Happy Chinese New Year!
Year Of The Ox
I’d like to take this opportunity to wish anyone from China and with a Chinese heritage a Happy Chinese New Year!
The Year Of The Ox
This year for those unfamiliar is the year of the ox. It is also the year 4719 according to the traditional Chinese calendar.
In the Chinese tradition each year has an animal that represents the year & the ox signifies strength, determination, loyalty and reliability.
Each animal brings with it special (lucky) colours & flowers. For those born in the year of the ox, their lucky colours are blue, red and purple! The lucky flower is tulip.
Zodiac Year views
Some sources say that the Chinese New Year dictates that whichever zodiac sign one is born in will be unlucky if they meet the year of their zodiac sign. So if someone was born in the previous year of the ox, they may encounter misfortune in areas such as money, health, relationships etc.
On the contrary, speaking with my Chinese student, Lexin she indicated that the Chinese New Year brings good fortune to those who are born in the same zodiac year so I trust this is a better source!
How Chinese New Year Is Celebrated
Chinese New Year is celebrated worldwide where Chinese people live, for example this video in India.
People take to the streets in beautiful, traditional Chinese attire and there are sounds of Chinese music and displays of the zodiac animal paraded.
One of my other students from China, expressed how calm the citizens were this year and how there was a feeling of peace and joy.
There are traditional foods eaten to celebrate this occasion which can differ in different regions of China. Some of these traditional foods are spring rolls, dumplings, fish, Tuaguan (sweet rice balls), Niagao (rice cake), Longevity noodles and Good fortune fruit. Each of these are known to bring luck.
- Spring rolls — wealth
- Dumplings — wealth
- Fish — this increases prosperity.
- Tuaguan — represents the family being together.
- Niagoa — an increase in income or a higher position.
- Longevity noodles — as the name suggests; longevity & happiness.
- Good fortune fruit — this symbolizes fullness & wealth.
Shanghai is usely like a ghost town during this season as people go to their hometown to celebrate yet this new year was unique as people had to celebrate where they were staying — Lexin (with permission)
Wishing you a Happy Chinese New Year all the way from España 🥳
