The Chinese End the Lunar New Year Celebration With the Lantern Festival

Last night, excitement buzzed throughout the United States as 40.3 million people tuned in to watch Seth MacFarlane host the Oscars, but in China people were celebrating for a completely different reason.

 Last night marked the fifteenth night of the lunar New Year, where the Chinese celebrate the closing of the national holiday with a festival known as the Lantern Festival. Not to be confused with the Mid-Autumn Festival which is also referred to as the Lantern Festival, the official name for this much looked forward to holiday is the Shangyuan Festival. This festival, rich with culture and history, is observed by the Chinese as well as the Vietnamese. The Lantern Festival's purpose is to not only end the holiday in a big way, but also to signify the beginning of the new year, in this case the Year of the Water Snake. 

Has your family received a Nook, Kindle or iPad this year?  Find Fujimini Adventure Series award-winning books here.  Great family-friendly gifts

The purpose of this day is to relax, enjoy oneself, and have fun with friends and family while ringing in the new year. On the night of the festival, beautifully and traditionally crafted lanterns, created to symbolize the 12 creatures of the Chinese Zodiac, are released into the sky- making for a breath taking sight. Firecrackers and fireworks are lit and people dance in the street beneath the hundreds of floating lanterns. 

The traditional food of this holiday is a glutinous rice ball, known as Yuanxiao. It is a sweet dumpling made with a sticky rice flour and filled with sweet stuffing. The legend behind the food is that is named after a maid of Emperor Wu Di, who reined during the Han Dynasty. It is meant to symbolize family unity, happiness, and completeness. 

While the Oscars boasts celebrating its 85th anniversary, the Lantern Festival has been a tradition throughout China since the Han Dynasty, in 206 BC! 

For more on Asian culture and popular holidays like Chinese New Year and Lunar New Year, please visit Fujimini Island on Facebook and Twitter. 

Okinawa- The Healthiest Place on Earth

The average life expectancy in the United States is 77 years old, 75 for the average male and 80 for the average female. Those numbers can seem pretty good until you take a look at the 39 countries that rank above it. So which country ranks number one for the longest life expectancy at birth? It probably doesn't come to a surprise that Japan, with an average life expectancy of 80 years old- 79 for the average male and 86 for the average female-ranks number one on the list created by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs. 

This placement on the chart has given Japan the titled of the healthiest place on Earth. Although Japan as a whole has been recognized for their long life expectancy, there is one specific part of Japan that truly stands out as the healthiest place on Earth-the Japanese island of Okinawa. The life expectancy of Okinawa stands at 78 for males and 86 for women, about the same as Japan as a whole, so what makes this island stand out from the rest of the country? 

In addition to the lengthy life expectancy, Okinawa also has about 457 people over the age of 100 living on the island! And their lives are not just long, but also active and healthy. So, what is Okinawa's secret? The people of the island will tell you that the key to living a long, healthy life is no secret at all, it comes down to two things- the food you eat and the attitude you have towards life. 

The people of the island stress the importance of being happy and remaining optimistic. They believe that feelings of anger, pessimism, and stress are toxic to one's life and can actually contribute to disease and death- an idea that many psychologists are now beginning to agree with. When observing the islander's daily lives and philosophies towards them, it is evident that stress seems to just be a foreign concept. It is common in other countries to see elderly people awaiting death, looking at their life as something that is behind them, but that is not something you'd see during a visit to Okinawa. They are happy and eager to have more years in front of them to spend with friends and family, instead of just sitting around waiting for death to come knocking. 

Has your family received a Nook, Kindle or iPad this year?  Find Fujimini Adventure Series award-winning books here.  Great family-friendly gifts

The Okinawan people's other "secret" to their long lives- a healthy diet. Unlike many other countries, especially the United States, their main diet is not based on red meat, but on rice, vegetables, and fish. Many of their meals consist of sweet potatoes, tofu, vegetables, and- surprisingly- pig ears, which are said to be low in fat and high in calcium. As a special treat, many of them will drink a cup of Awamori, locally brewed red wine, each night before bed. 


To learn more about the cultural and diversity taught at Fujimini Island, please click here.

Year of the Water Snake: What It Means to Be a Snake

When we welcomed the Chinese New Year on February 10th, we were ringing in the Year of the Water Snake. This means a year for "shedding your old skin" and starting fresh. We are especially excited about this year because the snake represents transformation and new beginnings. 

The purpose of  the snake is to symbolize wisdom and deep expressions of spirituality. So if you have any new careers you're chasing, new loves to win over, or fears to conquer-this is the year for you! The snake is so wise and spiritual because it crawls on the ground, which for the Chinese represents a connection to the Earth. Rather than a symbol of danger or evil, like it is often portrayed in the west, the Chinese view the snake as a healer and symbol of rebirth. This idea dates back to the ancient legend of a Chinese Snake goddess who created the first people from the clay in the banks of the Yellow River. 

Your Chinese sign is a snake if you are born in the years 1905, 1917, 1929, 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, and 2013. 

If you are born in a Snake year you are a very driven person, always striving to be as successful as you can be- but you are never impulsive about reaching your goals. Snakes are planners and strive towards their goals through careful calculations, waiting for the perfect moment to "strike". This drive can sometimes be taken to the extreme, wishing to meet goals regardless of the circumstances. 

Has your family received a Nook, Kindle or iPad this year?  Find Fujimini Adventure Series award-winning books here.  Great family-friendly gifts

Although Snakes have an air of mystery about them, they are generally attractive and charming. They can be quite social at times, but also are content with hanging back and simply observing. Upon first glance, the Snake can seem distant or secretive- they don't reveal their thoughts to just anyone- but once a person gets to know a Snake, they will find them to actually be very sensitive and caring. 




For more on Asian culture and popular holidays like Chinese New Year and Lunar New Year, please visit Fujimini Island on Facebook and Twitter. 

Chinese New Year- The Year of the Water Snake (Part four of five)

Everybody at ONCEkids wants to wish you a happy new year! Today is the first day of the fifteen day celebration for Chinese New Year. Also known as the Spring Festival, the Chinese New Year is one of the most important of the traditional Chinese holidays. Last year welcomed the Year of the Dragon but beginning today, Chinese across the country are buzzing with excitement as 2013 welcomes the Year of the Water Snake. So with the coming of this change the question is raised- what does the Year of the Water Snake hold for you? 

We've gathered together a few tips from the pros on how you can maximize your good luck this year and minimize the bad. 

Has your family received a Nook, Kindle or iPad this year?  Find Fujimini Adventure Series award-winning books here.  Great family-friendly gifts

The Snake is the sixth of the twelve signs of the Chinese Zodiac. The snake is considered to be a symbol of transformation, so expert Marites Allen reports that if you have any major changes to make in your life, this is the year to make them! This includes new loves, new careers, and new places. The reason why this year is expected to be such a good year and that it is a time for making changes is due to the fact that it includes a complete set of elements- two wood, two water, two earth, one metal, and one fire. Allen says people should feel very optimistic and excited entering into this year because it brings good luck all around, regardless of your sign. 

There are many ways you can maximize your luck during the holiday season. Anyone who wants to attract good luck during the year should begin by wearing this year's lucky colors, gold, silver, beige, yellow, brown, red, and whites with print. During the next fifteen days, it is advised that people refrain from getting any haircuts, doing so would jeopardize one's luck. 

To ensure a fully stalked kitchen over the next year, experts recommend placing onions with roots, cabbages, celery stalks with roots, and lotus roots tied with red ribbon inside of the rice container. To ensure happy and healthy relationships during this new year it is recommended that family members eat sweets, such as tikoy- something I have no problem doing! Prosperity can be brought into the home by placing fruits, including pineapple, pomelos, oranges, apples, and bananas, on the dining room table. These are the fruits that are thought to attract wealth. 

For more on Asian culture and popular holidays like Chinese New Year and Lunar New Year, please visit Fujimini Island on Facebook and Twitter. 

Another thing- don't forget to wear your new slippers- and new underwear too! It may surprise you to learn that if you wear new shoes and underwear today it will help eliminate any remaining bad luck that was left behind after cleaning the house.

Happy Chinese New Year!

Chinese New Year: The Celebration (Part three of five)

As the Chinese New Year is quickly approaching, people across China are beginning the necessary steps in order to prepare their house for the New Year. Excitement vibrates throughout the country as the Chinese prepare to welcome the Year of the Water Snake on Sunday, February 10th. 

One of the most important preparations for the fifteen day holiday is to do a thorough house cleaning. The Chinese consider a clean home crucial for the start of the New Year, believing that through cleaning the house they sweep away any bad luck from the previous year. 

Has your family received a Nook, Kindle or iPad this year?  Find Fujimini Adventure Series award-winning books here.  Great family-friendly gifts

The next step for preparing for the New Year is the fun part! Decorating! The legend of the origin of the Chinese New Year says that the monster that terrorized the villagers was deterred by the color red, so the tradition of painting doors and window panes red has continued to stay an important part of the New Year's preparation. Paper cut outs are also hung throughout the house, a very culturally significant tradition that extends all the way back to the Han dynasty. 

After these weeks of preparation for the holiday comes the celebration. Once the holiday has actually arrived, it is stressed to cease all cleaning of the house. It is thought that if you clean during the first few days of the New Year, you risk sweeping away the good luck that the New Year has brought. 

The New Year is an important holiday for families. It is a time for families to gather together and enjoy the company of one another. A traditional activity for families to participate in together is the preparing and cooking of Chinese dumplings, or Jiaozi. It is custom for many families to also hide a coin in one of the dumplings and whoever gets the dumpling with the coin in it is expected to have good luck in the upcoming year. 

For more on Asian culture and popular holidays like Chinese New Year and Lunar New Year, please visit Fujimini Island on Facebook and Twitter. 

Giving out money packets to family members, especially children, is also custom. On the eve of the New Year, children will receive red packets decorated with gold symbols filled with money. These red packets are known as leisee. 

Festive and symbolic foods are served throughout the fifteen day period. The purpose of these very specific foods are to symbolize abundance and good fortune, something all Chinese people are trying to acquire in the coming year. These symbolic foods, such as lotus seeds and lychee nuts, are all gathered together on what is called a Tray of Togetherness. It is a circular shaped tray with eight compartments. These compartments are designed in a way so that they can be filled with all the special Chinese New Year foods in order to provide a delicious welcome into the New Year!

Chinese New Year: The History (Part Two of Five)

One of the most important, culturally significant holidays in China is rapidly approaching. On February 10th Chinese people across the country will begin to celebrate the Lunar New Year. 

In addition to being one of the most significant, the fifteen day event stands as the longest holiday in China-but where did it all begin?

Has your family received a Nook, Kindle or iPad this year?  Find Fujimini Adventure Series award-winning books here.  Great family-friendly gifts

We were surprised to find out the event of the year that is so celebrated and looked forward to originally began out of fear! Legends of the origins of the Chinese New Year tell a story of a mythical lion-like monster named Nian (which is also the Chinese word for year!), who preyed on the people of the villages. 

For more on Asian culture and popular holidays like Chinese New Year and Lunar New Year, please visit Fujimini Island on Facebook and Twitter. 

The terrified villagers sought the advice of a wise old man who told them that in order to rid of this monster they needed to use firecrackers and drums to make loud noises, scaring Nian away. The wise old man also claimed that Nian feared the color red, so the villagers could ward him off by hanging red paper cut outs and scrolls on their doors. The villagers took the advice and soon enough they were free from Nian's terror. This freedom is recognized as the "passing of the Nian", referred to in Chinese as guo inane. 

The Chinese New Year, also known as the Spring Festival, is also closely tied to the spring season. It is a time for celebrating the end of the winter season and welcoming spring. 

Chinese New Year: The Significance (Part One of Five)

Only a few weeks left until one of the most important traditional Chinese holidays: the Chinese New Year. This nationally celebrated event is the annual celebration that marks the beginning of the new year, according to the Chinese Lunar calendar. Always falling during January or February, the Chinese New Year also marks the end of the winter season, originally purposed to notify farmers when to begin their spring harvests. For this reason, it is also sometimes referred to as the Spring Festival. 

For more on Asian culture and popular holidays, please visit Fujimini Island on Facebook and Twitter. 

To learn more about the cultural and diversity taught at Fujimini Island, please click here

Each year the day is different, but this 2013 the holiday will begin on February 10th. Up to two days at the beginning of the celebration are considered a public holiday, giving people time off work to kick off the new year with friends and family. 

In addition to being one of the most important holidays, it is also the longest- lasting for fifteen days. The much looked forward to festivities end on the 15th night with a celebration called Chap Goh Mei. Chap Goh Mei literally translates to "the fifteenth night". 

One of the most unique and exciting parts of the new year are the creatures of the Chinese Zodiac. There are twelve creatures of the Chinese Zodiac and each year one of them is selected to represent the year we are entering into. In 2012, it was the Year of the Dragon, specifically the Water Dragon. This year will welcome the Year of the Water Snake.