By Amin Kef Sesay
The Chinese New Year or Lunar New Year 2022 began on Tuesday, February 1st, 2022, starting a year of the Tiger.
Chinese New Year has a history of over 3,000 years and is associated with several myths. A popular legend tells of the mythical beast Nian (/nyen/, which sounds the same as ‘year’ in Chinese), which shows up every Lunar New Year’s Eve to eat people and livestock. To scare away the monster, people displayed red paper, burned bamboo, lit candles, and wore red clothes. These traditions have been continued until the present time.
The date which changes every year, but it always falls between January 21st and February 20th is decided by the Chinese Lunar Calendar, which is based on cycles of the moon and sun and is generally 21–51 days behind the Gregorian (internationally-used) calendar.
Celebration of Chinese New Year traditionally last for 16 days, starting from the Chinese New Year’s Eve to the Lantern Festival. This year, it is from January 31st to February 15th.
As a public holiday, Chinese people get 7 days off from work from January 31st to February 6th. Offices, banks, factories, shops, and most non-essential services will close doors for a week’s holiday. Hotels and large retail outlets stay open and may even be busier than usual!
School holidays are four weeks long and migrant workers abandon their factory and construction jobs for weeks to return home. People go back home to be together with families, eat, drink, cook, visit extended family and friends to exchange good wishes and red envelopes.
The most notable dates of the Lunar New Year 2022 are these three days:
New Year’s Eve on January 31st, 2022
New Year’s Day on February 1st, 2022
The Chinese zodiac gives each year an animal sign. 2022 is a Year of the Tiger according to the Chinese zodiac. The 12 animals consist of Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig.
People born in a year of the Tiger are predicted to be brave, competitive, unpredictable, and confident.
2022 is the Year of the Water Tiger, which indicates a prosperous year due to the Tiger’s auspicious signs (strength, exorcising evils and braveness).
Traditionally it’s a time to honor ancestors and deities, with family reunions and street parades, and fireworks to drive off evil spirits. While based on the Chinese lunar calendar, Lunar New Year is also celebrated in Korea, Singapore, Mongolia, Tibet, Vietnam and in Asian communities worldwide.
From public displays in major cities to millions of private celebrations in China’s rural areas, setting off firecrackers and fireworks is an indispensable festive activity. It is a way to scare away the evil and welcome the New Year’s arrival.
Billions of fireworks go up in China at 12 am and in the first minutes of Chinese New Year, the most anywhere at any time of year.
Lion dances and dragon dances are widely seen in China and Chinatowns in many Western countries during the Lunar New Year period. They are performed to bring prosperity and good luck for the upcoming year or event.
