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January 29,
2006 is the first day of the Chinese new year.
There are
three ways to name a Chinese year:
1. By an
animal (like a mascot). 2006 is known as the Year of the Dog.
There are 12
animal names; so by this system, year names are re-cycled every 12
years. More.
2. By its
Formal Name.
The new year
is the year of bingxu.
In this naming
system, there are 60 names, and the Name of the Year is repeated and
re-cycled every 60 years.
3. It is Year
4703 by the Chinese calendar.
Chinese New
Year starts with the New Moon on the first day of the new year and
ends on the full moon 15 days later. The 15th day of the new year is
called the Lantern Festival, which is celebrated at night with
lantern displays and children carrying lanterns in a parade.
The Chinese
calendar is based on a combination of lunar and solar movements. The
lunar cycle is about 29.5 days. In order to "catch up" with
the solar calendar the Chinese insert an extra month once every few
years (seven years out of a 19-yearcycle). This is the same as adding
an extra day on leap year. This is why, according to the solar
calendar, the Chinese New Year falls on a different date each year.
New Year's Eve
and New Year's Day are celebrated as a family affair, a time of
reunion and thanksgiving. The celebration was traditionally
highlighted with a religious ceremony given in honor of Heaven and
Earth, the gods of the household and the family ancestors.
The sacrifice
to the ancestors, the most vital of all the rituals, united the
living members with those who had passed away. Departed relatives are
remembered with great respect because they were responsible for
laying the foundations for the fortune and glory of the family.
The presence
of the ancestors is acknowledged on New Year's Eve with a dinner
arranged for them at the family banquet table. The spirits of the
ancestors, together with the living, celebrate the onset of the New
Year as one great community. The communal feast called
"surrounding the stove" or weilu. It symbolizes family
unity and honours the past and present generations.
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