The Rich History Behind the Chinese New Year

While we celebrated the arrival of the new year on January 1st, preparations for the Chinese New Year are just beginning! The date of the New Year changes from year to year because it is based off of their Lunar Calendar, and this year the eagerly awaited holiday falls on January 31st. 

Out of the countless Chinese festivals and holidays, this is by far the most celebrated and cherished one. It is a time dedicated to honoring the household, remembering ancestors, and relaxing and celebrating with friends and family. And people really know how to get in the spirit, with celebrations beginning the evening before and lasting up to fifteen days after- sign me up! 

Like with most Chinese holidays, the Chinese New Year is a cultural event filled with rich history and tradition. There is deep legend and mythology behind the beginning of the national public holiday involving a mythical creature the ancient villagers referred to as "Nian". The stories say that this creature would reek havoc through the villages on the first day of every New Year- attacking people and eating livestock and crops. In order to protect themselves from Nian, the villagers began leaving food on their doorsteps each New Year's Eve, in hopes that the distraction of food would prevent further attack to their people. 

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The significance of the color red during the New Year also stems from this same legend of Nian. After the beast was scared away by a child wearing red, the villagers concluded that he was fearful of that color. So from then on, in addition to putting food offerings on their porches, the people would also hang red lanterns and red scrolls on all their windows and doors to ward Nian off. It was only after this act that the ancient creature never again returned to cause harm to the villages and people. 

Tangerines and Oranges: The Symbols of the Chinese New Year

Although many people in China, especially in the younger generation, have adopted many aspects of a "western" lifestyle, the rich Chinese culture and tradition is still alive and well- especially regarding the celebration of the New Year. 

One of the traditions that has continued to be honored each New Year is the association of various colors, fruits, and flowers with a special symbolic meaning. Examples of symbols whose meaning becomes incredibly important during the celebration of the Chinese New Year includes the fruits tangerines and oranges. 

These symbols importance becomes so great that Chinese people put them throughout their houses to welcome the coming of one of their most important festivals. Upon learning this I wondered to myself- why tangerines and oranges? 

What initially drew the Chinese people to the seemingly random fruit was their bright orange color, thought to symbolize gold which brings the people good luck and wealth. In fact, in Chinese tangerine sounds just like the word "luck" and orange is similar to the word "wealth". 

The symbolic importance of tangerines and oranges isn't random at all, but actually an association of happiness and prosperity with the gifts of tangerines and oranges. For this reason, tangerines and oranges can be seen displayed throughout houses and stores. They are also served to guests who are visiting during this exciting time of year. 

Another way the Chinese like to invite happiness and prosperity into their homes this time of year is by displaying miniature orange trees in the form of a potted plant. Although they look impossibly delicious, the trees are infused with high dosages of fertilizer so it's not recommended that you eat them- not matter how tempting they look!