When the year begins according to the eastern calendar. Happy New Year in Eastern style. New Year according to the eastern calendar: celebration traditions. Traditions of celebrating the New Year. Why is Chinese New Year celebrated twice?

- traditional Chinese New Year according to the lunar calendar, main holiday years in China.

New Year is celebrated twice in the country: on January 1 according to the solar calendar, as in most countries, and during the new moon. However, the Chinese people traditionally celebrate the Spring Festival more solemnly and with greater joy than the New Year according to the solar calendar. This is due to the fact that the majority of the country’s population are peasants who, by tradition, continue to live according to the lunar calendar, and all field work and holidays are closely intertwined with the lunar calendar.

Chunjie - family celebration. Millions of Chinese return to their hometowns to welcome New Year in the family. The New Year's travel season in China is specially called "Chunyun" and is considered the world's largest migration phenomenon.

According to scientists, the history of the holiday.

It has always been rich in a variety of customs, some of which still exist today.

On the eighth day of the last month according to the lunar calendar, many homes prepare aromatic porridge - "labazhou", which includes 8 types of products: glutinous rice, chumiza, grains of willow's tears (bead), dates, lotus seeds, red beans, longyan fruits ", ginkgo seed.

The twenty-third day of the last month according to the lunar calendar is popularly called “xiaonian” (i.e. “small New Year”). People who strictly follow traditions make sacrifices to the deity of the hearth.

Before the holiday, the country literally blooms with red. There are posters everywhere with the hieroglyphs “fu” (happiness) and “si” (joy) gracefully written on them, garlands of lanterns and other decorations, and all of them are exclusively red, meaning prosperity, luck and prosperity.

In the north of China, it is customary to eat dumplings for the New Year, and in the south - “niangao” (slices made from glutinous rice). Northerners prefer dumplings because, firstly, Chinese the word "jiaozi", i.e. “dumplings” is consonant with the words “seeing off the old and welcoming the new”; secondly, dumplings resemble traditional gold and silver bars in their shape and symbolize the desire for wealth. For the same reason, southerners eat "niangao", symbolizing the improvement of life every year.

Joyful celebration atmosphere fills not only every home, but also reigns on every street of every city and village. On the Spring Festival, noisy events are held for several days in a row. folk festivals and fairs where lion and dragon dances are performed.

The lion dance, according to legend, traces its history back to the events of the era of the Southern and Northern dynasties, when in a decisive battle one of the sides disguised itself as lions (which were never found in China) and won the battle because the enemy’s war elephants were frightened by the terrible masks and ran, throwing off their riders. Since then, Chinese soldiers have performed the lion dance on special occasions. In the 14th-16th centuries, this dance spread throughout China and began to be performed during the Chunjie festival. It is designed to scare away all the evil forces that can bring misfortune in the coming year.

The dance of dragons also has a long history. It was included in festive rituals back in the 12th century and expressed people’s admiration for the dragon and requests for it to tame the wind and shed rain to obtain a good harvest. The dragon, made of paper, wire and willow twigs, can reach 8-10 meters. His body is flexible and consists of a different, but always odd number of parts (9, 11, 13). Each part is controlled by one dancer using a pole; the undulating, writhing movements of the dragon require great coordination among the participants.

The first five days of the new year are meant for meetings. Relatives, friends, classmates, colleagues visit and congratulate each other on the New Year and give gifts.

New Year's festivities end after the Lantern Festival (Yuanxiaojie or Dengjie), on the fifteenth day of the first month of the Lunar calendar. Today, lantern exhibitions and competitions organized in large city parks are very popular in the capital. Lantern exhibitions last for several days and form an integral part of the New Year's holiday.

We all know that according to the Gregorian calendar, according to which we all live, the New Year is celebrated on the night of December 31 to January 1. But the Eastern New Year, the same one whose symbol is the red fiery Rooster, according to all the rules, will come on the night of January 27-28.

For almost all countries of East Asia, the New Year according to the Eastern calendar 2017 begins on January 28, 2017. This is a very important holiday for Asian countries; it is celebrated noisily and on a grand scale. Celebrations last fifteen days in a row.

This is interesting! Many people wonder when the New Year begins according to the Eastern calendar 2017, because this date changes every year. It depends on the Lunar calendar. The New Year comes into its own on the first lunar day of the second new moon, always after winter solstice.

New Year according to the eastern calendar 2017 is the year of the red Fire Rooster. If you delve deeper into Eastern teachings, you can find out that the year will bring good luck and in general will be filled with good events. It was the red rooster that was considered strong since ancient times magical symbol. He is able to fly, show strength and courage even in the most difficult situations.

It is quite clear what to wear to celebrate the New Year according to the Eastern calendar, because our cockerel is red. But this is not the only color that should be paid attention to. New Year in Asian countries is one of the brightest and longest holidays. Traditionally, the color gold is also given particular importance during the celebration. So, in order to please the rooster and all oriental signs, you can harmoniously combine red and White color.

This is interesting! In the east, red symbolizes fire; it drives away bad luck and troubles. Asians not only wear red clothes to celebrate the occasion, but also write cards on red paper, give gifts in red packaging, and release wishing lanterns of this color.

The New Year celebrations in China and other countries in this region are very noisy. Mandatory attributes of celebrations are festivals, fire shows and fireworks. It is believed that the noisier the holiday, the more successful people will be in driving away evil spirits from themselves and their families.

If you are thinking about what to cook for the New Year 2017 according to the Eastern calendar, then important attention should be paid to Eastern food. But you shouldn’t focus only on it. On the festive table you can also serve dishes that the rooster will like. First of all, these are fresh apples. The rooster will also be delighted with his favorite fresh vegetables and herbs.

Legend eastern calendar

It is no coincidence that the New Year according to the Eastern calendar 2017 is the Year of the Rooster. The fact is that the lunar calendar consists of twelve cycles, each of which has its own animal symbol, but how did these symbols appear? Buddha is involved in everything. Before leaving the earth, Buddha decided to gather all the animals and say goodbye to them. Twelve animals came and in the order in which they came, Buddha gave them a year. As a result, the first year is Rats (cunning), then comes the Ox (hardworking), Tiger (brave), Rabbit (quiet) and Dragon (strong), Snake (wise), Horse (beautiful) and Sheep or Goat (artistic), Monkey (smart), Rooster (bright), Dog (loyal) and Pig (happy). In addition to the fact that each animal received its own year, it conveyed its character traits to the year: both positive and negative. It is believed that a person born in the year of a certain animal also takes on these traits. He receives both the strengths and weaknesses of the animal and must decide for himself which line of behavior to choose.

Other traditions of celebrating Chinese New Year

What to do on the New Year according to the Eastern calendar 2017, besides cooking oriental dishes and wearing red clothes? In Asia, New Year wishes are written in the form of poems on red paper. It is customary to give lucky money to children in red envelopes.
The first days of the holiday in China are an opportunity for family reunion. All family members, no matter how far they live from each other, should get together for a big festive table. New Year's Eve dinner together is as important a New Year's tradition as fireworks.

New Year for residents of East Asian countries is the longest and important holiday. Family celebrations continue with festivals. The festive period ends with the Lantern Festival, which is held on the fifteenth day of the celebrations. An important part The Lantern Festival is a dragon dance. The dragon is made thirty meters long from silk, paper and bamboo. The large dragon is rocked by people holding a doll and dancing under it.
These are the traditions of the New Year according to the Eastern calendar 2017. If you want to once again arrange a holiday for yourself, get together with friends and drink to good luck and success in the new year, then February 8th is a great reason to do it! Happy holiday!

Asian countries celebrate the New Year differently than we do, but both cultures have something in common. By observing the traditions of celebrating the New Year according to the eastern calendar, you can attract happiness, wealth and good luck into your life.

Every year more and more people ask the question: when will the New Year begin according to the eastern calendar? The reason for the interest lies in traditions that are in many ways similar to ours, but at the same time have some extremely interesting differences. Knowing how it is customary to celebrate this holiday among residents of Asian countries, you can better understand the roots of the New Year according to the Eastern calendar.

When is the New Year according to the Eastern calendar?

In eastern Asian countries there is no fixed date for celebrating the New Year: the holiday is celebrated on the first New Moon after the winter Solstice. The vacation lasts on average 15 days.

The general leitmotif of the New Year according to the eastern calendar is the obligatory presence of red, fireworks, firecrackers and loud laughter: it is believed that with their help you can drive out evil spirits that bring troubles in the coming year.

Red color is a symbol of wealth and prosperity, so it is present not only in the decoration of streets and houses, but also in gift packaging, clothing and interior. People everywhere give money in red envelopes: it is believed that the color of the packaging will increase the wealth of the recipient. And here is white and blue colors are strictly prohibited and can be perceived as extremely inappropriate, because these two colors are mourning in Asian countries.

New Year celebration traditions

Each of the 15 holidays has its own unique schedule, which allows you to cover all areas of life at the very beginning of the year and not spend this time in vain. Residents of Asian countries treat this holiday the same way as we do: it is considered a family holiday, and even distant relatives come to the common hearth to celebrate the New Year together.

Day 1: The New Year is celebrated with family, symbolically burning bamboo chopsticks. Afterwards there is a long family dinner filled with laughter and fun, fireworks, firecrackers and mass celebrations. On this day, it is customary to come to the cemetery and honor the memory of deceased relatives.

Day 2: On the morning of the second day, the whole family gets up for a common prayer, in which they ask for prosperity for the whole year, prudence, wisdom and health. After this, a visit to loved ones begins with the obligatory presentation of a cash gift in a red envelope. Also on this day it is customary to welcome the poor and give alms.

Days 3 and 4: This period of celebrating the New Year according to the eastern calendar is dedicated to friends and acquaintances: communication among friends strengthens connections and contributes to the continuation of communication in the New Year. Not coming to visit someone if invited is considered a refusal to further friendship.

Days 5 and 6: At this time, business organizations begin to resume their work, but the day always begins with fireworks. According to energy, the 5th and 6th days of the New Year are considered a time of wealth and material assets Therefore, many people perform traditional rituals for wealth and money.

Day 7: The morning of the seventh day also begins with prayer, but unlike the second day it is often spent alone. Prayer for the well-being of relatives, the health of older relatives and the right path for children is considered an obligatory beginning holiday: This time is dedicated to the soul.

Days 8, 9 and 10: As a rule, by this time all people have already returned to work, but they definitely spend three evenings having a family dinner with their family. This is the time for traditional New Year's cuisine, intimate conversations and plans for the coming year.

Day 11: This day is dedicated to the family ties between father-in-law and son-in-law. Each father-in-law gives his son-in-law a personal celebration and spends time with his daughter's husband, paying tribute to him.

Days 12, 13 and 14: The holidays are approaching their finale - the Lantern Festival. At this time, people buy paraphernalia, try not to eat meat and prepare for the most beautiful spectacle of the year - the transition to a new round of time.

Day 15: The end of the celebration. Traditions of celebrating the New Year according to the eastern calendar include a large-scale lantern festival - an unusually beautiful and stunning spectacle. Cities host a ton of fun events, fireworks displays and an incredible amount of lanterns of all shapes, colors and sizes. This day marks the end of the holidays and a return to normal work rhythm.

During the celebration, great importance is attached to the symbol of the New Year: it is believed that it determines how the period until the next holiday will pass, and can bestow good luck and happiness on anyone. Each year, one of the animals of the eastern calendar is patronized. Knowing more about its features, you can attract wealth, luck and health into your life. We wish you a happy year and good luck in all your endeavors. Be happy and don't forget to press the buttons and

Chinese New Year is one of the most important Eastern holidays, which is celebrated not only in Asian countries. It is also eagerly awaited all over the world, including in Georgia, after the completion of traditional New Year celebrations in both the new and old style.

Celebration date

New Year according to the Eastern calendar does not have constant date and is celebrated every year at different times. The exact time of Chinese New Year depends on the lunar cycle and occurs on the first new moon of the new year. Therefore, every year this holiday falls on one of the days between January 21 and February 21.

The Chinese live according to their own calendar, so their calendar does not coincide with the generally accepted one in the world. Since ancient times, the chronology of China has been based on lunar calendar, which was formed around the 14th century BC, thanks to the development of astronomy.

By Chinese calendar On February 5, 4717 will begin - the Year of the Yellow Pig, which will last until January 25, 2020, when it will be replaced by the Year of the Silver Rat.

The Chinese calendar uses a sixty-year cycle that begins with the Year of the Wood Rat and ends with the Year of the Water Pig. This cycle began on February 2, 1984 and will end on January 29, 2044.

For Easterners, the New Year marks a new round of time, a beginning, a renewal. On the day of the Chinese New Year, winter will meet spring and a new life cycle will begin.

Time to celebrate

In Eastern countries, New Year or Chun Jie, which literally means “Spring Festival,” is one of the longest holidays, which in the old days lasted a whole month. It has been celebrated for more than two thousand years.

These days, the Chinese have reduced the number of days off by almost half due to their busy lifestyle and busy work schedule. Therefore, the holiday ends on the fifteenth day - the grandiose Chinese Lantern Festival.

Traditionally, in China at this time, business life freezes for two weeks - the holiday is celebrated for 15 days, each of which has its own traditions and customs.

Wherever a Chinese person is, according to tradition, he must celebrate the New Year with his family, since this holiday is considered a family holiday and is called “Family Reunion Day” or “Meeting after Separation”

They also believe that on New Year's Eve the spirits of deceased ancestors are present at the table, who are also participants in the holiday.

On new year holidays people visit each other with congratulations, gifts of money in red envelopes, and necklaces of coins and tangerines as a symbol of wealth.

Throughout the New Year celebrations in China, cheerful folk festivals, fairs, costume dances and masquerade street processions are held.

In anticipation of the New Year, Chinese residents change old clothes for a new one, they thoroughly clean their homes so that favorable energy circulates freely in it and does not stagnate. During cleaning, all the trash and unnecessary things accumulated over the year are thrown away.

Holiday treats are prepared accordingly. A favorite dish is dumplings, whose shape resembles an ingot of gold - a symbol of prosperity. Often houses are decorated with tangerines, always eight of them - a number symbolizing infinity.

In accordance with the eastern horoscope, each year has its own patron, element and color. The patron changes on a twelve-year cycle, and the element and color - on a ten-year cycle.

The material was prepared on the basis of open sources.

Russia celebrates the New Year, like most countries in the world - according to the Gregorian calendar on the first of January. However, in the country rising sun There is a tradition of celebrating it according to the Chinese calendar. Finding out what date this happens is not so easy, because the exact time of this holiday is determined by the second new moon following the Winter Solstice.

This day usually falls in the last month of winter. According to the Chinese, it is at the junction of winter and spring that the New Year should come, as the personification of the arrival of something new. Spring best fits this definition. With its onset, nature comes to life again, everything around is filled with new energy and is born, in the full sense of the word, new life.

history of the holiday

The Chinese calendar is revered not only in the Middle Kingdom. Other Eastern countries adhere to it. The celebration of the New Year according to the Chinese calendar has deep ancient roots and symbolizes the onset of a new life.

According to an ancient Chinese legend, every twelve months people were visited by the terrible monster Chun, who, crawling out of the sea, demanded tribute from people. To avoid this fate, everyone who could these days hid in the mountains. However, one day a strange thing happened. In the village, shortly before the terrible moment, an old man appeared who could not hide from Chun in the mountains due to his poor health and therefore asked one of the women to stay in her house. What a surprise the residents were when, after returning, they saw the old man safe and sound. He was dressed in a red robe, the same lanterns hung around him, and used firecrackers were on the ground. The old man was not only not afraid, but a smile was shining on his face. As the old man later said, the monster is very afraid of the color red, loud noise and fun.

From that time on, the residents of the village stopped hiding in the mountains, and once a year they dressed all in red and had noisy fun and enjoyed life. So they managed to overcome the terrible monster and drive away their fear and adversity. This tradition has been living for centuries on Chinese soil, and newly born children are told the legend of the brave old man again and again.

When does the New Year begin and end in 2019?

As noted above, Chinese New Year occurs on the second new moon after the winter solstice. The last event takes place according to the Gregorian calendar, usually on December 21-22. In 2019 the picture will look like this:

On February 6, 2019, the second new moon will occur at 18:13 Moscow time, which means the start of the New Year according to the Chinese calendar also falls at this time. However, you need to take into account that the time difference between Moscow and Beijing is five hours. This means that in China the exact time of the New Year will be 23:13. Moreover, if Russia celebrates 2019, then in China it will be 4716. The symbol of the year will be the Yellow Earth Pig. It is the twelfth symbol in the Chinese horoscope.

Celebrating New Year in China

The Chinese celebrate New Year's holidays somewhat differently than the Slavs. Despite the fact that the official holidays in China will be 02/5/19 – 02/19/19, the celebration of Chun Jie, which is what the New Year celebrations are called, will continue for fifteen whole days. The first days are completely devoted to relaxation and festivities.

It should be noted that the Chinese NG has its own characteristics:

Before the celebration, the houses are brought into perfect condition. Old or broken items are thrown away.
Housewives prepare the family's favorite dishes. Traditionally, there must be meat (not pork) and fish on the table.
All residents wear red clothes, which, according to the general belief, bring happiness and good luck.
The threshold of the house is decorated with red lanterns, and the dwellings are decorated with paired drawings. This should protect the home from troubles and adversity.
During the holiday, music must be played loudly, and the house must be filled with laughter and fun. It is advisable that everything be accompanied by the sound of fireworks and the sound of firecrackers.
Sorrow and sadness are not welcome. According to ancient beliefs, only joy and laughter can drive out the monster Chun.
Celebrating the “Spring Festival” (also called the New Year) does not require the presence of a Christmas tree. However, it is mandatory to have a spread with eight oranges. The fruits are laid out in a circle and there should be exactly eight of them in strict order. This number is believed to bring good luck.

If you think that Chinese Chun Jie is completely different from our New Year, then you will be deeply mistaken. Both in the Russian Federation and in the Celestial Empire, this is, by and large, a family holiday. On the eve of the holidays, the Celestial Empire turns into a real “anthill”. Everyone is going somewhere, swimming, flying. The reason is that there is an established tradition on Chun Jie to be close to your parents, in the house where you come from.

Traditional gifts

In China, it is not customary to give expensive gifts for the New Year, but everyone loves to receive presents. These may include:

souvenirs in the form of a New Year symbol;
money in red envelopes;
simple trinkets.

The most important thing is that everything is in duplicate or in pairs. Although, the number four is not recommended. This number is associated with death.

What's the best way to celebrate?

If you want this good-natured animal to bring you good luck, you should do the following:

Christmas tree decorations must certainly be golden or yellow color;
When decorating your home, you need to give preference to yellow and light brown shades;
When choosing a wardrobe for the New Year, you should pay attention to the fact that there are no sparkles or ultramarine on your clothes. Everything should be done in calm colors. Avoid miniskirts as well. Do not do it once again tease the patroness of 2019. Outfits will be appropriate middle length and jewelry made of gold and amber. Yellow colored jewelry is also suitable;
The table should be decorated with meat dishes; when preparing salads, yellow vegetables and fruits can be used;
Dogs are group animals, so it’s better to celebrate New Year’s holidays in a noisy company;
If you are going to celebrate the holiday together, it doesn’t matter. The most important condition for a successful New Year's Eve is good mood, laughter and fun.

The Yellow Earth Pig is a sensible animal. If you are persistent and go towards your goal without fuss, the patroness of 2019 will always meet you.