Almost a month after the western world started the new year, the Chinese are also celebrating the new year. For them, the year of the rabbit begins on January 22nd.
But why does the festival fall on a different date every year? Who benefits most from the zodiac sign of the rabbit? And how do people celebrate in the People’s Republic of China Lunar New Year?
BILD summarizes the most important facts.
When does China celebrate the New Year?
The Chinese New Year falls on a different date each year, which falls between January 21st and February 21st. The reason for this is the so-called lunisolar calendar – a combination of a solar and lunar calendar that dates back to the imperial era.
To this day, all traditional Chinese holidays and festivals are calculated with it. The New Year festival is probably the most important in the country. It usually falls on the second new moon after the winter solstice. This means that the day shifts by about eleven days every year. If the New Year’s festival falls on a date before January 21, a leap month is inserted, which moves the festival back by about 19 days.
This year the festival falls on January 22nd. The year ends on February 9, 2024.
Which sign of the zodiac determines the new year?
While with us the western one Astrology is common and each month to a different one of the twelve In Chinese astrology, a whole year is in one sign.
Here, too, a distinction is made between twelve signs of the zodiac: rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog and pig. According to legend, Buddha once invited all the animals to a New Year festival, but only these twelve showed up. So he thanked them by letting them rule over a year at a time and determine what events should happen. Every twelve years it is the turn of the same animal.
Every year is not only dedicated to an animal, but also to an element. Now it gets a bit complicated: Each sign of the zodiac is assigned a number of the so-called earth branch, from one to twelve. There are also the heavenly tribes, consisting of the elements fire, earth, water, gold (metal) and wood. These appear twice each, once as yin and once as yang.
The numbering system of the twelve branches of the earth, in combination with the ten heavenly tribes, determines the 60-year cycle of the Chinese calendar – because each combination of element and zodiac sign only occurs every 60 years. Just as we think in centuries, every 60 years can be understood as a unit in the Chinese calendar.
This is how it looked in the last 12 years:
- 2022: Tiger
- 2021: Buffalo
- 2020: Gears
- 2019: Pig
- 2018: Dog
- 2017: Hahn
- 2016: Monkey
- 2015: Goat
- 2014: Horse
- 2013: Snake
- 2012: Dragon
- 2011: Bunny – will be back in 2023.
What can we expect in the year of the rabbit?
According to the Chinese horoscope, the year of the rabbit promises to be a good one, as the rabbit brings prosperity, longevity and peace. His strengths should also include hope and skill – the rabbit is an attentive, tame animal. Rabbits are also associated with caution, gentleness, wisdom and positivity.
There comes a time of patience, happiness, peace, success, harmony and tranquility. That means less drama than the tiger year 2022, less impulsive decisions.
How does the water rabbit tick?
The rabbit year 2023 is in the element of water, like it was 60 years ago. Were you born in 1963 in the year of the Water Rabbit? These are the characteristics of the Water Rabbit:
- You don’t need much to be happy
- They celebrate every achievement, no matter how small
- They are adaptable, gentle, peaceful
- In your 30s you may not have much money, but you will flourish financially in your 40s
- You are energetic in love, but a little clumsy when it comes to grand gestures; They are more likely to marry later in life
Other Rabbit years of the last cycle: 2011 (Metal Rabbit), 1999 (Earth Rabbit), 1987 (Fire Rabbit), 1975 (Wood Rabbit).
Anyone born during these years could be particularly lucky in 2023.
How do the Chinese celebrate New Year?
The New Year festival is probably the most important holiday in the Middle Kingdom. Legend has it that in ancient times, at the end of a lunar year, an evil monster would come out of the mountains or, depending on the source, out of the sea to hunt humans and beasts. However, it was afraid of noise and the colors red and gold, which is why people have always decorated their houses in red and gold and scared away the annual monster with fireworks and loud music.
Decoration plays a big part in Chinese New Year celebrations
Today, most Chinese celebrate with their families, rarely with friends or colleagues. The festival lasts 15 days, until February 19th. A few days before the festival, the house begins to be cleaned, decorated and renovated. Typical red lamps, banners and lots of bamboo are used.
The streets are also decorated in red, often with symbols of the respective animal. In addition, many Chinese are returning to their families – resulting in up to a billion Chinese traveling around the world around the Lunar New Year.
New Year’s Eve is all about a lavish family feast, often featuring fish and chicken. Happiness is supposed to come into the house through open windows. In the late evening there are large fireworks spectacles in many places. Around 90 percent of the world’s fireworks are produced in China!
In the following days, many family visits and other joint celebratory meals are on the agenda. In addition, blessings are distributed – often combined with gifts of money and preferably in red envelopes, because these bring good luck. Incidentally, these days blessings are often sent via the WeChat messenger service.