InfoCentral

Every week the library publishes an article in the Westland Observer on a new subject. Below is this week's article.

Chinese New Year

InfoCentral, January 31 - February 6, 2008

This year, the Chinese New Year Festival, or Yuan Dan starts on February 7, beginning the Year of the Rat. The Chinese calendar is based on a lunar calendar and a twelve-year cycle, with each year of the cycle being represented by an animal of the Zodiac. Legend holds that when Buddha summoned the animals to say goodbye to them before he left Earth, only twelve came; the rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey rooster, dog and boar. To honor them, he named a year after each of them. People born in the Year of the Rat are noted for their charm and attraction for the opposite sex. They work hard to achieve their goals, acquire possessions, and are likely to be perfectionists. They are basically thrifty with money. Rat people are easily angered and love to gossip. Their ambitions are big, and they are usually very successful.

This is the most important festival in the Chinese year, and lasts fifteen days. Even before the festival, extensive preparations centered on cleaning - houses are cleaned, new clothes purchased, debts “cleaned up” and so forth – take place, to clear out bad luck. The night before, firecrackers are set off to drive away any remaining evil spirits, then the house is sealed, to prevent good luck from leaking out. The family then shares a special meal, full of symbolic foods; dumplings symbolizing unity and happiness, oysters for good business, noodles for longevity, lettuce for prosperity, a whole fish for togetherness and abundance (the fish is never fully eaten, signifying the family will always have more than enough). In fact, many foods are served whole, as using sharp objects during the holiday may cut off good luck. On New Year’s Day, seals are broken; the family dons its new clothes, and spends the remainder of the holiday visiting relatives and temples.

If you’d like to learn more about this colorful festival, why not check out the 394 area of the library, which deals with international holidays, or the 950s for Chinese history.

“Kung hei fat choy”! (That’s Cantonese for Happy New Year!)