has a strong Asian community, why not immerse yourself in some of the loud and colourful festivities, and enjoy some delicious food while you are at it?
The History of Lunar New Year
The Lunar New Year is also known as Chinese New Year or the Spring Festival. As with the European seasonal celebrations that we have been exploring in Wheel & Cross so far, the Southern Hemisphere’s seasons are out-of-sync and often opposite to the Northern Hemisphere’s seasons, and that includes many parts of Asia. So, although the Lunar New Year has its roots as an early Spring festival, it is celebrated in late Summer in the Southern Hemisphere.
The Lunar New Year begins with the first new moon of the lunar calendar and concludes on the first full moon, spanning 15 days. The exact dates vary each year, falling between January 21 and February 20 according to Western calendars.
Its origins date back over 3,500 years in Ancient China. One legend tells of a fearsome and hideous beast named Nian (meaning “Year”) that ate livestock, crops and even human flesh. Nian was afraid of the colour red, loud noises, and fire. To ward off Nian, people pasted red paper decorations on doors, burned lanterns all night, and lit firecrackers. Watch the video at the end of this article for a more in-depth (and more entertaining) explanation.
Lunar New Year Customs
In many regions, a common custom to prepare for New Year celebrations involves a practice known as “sweeping of the grounds.” About 10 days before the new lunar year, houses undergo thorough cleaning to remove lingering bad luck.
New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day are reserved for family celebrations and religious ceremonies honouring ancestors. Rituals involve offering food and paper icons to ancestors, family reunions are celebrated with traditional foods and feasts. Red paper and banners inscribed with calligraphy messages of good health and fortune adorn homes. Elders give out lai see, red envelopes containing money to children, as a symbol of prosperity.
Community celebrations include lion, dragon and other traditional dances, as well as fireworks and firecrackers. Dragon boat races are also popular. Traditional foods like yuanxiao (sticky rice balls), fagao (prosperity cake), and yusheng (raw fish and vegetable salad) are enjoyed for their taste and symbolic meanings.
The celebrations culminate in the Lantern Festival, called Yuan Xiao, held on the last day of the New Year, at the full moon. Colourful lanterns symbolising peace, forgiveness and reconciliation illuminate homes, while streets and parks are filled with night-time parades of creative and symbolically made lanterns.
The video (3:52 mins) below provides a good summary of the Lantern Festival’s history and traditions.
Zodiac Animals and Elements
Each year in the Lunar calendar corresponds to one of the 12 zodiac animals. These animals include the rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog, and pig. Additionally, five elements—earth, water, fire, wood, and metal—are mapped onto the traditional lunar calendar. Each year is associated with an animal that corresponds to an element.
In 2024, we welcome the Year of the Wood Dragon, which last appeared 60 years ago in 1964.
Those born in the Year of the Dragon are charming, confident, charismatic leaders who are comfortable in the spotlight. With high levels of intelligence, ambition and energy, they set lofty goals but value their independence. Like their zodiac animal, Dragons can also be temperamental and impatient.
Dragons were born in the years 1916, 1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000 and 2012. Their lucky colours are yellow and green.
Sydney Morning Herald (5 Feb 2024)
The South China Morning Post has an interesting visual article on All you need to know about dragons.
The video (5:10 mins) below provides an excellent summary of the history and customs of the Lunar New Year.
I hope you enjoyed this short exploration of the Asian Lunar New Year. Next week’s article takes a look at the interesting history behind the saying ‘the dog days of Summer’ and the week after we will be exploring all things honey and honey bee-related. In the meantime… Xīnnián kuàilè (新年快乐), meaning Happy Lunar New Year in Mandarin.