Chinese New Year
葉顒: 天地風霜盡，乾坤氣象和。曆添新歲月，春滿舊山河。梅柳芳容徲，松篁老態多。屠蘇成醉飲，歡笑白雲窩。
Chinese New Year, also known as Spring Festival 春節 commences on the first day of the first month in the Chinese lunar calendar, and concludes with the Yuanxiao Festival 元宵節, celebrated on the 15th day. 新年賀交泰，白日漸舒長。昨夜斗回北，今朝歲起東。故節當歌守，新年把燭迎。四氣新元旦，萬壽初今朝。新年納餘慶，佳節號長春。鶯啼燕語報新年, 春來更有好花枝。鼓角梅花添一部，五更歡笑拜新年。共慶新年笑語嘩，舉杯互敬屠蘇酒。It is believed that the festival originated during the Shang Dynasty (1600-1046 BC) 商朝 when people offered sacrifices to honor gods and ancestors in the agrarian society at the beginning of each year. It is the most significant celebration observed in China. Hundreds of millions of people travel across the country, returning to their hometowns to celebrate the holiday with family. 回家過年。 It is the world’s largest annual human migration.
From a mythical perspective, there was a fierce predator beast, called Nian 年 (年獸) in ancient time. It came out at night on New Year’s Eve, ravenously devouring crops, livestock and humans. An old man, actually a deity, showed the villagers that putting red papers on the windows and doors, lighting torches in front of the houses and creating loud noises would drive Nian away. It was afraid of loud noises, light and the color red. These tactics eventually evolved as the customs of the New Year, such as setting off firecrackers, hanging red lanterns and scrolls at the front doors, etc.
On the 24th day of the twelfth lunar month, people offer sacrifice to the Kitchen deity, 灶王 Zaowang. 古傳臘月二十四，灶君朝天欲言事。Prior to New Year, people thoroughly clean their houses and sweep the grounds 掃塵, symbolizing to sweep away the family’s ill fortune. 茅舍春回事事歡，屋塵收拾號除殘。People hang or paste red scrolls called chunlian 春聯, vertically to the right and left sides of the front door, displaying literary verses articulating lucky and blessing messages like: 天増歳月人増壽, 春満乾坤福満門. Red posters with the Chinese character auspiciousness or good luck, 福 are pasted on the doors, windows and walls. Homes are embellished with beautiful flowers 年花 and pictures 年畫.
The celebration begins on New Year’s Eve. 萬物迎春送殘臘，一年結局在今宵。It is a significant tradition for a family to gather for a celebratory reunion dinner 年夜飯. The celebration emphasizes the ritual of a religious ceremony to honor the household deities as well as the ancestors, departed family and relatives. It also serves to symbolize the unity of living family members.
Auspicious foods are customarily served on the table. Dumplings signify wealth. Whole fish symbolizes abundance. Whole chicken denotes prosperity, completeness and family unity. Prawns represent liveliness and happiness, while long noodles for longevity. New Year cake (niangao) and yuan xiao (tangyuan) are also consumed around New Year time.
After the reunion feast, the whole family stays up for the night, playing mahjong, cards or other games; while others are watching television programs. 除夕更闌人不睡，厭禳鈍滯迫新歲。For most of us, the immigrants, we miss the jubilant New Year celebration in our hometowns. 故鄉今夜思千里，霜鬢明朝又一年。三百六十日雲終，故鄉還與異鄉同。At midnight, spectacular fireworks will light up the darkness of the sky, while millions and millions of people cheer on.
Staying up throughout the night on New Year’s Eve is called shousui 守歲, regarded as an act of filial piety. It is believed that children practice shousui would bring their parents longevity. 士庶之家，圍爐團座，達旦不寐，謂之守歲。守歲家家應未臥。兒童強不睡，相守夜歡嘩。續明催畫燭，守歲接長筵。守歲筳開聽頌椒。守歲圍爐竟廢眠。Furthermore, it is a way of bidding farewell to the old year and welcoming the New Year. 今歲今宵盡，明年明日催。青陽逼歲除。一夜連雙歲，五更分二年。九冬三十夜，寒與暖分開。寒隨一夜去，春逐五更來。除夜接新年, 明日歲華新。共歡新故歲，迎送一宵中。故歲今宵盡，明旦新年來。Terri Guillemets: “The rose of the old year withers away as the new bud begins to bloom.” Setting off firecrackers is an integral part of New Year celebrations. 爆竹聲中一歲除，春風送暖入屠蘇，千門萬戶曈曈日，總把新桃換舊符。聽燒爆竹童心在，看換桃符老興偏。However, fire crackers are banned in many cities for safety reasons. Another tradition is the dragon and lion dance.
It is customary to visit family, relatives and friends during the New Year Season, exchanging auspicious greetings 拜年. 行人相賀新年健。Red envelopes with money, ‘hong bao 紅包’are given to the younger generation from the older generation. The spirit of Chinese New Year is a joyful family reunion and a genuine wish of happiness, good health, and prosperity for the family members, relatives and friends.
萬年: 日出日落三百六，周而復始從頭來。草木枯榮分四時，一歲月有十二圓。
T.S. Eliot: “For last year’s words belong to last year’s language. And next year’s words await another voice. And to make an end is to make a beginning.”
About the author:
Dr. Patrick Lau was born in Hong Kong and immigrated to the U.S. after high school. He retired from the VA Northern Indiana Heath Care System where he served as Chief Radiologist and moved to Florida with his wife in 2011. He was an active member & contributor of IACA and ICMA while in Indiana. Dr. Lau is also a scholar of art and literature and a prolific writer, he has been a dedicated columnist for Indy Asian American Times since 2010.