On February 10, 2024, the Lunar New Year is going to be celebrated. But what’s the difference between the lunar new year and the Gregorian new year?
There are a lot of different calendars people can use, the most common being the Gregorian calendar. Besides this one, people can also use the Lunar, Persian, Buddhist, Islamic, Julian, and many other calendars to divide their year. The difference between the Gregorian and the Lunar calendars is that the Gregorian is determined by the sun’s movement, which is about 30 or 31 days per month, while the Lunar focuses on the moon’s orbit, which is about 29 to 30 days per month, making that year around 354 days.
The Lunar New Year celebration, which has been celebrated for over 3,000 years, not only kicks off the beginning of the Lunar New Year, but it also celebrates the arrival of spring. It is the most important holiday in China and is also widely celebrated in Vietnam, South Korea, and other Asian countries. The celebration lasts fifteen days, which is commonly known in China as the Spring Festival. There are many traditions for the celebration including red paper cuttings, decorating doors with new year’s wishes, shopping in open-air markets, and cleaning the house.
What really starts the holiday, though, is a reunion feast with many important and symbolic dishes. One example of these dishes is a whole fish, which is said to bring good luck and fortune for the upcoming year. The final day of the celebration is the Lantern Festival. During this fifteenth day, people have sweet rice balls known as tangyuan, and children carry lanterns around their neighborhoods after dark to bring the celebration to an end.
Each year is represented by one of the 12 Chinese Zodiac animals. The animals are the rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog and pig. This year is the year of the dragon, which hasn’t come around since 2012 and won’t come again until 2036. In Chinese culture, the dragon is an extraordinary and significant creature, symbolizing power, luck, success, and honor.
Each lunar year also has an element that goes with it. These elements are metal, wood, water, fire, and earth. This year is the year of the wood element, which means that individuals born this year will be strong and flexible. Since this year is the Year of the Wood Dragon, it is supposed to bring change, abundance, and improvement, making this a good year for new beginnings and success.
The upcoming year is going to be a wonderful one, happy Lunar New Year!
