Lunar New Year 2020: welcoming the year of the pig

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(CNN) – When the clock strikes midnight on February 5, wishes of good fortune will be expressed, fireworks will explode in the sky and red envelopes full of money will be exchanged while millions of people around the world ring during the Lunar New Year, also known as Spring Festival.

In other words, it’s basically a big day-to-day party.

But unlike the way much of the world celebrates December 31, the Lunar New Year is a long holiday marathon full of traditions and rituals (and a lot of family drama) that lasts well beyond the day of Lunar New Year.

For newcomers to the Lunar New Year, or for lifelong Spring Festival partygoers in need of an update, here’s a quick guide to what can be the most challenging and laborious festival in the world.

It’s Pig Year, but not just any pig

Inside one of China’s largest fireworks factories, where the process of making a fireworks is an art in itself.

While most know the 12-year-old Chinese zodiacal calendar, represented by 12 different animals, it is actually more complicated.

A year is classified not only by its zodiac animal, but also by a more complex sexagenarian cycle: a combination of one of the 10 heavenly stems and one of the 12 earthly branches.

Still confused? So 2020 is the year of “ji hai” (or gei hoi in Cantonese).

While “hai” represents the symbol of the earthly branch meaning the pig, “ji” represents the celestial stem of yin and earth. That’s why they call 2020 the year of the earth pig.

And a lot of people take this 60-year calendar very seriously. It plays an important role in making huge decisions about life, such as having a baby or getting married.

Although it is said to affect each individual differently depending on the year in which it was born, the pig – the last animal sign of the 12-year-old Chinese zodiac cycle – is often considered a favorable year, which generally means wealth. and fortune.

The pig year begins on February 5th.

The pig year begins on February 5th.

STR / AFP / AFP / Getty Images

Fortune preparations and sweets

Preparations for the Lunar New Year usually begin at least a week before the Spring Festival begins.

On the 26th of the last lunar month, festive cakes and puddings are made.

The big cleanup is done on the 28th. On the 29th day banners of the lunar New Year’s fortune are hung.

During the last days of the year, lunar New Year’s fairs will be set up in the cities, where fortune items and flowers for the new year will be sold.

The year ends on a high note with a family reunion dinner on the 30th or Lunar New Year’s Eve, February 4th this year.

The lunar New Year’s menu is carefully chosen for its lucky meanings, including fish (the Chinese word meaning “surplus”), puddings (symbolizing progress), and foods that look like gold bars. like the balls).

After the party, families will stay awake past midnight to welcome the new year.

The whole festival lasts 15 days

CNN hits the road next to some of China’s motorcycle army as they make the long trip home for the lunar new year

Just because the new year has begun doesn’t mean you can rest.

Although most countries that observe the Lunar New Year offer three to seven holidays, the celebrations do not end until the 15th of the first lunar month, also known as the Lantern Festival. (The lunar new year 2020 lasts from February 5 to 19.)

There’s a list of things and things that don’t need to be made superstitious for the new year, but the general rule is to say a lot of “kung hei fat choy” or “gong xi fa cai” and avoid saying things that may seem less auspicious. (See our list for more of these basic rules.)
During the festival, people will travel to visit relatives, who will prepare snacks and fill boxes of candy for the visits, except on the third day of the month.

It is believed that arguments are more likely to occur on that day – February 9 this year – called chi kou (or “red mouth”). Therefore, most people engage in other activities, such as visiting a temple. In Hong Kong, the third day is a large spring festival horse racing event every year.

Quang Phu Cau is considered the

Quang Phu Cau is considered the “incense village of Vietnam”. Hundreds of workers have been working hard dying, drying and shrinking the bamboo bark to make the fragrant sticks before the busy lunar New Year holidays.

MANAN VATSYAYANA / AFP / Getty Images

During the 15 days, couples must deliver red packets full of money to children (and single adults) to wish them luck.

The seventh day is renri, or people’s birthday (February 11). when it is said that the Chinese mother goddess Nuwa created humanity.

The highlight comes on the last day, during the Lantern Festival (February 19).

Being the only day when young girls in ancient Chinese society could go out to admire lanterns and meet boys, it has also been christened with the name of Chinese Valentine’s Day.

Currently, cities around the world still hold massive flashlight shows and fairs on the 15th of the festival.

Some create more sparks than others. Like Nuanquan, a small Chinese town that makes a spectacular show of “fireworks” throwing molten metal against a cold city wall.

Kung hei fat choy!

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