Chinese New Year 2018 – Year of the dog
6th February 2018
When is Chinese New Year 2018?
Chinese New Year, also known as Spring Festival or Lunar New Year, will begin on Friday 16th February and will last for 15 days until Friday 2nd March.
History of Chinese New Year
Legend has it that Chinese New Year began because every New Year’s Eve a mythical beast called Nian meaning ‘Year’ came out to terrorise families and destroy their properties. To deter the beast, people used fire, made loud noises by playing music and banging drums and hung red signs on every door as he was afraid of the colour red.
What happens during Chinese New Year?
Families cleanse their houses thoroughly, giving them a spring clean, to sweep out all of the evil spirits. They then decorate their homes and doorways with red lanterns, paintings, paper cuttings and flowers. Ritual sacrifices such as food and paper are offered to the gods of the house and ancestors who visit during the New Year.
It is traditional for older generations to give red envelopes with money in to the younger generations and some bosses also give them to their employees to bring them luck for the coming year.
On New Year’s Eve there’s a huge, delicious feast where all of the family gather to eat fish to bring them prosperity; dumplings and spring rolls to bring them wealth; and longevity noodles to bring happiness and longevity.
At midnight, firecrackers and fireworks are set off to scare away evil spirits and to celebrate the New Year.
There is a week-long public holiday in China after New Year’s Day and many people celebrate with parties, parades and family gatherings. Although most people go back to work after the week, the New Year celebrations only officially finish with the Lantern Festival on the 15th day.
Why is it the year of the dog?
There’s a 12-year cycle of zodiac animals, which is continuously repeated. The people born in each year are said to be the animal of that year. The first zodiac animal is the rat, followed by the ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog and pig.
If you were born in the following years your zodiac animal is the dog:
1934 1946 1958 1970 1982 1994 2006
Personality traits of people born in the year of the dog
Those born in the year of the dog are believed to be extremely loyal, honest and kind. They are said to be most compatible with rabbits because they like their kindness and least compatible with dragons because they don’t trust each other.
What’s lucky for dogs?
Each animal is said to have specific numbers, colours and flowers that bring them luck. Lucky numbers for dogs are 3, 4 and 9, lucky colours are red, green and purple, and lucky flowers are roses and orchids. If you were born in the year of the dog steer clear of blue, white and gold and the numbers 1, 6 and 7.
Do you require information on Chinese translation and interpreting services for your Chinese New Year 2018 celebrations? Find out more here.
Mwaka Mpya wa Kichina 2018 - Mwaka wa Mbwa - Februari 6 2018 Mwaka Mpya wa Kichina, unaojulikana pia kama Sherehe ya Spring au Mwaka Mpya wa Mwezi, utaanza Ijumaa, Februari 16 na utaendelea kwa siku 15 hadi Ijumaa, Machi 2. "Kama hadithi ya Kichina inavyosema, ""Mwaka Mpya wa Kichina ulianza kwa sababu kila usiku wa Mwaka Mpya mnyama wa hadithi aitwaye Nian, maana yake ""Mwaka,"" alitoka nje kuogopesha familia na kuharibu mali zao." Ili kumzuia mnyama huyo, watu walitumia moto, walifanya kelele kubwa kwa kucheza muziki na kupiga ngoma na kuweka ishara nyekundu kwenye kila mlango kwa sababu aliogopa rangi nyekundu. Ni nini kinachotokea wakati wa Mwaka Mpya wa Kichina? Familia husafisha nyumba zao kwa uangalifu, zikifanya usafi wa majira ya kuchipua, ili kuondoa roho zote mbaya. Kisha hupamba nyumba zao na milango yao kwa taa nyekundu, michoro, vipande vya karatasi, na maua. Dhabihu za kidesturi kama vile chakula na karatasi hutolewa kwa miungu ya nyumba na mababu wanaotembelea wakati wa Mwaka Mpya. Ni desturi kwa kizazi cha zamani kuwapa vijana wa kizazi cha zamani bahasha nyekundu zenye pesa, na baadhi ya mabosi huwapa wafanyakazi wao bahasha za mwaka ujao. Katika usiku wa Mwaka Mpya kuna karamu kubwa, ladha ambapo familia yote kukusanyika kula samaki kuwapeleka ufanisi; dumplings na spring rolls kuwapeleka utajiri; na noodles maisha marefu kuleta furaha na maisha marefu. Wakati wa usiku wa manane, mioto ya moto na mioto ya moto huwasha ili kuondoa roho mbaya na kusherehekea Mwaka Mpya. Kuna likizo ya umma ya wiki moja nchini China baada ya Siku ya Mwaka Mpya na watu wengi huadhimisha na vyama, gwaride na makusanyiko ya familia. Ingawa watu wengi wanarudi kazini baada ya wiki, sherehe za Mwaka Mpya zinamalizika rasmi na Tamasha la Lanterns siku ya 15. Kwa nini ni mwaka wa mbwa? Kuna mzunguko wa miaka 12 wa wanyama wa zodiac, ambao unarudiwa mara kwa mara. Watu waliozaliwa katika kila mwaka husemwa kuwa wanyama wa mwaka huo. Mnyama wa kwanza wa zodiac ni panya, ikifuatiwa na ng'ombe, simbamarara, sungura, joka, nyoka, farasi, mbuzi, nyani, jogoo, mbwa mwitu na nguruwe. Ikiwa wewe ni mtoto wa mwaka wa mbwa, unaweza kuwa na tabia ya mbwa: 1934-1958, 1970-1982, 1994-2006, na mwaka wa mbwa ni mwaka wa uaminifu, uaminifu na upendo. Wanasemekana kuwa wanalingana zaidi na sungura kwa sababu wanapenda fadhili zao na hawafanani sana na joka kwa sababu hawaaminiani. Ni nini chenye kufurahisha kwa mbwa? Inasemekana kwamba kila mnyama ana namba, rangi, na maua hususa yanayomletea bahati. Nambari za bahati kwa mbwa ni 3, 4 na 9, rangi za bahati ni nyekundu, kijani na zambarau, na maua ya bahati ni waridi na okidi. Ikiwa umezaliwa mwaka wa mbwa, basi usipende na rangi ya bluu, nyeupe, dhahabu na namba 1, 6 na 7. Je, unahitaji huduma za tafsiri za Kichina kwa ajili ya Sherehe za Mwaka Mpya wa Kichina? Pata habari zaidi hapa.