2019 is the Year of the Pig according to the Chinese calendar. In 2019, the Year of the Pig will begin on February 5 (Chinese Lunar New Year) and will last until January 24, 2020.
12 Animals of the Chinese Zodiac
The Chinese zodiac (Eastern zodiac) is based on a 12-year lunar cycle, with each year represented by a specific animal. It is believed that the sign of the zodiac animal influences the character of each person. The traditional order of the zodiac animals is: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig!
What is your zodiac sign?
The Chinese zodiac (whale, "Sheng xiao") literally translates to "to resemble birth." It is determined by the lunar calendar - with the onset of the Chinese New Year, the zodiac year begins.
Chinese New Year falls on a different date each year, between January 21 and February 20. That's why, if you were born in January or February, then be especially careful when determining your zodiac animal.
Our special calculator will help you determine who you are based on your Chinese zodiac sign! Enter your date of birth and find out the sign of your zodiac animal!
Horoscope zodiac signs by year
| Animal | Year |
|---|---|
| Year of the Rat - 鼠年 (子) | 2008, 1996, 1984, 1972, 1960, 1948, 1936, 1924 |
| Year of the Ox - 牛年 (丑) | 2009, 1997, 1985, 1973, 1961, 1949, 1937, 1925 |
| Year of the Tiger - 虎年 (寅) | 2010, 1998, 1986, 1974, 1962, 1950, 1938, 1926 |
| Year of the Rabbit - 兔年 (卯) | 2011, 1999, 1987, 1975, 1963, 1951, 1939, 1927 |
| Year of the Dragon - 龙年 (辰) | 2012, 2000, 1988, 1976, 1964, 1952, 1940, 1928 |
| Year of the Snake - 蛇年 (巳) | 2013, 2001, 1989, 1977, 1965, 1953, 1941, 1929 |
| Year of the Horse - 马年 (午) | 2014, 2002, 1990, 1978, 1966, 1954, 1942, 1930 |
| Year of the Goat - 羊年 (未) | 2015, 2003, 1991, 1979, 1967, 1955, 1943, 1931 |
| Year of the Monkey - 猴年 (申) | 2016, 2004, 1992, 1980, 1968, 1956, 1944, 1932 |
| Year of the Rooster - 鸡年 (酉) | 2017, 2005, 1993, 1981, 1969, 1957, 1945, 1933 |
| Year of the Dog - 狗年 (戌) | 2018, 2006, 1994, 1982, 1970, 1958, 1946, 1934 |
| Year of the Pig - 猪年 (亥) | 2019, 2007, 1995, 1983, 1971, 1959, 1947, 1935 |
Determine your zodiac sign
Enter your date of birth and find out who you are by zodiac sign
Chinese eastern calendar:
Your Sign:
- Lucky numbers:
- Lucky colors:
Chinese zodiac compatibility in love
What will bring good luck in the year of your animal?
In China there is the concept of "Benmingnian" - this is the so-called Year of Destiny, i.e. the zodiac animal in whose year you were born. In 2018, Benmingnian in people, born in the year of the Dog.
The Chinese are traditionally very sensitive to the Benmingnian offensive. This is a very special year for everyone and its arrival is awaited with joy and impatience.
However, in China they believe that those people whose year has arrived are insulting the great deity of time, Tai-Sui, and may face trials. Therefore, the Year of Destiny is considered a time of unexpected changes and anxieties here.
Find out, How to keep good luck in your year (Benmingnian) and about the traditions of modern China.
Zodiac signs - why these 12 animals?
The 12 animals of the Chinese zodiac were not chosen by chance. These were animals either closely associated with the daily life of ancient China, or those that, according to Chinese beliefs, brought good luck.
Ox, horse, goat, rooster, pig and dog are the six animals that were traditionally kept in Chinese households. A famous saying in China says: "Six animals in the house means prosperity". This is why these six animals were chosen.
The other six - rat, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake and monkey - are animals much loved in Chinese culture.
Zodiac signs - why in this order?
12 Animals of the Chinese Zodiac presented in a certain order according to the teachings of Yin and Yang.
The Yin and Yang of animals is determined by the number of their claws (paws, hooves). Even is pure for Yin and odd is pure for Yang. The animals in the zodiac are arranged in an alternating Yin-Yang order.
Animals usually have the same number of toes on their front and hind feet. However, the rat has four toes on its front paws and five on its hind paws. As they say in China: "Things are valued by their rarity". Therefore, the Rat comes first among the 12 animals of the zodiac. This unique animal combines both odd Yang and even Yin traits:
4+5=9, where Yang is dominant and therefore the rats are ultimately classified as odd (Yang).
Symbolic meaning of the 12 zodiac signs
In Ancient China, each zodiac animal was endowed with a certain symbolic meaning - a sign. 12 animals were divided into 6 pairs in such a way that the characteristics of one animal in the pair were opposite to those of the other animal from this pair. This is how harmony was achieved - Yin and Yang.
The order of the zodiac animals is presumably not chosen by chance: in China it is customary to start with the most important, and then put all the other signs in descending order. Just as in the beginning there is always a strong, dominant beginning of Yang, and then Yin gives harmony.
| Animal of the Zodiac | Sign | Proverb |
|---|---|---|
| Rat | Wisdom | Wisdom without hard work leads to mediocrity. |
| Bull | Hard work | Hard work without wisdom leads to meaninglessness. |
| Tiger | Bravery | Bravery without caution leads to recklessness. |
| Rabbit | Caution | Caution without courage leads to cowardice. |
| The Dragon | Force | Strength without flexibility leads to destruction. |
| Snake | Flexibility | Flexibility without strength leads to infringement. |
| Horse | Striving forward | Striving forward without unity leads to loneliness. |
| Goat | Unity | Unity without striving forward leads to stagnation. |
| Monkey | Changeability | Changeability without constancy leads to stupidity. |
| Rooster | Constancy | Constancy without changeability leads to stiffness. |
| Dog | Loyalty | Loyalty without a smile leads to rejection. |
| Pig | Friendliness | Friendliness without loyalty leads to immorality. |
Time was determined by the Chinese zodiac
Everyone knows that in the Chinese zodiac every year is associated with a certain animal, but not everyone knows that in Chinese culture there are also 12 zodiac signs used to indicate time.
In ancient times, before the invention of clocks, the earthly branches (the cyclic signs of the duodecimal cycle of the Chinese zodiac) were used to indicate time in China. For convenience, we resorted to the names of the 12 animals of the zodiac, allocating 2 hours for each sign.
According to Chinese astrology, a person’s character and life are largely determined not by the year, but by the hour of birth. And these data are widely used in the analysis of personality type and fate.
| Rat | Bull | Tiger | Rabbit | The Dragon | Snake | Horse | Goat | Monkey | Rooster | Dog | Pig |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
23:00- 01:00 |
01:00- 03:00 |
03:00- 05:00 |
05:00- 07:00 |
07:00- 09:00 |
09:00- 11:00 |
11:00- 13:00 |
13:00- 15:00 |
15:00- 17:00 |
17:00- 19:00 |
19:00- 21:00 |
21:00- 23:00 |
Legend of the Animals of the Chinese Zodiac
We'll talk about how Jade Emperor- the lord of heaven - decided to choose 12 animals so that they would guard his peace.
Beginners to Feng Shui often ask why each month of the Chinese calendar begins on a date other than the new moon.
Another regular question from beginners: why does the start date of the New Year according to the Chinese calendar differ in different sources, why is the New Year celebrated twice.
The Chinese calendar is a phenomenon about which you can write a separate book.
According to legend, the Chinese agricultural calendar Xia was introduced into use by the legendary Yellow Emperor Huang Di more than four and a half thousand years ago. Huang Di is credited with authoring many classic works, including seminal medical treatises." Huang Di Nei Jing" , as well as a short essay in verse “ Yinfujing" , revered in Taoism.
It is believed that the first year of the Chinese calendar was 2698 (according to other sources - 2697) BC.
According to another version, the Yellow Emperor spent the first 60 years testing in practice how his system worked, and began recording time sixty years later, from 2637 BC.
The Chinese calendar is lunisolar, it made up of lunar and solar cycles - months.
For predictions, Feng Shui and Bazi in the practice of Chinese metaphysics use the solar calendar, since the Sun has the greatest influence on our lives.
And although the Moon is also very important, its influence is less significant.
Features of the Chinese calendar
The ancient Chinese, observing the movement of luminaries, stars and planets, compared their influence with events occurring in people's lives, and were able to create the so-called “agricultural” calendar, or “Xia Calendar”. It received this name because it came into use during the Xia era (21-16 centuries BC)
The Chinese calendar is not just a method of keeping time, but a system that describes the movement of time in terms of the five elements (Wu Xing).
The Chinese calendar is based on sixty-year cycles, which are represented by a specific combination of ten Heavenly trunks:
- Yang Wood, Yin Wood, Yang Fire, Yin Fire, Yang Earth, Yin Earth, Yang Metal, Yin Metal, Yang Water, Yin Water
and twelve Earthly branches:
- Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, Pig.
This is exactly how the name appears - the year of the Fire Rooster (2017) or the year of the Earth Dog (2018).
The Chinese calendar has days, lunar months and seasons, that is, “solar months”, as well as their periods.
Lunar months in the Chinese calendar
For the Chinese, a lunar month (Yue) is the period from one new moon to another. The new moon in the Chinese calendar refers to the moment of conjunction of the Moon with the Sun, and not the “young” crescent of the Moon, as in some other systems.
Lunar months in the Chinese calendar have no special names.
They are simply numbered in order, and every third year a 13th lunar month appears.
Therefore, for example, the month of the Rooster (Rat, Ox, Pig, etc.) is a solar month, not a lunar one, and its beginning is not associated with the new moon!
Depending on the number of days in the lunar month, 29 or 30, the lunar month can be called “small” or “large”.
Seasons, or "Sunny Months"
The main difficulty of the Chinese calendar is that in addition to the lunar months ( Yue), there are also solar ( Qi).
A solar month in the Chinese calendar is the period of time during which the Sun travels 30 degrees of the tropical zodiac.
Each solar month (season) consists of two halves. The beginning of the first half (and the entire season) is called "jieqi" (divider). This date is marked in a dark color on the calendar (see picture below).
Therefore, there are 12 seasons and 24 periods* in a year, approximately 15 days each:
- Lichun - Beginning of spring 立春, February 4.
- Yushui - Rain water 雨水, February 18.
- Jingzhe - Awakening of insects (worms) 惊蛰, March 6.
- Chunfen - Spring Equinox 春分, March 18.
- Qingming - Clear and light 清明, April 5.
- Guyu - Grain rains 谷雨, April 19.
- Fox - Beginning of summer 立夏, May 6.
- Xiaoman - Small sprouts 小满, May 21.
- Manzhong - Earing of grain 芒种, June 6.
- Xiazhi - Summer Solstice 夏至, June 21.
- Xiaoshu - Light heat 小暑, July 7.
- Dashu - Great heat 大暑, July 28.
- Liqiu - Beginning of autumn 立秋, August 8.
- Chushu - End of the heat 处暑, August 23.
- Bailu - White dew 白露, September 8.
- Qiufen - Autumn Equinox 秋分, September 23.
- Hanlu - Cold dew 寒露, October 8.
- Shuangjiang - Frost fall 霜降, October 23.
- Lidong - Beginning of winter 立冬, November 7.
- Xiaoxue - Small snows 小雪, November 22.
- Daxue - Big snows 大雪, December 7th.
- Dongzhi - Winter Solstice 冬至, December 22.
- Xiaohan - Small cold 小寒, January 6.
- Dahan - Great cold 大寒, January 21.
*The exact start date of the period should be looked at in the calendar for a specific year.
Important: Lunar and solar months almost never coincide in the Chinese calendar.
Why is Chinese New Year celebrated twice?
The Chinese use the periods of Lichun, Lixia, Liqiu and Lidong as the beginning of spring, summer, autumn and winter.
"Li" means "to see" or "beginning".
The New Year, significant for practitioners of Chinese metaphysics, begins when spring or Lichun. This is the start of the solar calendar each year, falling between February 3-5.
Its date differs from the date of the lunar calendar, in which Chinese New Year falls on the 1st moon of the 1st month.
Lunar New Year is a public holiday. But what’s more important for us is a sunny New Year!
Attached is an example of a traditional Chinese calendar.
Note, darkened cells(dates of the beginning of solar seasons) almost never coincide with new moons, or the beginning of lunar months.
They can occur on any lunar day. Moreover, they can fall in different lunar months.
So, if in 1975 Qingming “Clear and Light” (04/05/75) fell on the 2nd lunar month, then in 1976 it will fall on the 3rd (04/04/76), this will be the 5th lunar day 3rd lunar month.
Let me remind you that for the purposes of divination, Feng Shui and Bazi, we use the solar Chinese calendar.
When preparing the article the following materials were used:
- A. Kostenko. Traditional Chinese calendar and its application in the metaphysical arts.
- Kryukov M.V. On the problem of cyclic signs in ancient China // Ancient writing systems. Ethnic semiotics.
- Vorobyov A. N. Traditional Chinese calendar.
- Klimishin I. A. Calendar and chronology.
- Knowledge gained from the course “Four Pillars of Destiny (Bazi)” by Anatoly Sokolov, of whom I am a member.
So, let's summarize what are the features of the Chinese calendar
- The Chinese calendar is a complex phenomenon that takes into account not just dates, but the movement of time in terms of the five elements (Wu Xing): Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water. It is based on a 60-year cycle, Jia Tzu, which is formed by a certain combination of Heavenly trunks and Earthly branches.
- The Chinese calendar is lunisolar. It consists of days, lunar and solar months (seasons). The solar months are divided into two parts, so the year has 12 seasons and 24 periods of approximately 15 days each.
- In the practice of Divination, Feng Shui and Bazu, solar months are used, and the year is counted from the beginning of the solar season Lichun - Beginning of Spring 立春.
- The month of the Rooster, Dog (Pig, Dragon, etc.) can only be solar, since the lunar months do not have names, therefore, the beginning of the month is not associated with the new moon.
- Chinese New Year is celebrated twice, according to the solar and lunar calendar. The moment of energy switching, important for practitioners of Chinese metaphysics, is the Solar New Year. Lunar New Year is a public holiday in China.
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With respect and good luck,
It so traditionally happened that in China, New Year celebrations take place several times. The first celebration falls on January 1, and the date of the second celebration depends on the lunisolar calendar. The Chinese calculate the beginning of the new year as follows: in the first month of the year, the first day of the full moon is determined, and it becomes the starting point. The celebration of the New Year according to the lunar calendar is distinguished by many different traditions, beliefs and rituals that are very unusual for Slavic people. The inhabitants of the Celestial Empire also have their own peculiarities of celebration, and the Chinese are preparing for the New Year holiday seriously.
Unlike the celebration with the rest of the world on the night of January 1, which lasts only one day, the main holiday in China lasts a full 15 days. Thus, in 2018 it will take place from February 16 to March 3 inclusive. Despite the fact that the Chinese, with their fast pace of life, cannot afford to relax as much, there are much fewer official days off. But this does not prevent people from performing rituals and following their national traditions, which were formed by their ancestors over the centuries.
Chinese New Year 2018 when according to the lunar calendar: The world New Year will begin on February 16, 2018, and end on February 4, 2019
Based on calculations based on the lunar-solar calendar, the world New Year will begin on February 16, 2018, and end on February 4, 2019. It should also be noted that each year has its own patron. This is an animal that accompanies a certain time of the year and is its rightful owner. The cycle is constantly changing, and a new animal is repeated no more than once every 80 years. This year will pass under the auspices of the Dog.
The Chinese also believe in the power of color and elements, so for each year, in addition to the main animal, they also choose signs based on these criteria. Thus, the color yellow will rule the current year, and the element will be Earth. The lunar calendar is radically different from the one to which many European countries are accustomed. In China, the new year 4716 began on February 16th.
Chinese New Year 2018 when according to the lunar calendar: local residents have a belief that it is on New Year's Eve that the souls of deceased relatives can join the evening meal
For most people in China, celebrating the New Year is an occasion to gather for a family dinner. At this time, it is customary to invite many guests and set a large table. Local residents also believe that it is on New Year's Eve that the souls of deceased relatives can join the evening meal with their living loved ones and celebrate the New Year with them. The Chinese greatly honor the memory of their ancestors, so this is a very important part of the traditional celebration.
The entire current year will pass under the auspices of the Dog, which symbolizes wisdom and teaches to honor traditions, as well as under the element of the Earth, which means abundance, fertility and rebirth. This is why celebrating at home is so important this year. You should avoid loud and long feasts; it will be enough to spend a quiet, modest evening with your closest people. This is how, according to the Chinese, the New Year should be celebrated correctly.
Chinese New Year 2018 when according to the lunar calendar: before the start of the celebration, Chinese residents carry out general cleaning in their homes
Residents of the Celestial Empire also have their own rules for celebrating the New Year. Preparations for the country's main holiday begin a few days before the official date of its celebration. The first step is to restore perfect order in your homes, as well as in the workplace and even city streets. Old or unnecessary things are thrown away, this is necessary in order to neutralize negative energy and open the way for the entry of fresh and renewed energy, which can give vitality and good luck in all matters.
Instead of eating the food that Europeans and Americans are accustomed to, Chinese residents buy Light wood. It is dressed up smartly, and all corners of the house are hung with garlands, images and figurines of the animal, which is the patron of the new year. And multi-colored ribbons must be hung on the front door. There must be at least 5 of them. This is necessary in order to attract attention to all five main areas of a person’s life, such as business, family, financial, love and health.
Chinese New Year 2018 when according to the lunar calendar: following traditions, the festive dinner should be held in a close family circle
These are not all the traditions of celebrating the New Year in China. There are many other subtleties due to centuries-old traditions that the inhabitants of the Celestial Empire diligently honor. For example, there is a special way of serving cutlery for the festive table. Separate seats are allocated, as well as plates for deceased relatives, so that they can also join in the dinner. The next day after a warm family meal, it is customary to go to visit your friends.
Instructions
The Chinese calendar is divided into solar and solar-lunar. The first can be attributed more to the agricultural sector. And the second is known in such variants as the Xia calendar, which is popular in East Asia, and the Qin Dynasty Calendar, invented in 221 BC by Emperor Qin Shi Huang. Today in China the Gregorian calendar is widely used, but the lunar calendar still determines the days of national celebrations: the New Year or the Mid-Autumn Festival. It also dictates the start time of field work.
The Chinese usually call the New Year the “Spring Festival”. Its date is variable, but it necessarily coincides with the interval January 21-February 20. Each new year is counted from the first new moon after the winter solstice. The old calendar does not know the concept of “calendar year,” so the Chinese use a sixty-year cycle, the starting point of which is considered to be 2397 BC. Accordingly, now is the year 4711 according to the Chinese calendar,...
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Leap years have 13 months. The Chinese calendar does not count years in an endless sequence. This is a combined solar-lunar calendar, in which the year coincides with the tropical one and the months with the synodic ones. New Year of trees. In rare cases, a month may contain two highlights; then the numbering of months can be shifted.
The Chinese calendar is represented by two types of calendars: solar (agricultural) and solar-lunar. The Xia calendar is used for romantic purposes, for example, when choosing the most favorable days for weddings, opening of institutions - any other events. Even then, the sexagesimal cycle was used to count years and days. Tradition holds that the year began with the first new moon after the winter solstice.
The length of the months alternates between 29 and 30 days, and an extra day is sometimes added at the end of the month to ensure that the beginning of the month corresponds to the observed new moon. The beginning of the year was pushed back a month, and it was already considered...
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We have long been accustomed to the fact that the New Year according to the Chinese horoscope corresponds to some animal and that although we celebrate the New Year on the night of January 1st, in China itself the New Year comes later - usually in February. We have come to terms with this, but how many of us have thought about what year actually begins according to the Chinese calendar? The phrase that, for example, 2015 is the year of the wooden goat, to put it mildly, is not true. It would be more correct to say that 2015 corresponds to the year of the rat in the Chinese calendar. And what year we will now find out. The Chinese calendar is based on the alternation of 60 year cycles, and its true beginning is taken to be 2637 BC - this date is not from the creation of the world, but from the beginning of the reign of Huang Di, the legendary founder of Taoism and the first Chinese emperor. Thus, to find out the exact year number, you need to add 2637 years to the year number in the Gregorian calendar. Example: 2015 + 2637 = 4652. So, the coming year 2015 will be 4652 in Chinese...
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Days.
The Islamic calendar is the official calendar of Saudi Arabia and the Gulf countries. The rest of the Muslim countries use it only for religious purposes and Gregorian as the official one.
The calendar is based on the Koran (Sura IX, 36-37) and its observance is a sacred duty of Muslims:
36. Verily, the number of months with Allah is twelve months...
37. Interposition is only an increase in disbelief; Those who do not believe are mistaken in this; they allow it one year and forbid it in another, in order to harmonize with the account that Allah has forbidden.
Here we are talking about the rejection of lunar-solar calendars, which apparently was unimportant for the pastoral culture of the Arabs.
3.1. Months of the Islamic calendar
From the names of the months it follows that the calendar was originally lunisolar.
The beginning of the month occurs on the day when the crescent moon becomes visible after the new moon. Although the new moon can be predicted quite accurately, visibility...
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Ancient Chinese calendar
The origins of astronomy in China. Astronomy arose almost simultaneously, but independently, in China, Egypt, Babylon and India. The beginnings of astronomical knowledge appeared already several thousand years BC. e. Thus, one of the oldest Chinese chronicles reports a legend relating to a total solar eclipse, which, according to later calculations, occurred on October 22, 2137 BC. e., i.e. more than 4 thousand years ago. If you believe such a historical source as “Shujing” (“Book of History”), then the Chinese priests, who at that time were also the keepers of astronomical knowledge, not only knew how to predict eclipses, but were also obliged to do so. However, as the legend tells, the eclipse of 2137 BC. e. was not predicted in advance. Astronomers Hi and Ho paid with their lives for neglectful performance of their duties. But by order of Emperor Chung Kang, their heads were cut off.
The development of astronomy in China, as in other countries, was dictated...
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B. Bilyavskaya
What is the year now? 2014? Are you sure?
If you ask the same question to a resident of Iran, he will answer without hesitation - 1393. And the Israeli citizen is convinced that the year is now 5775. And according to the national calendar of India, today is 1936. At the same time, in North Korea the calendar marks the 103rd year of the Juche era. In the Chinese calendar, years are not numbered, but if they were, it would end with 4711 by now.
And even the New Year does not begin on the same day according to different calendars. We are accustomed to the fact that the beginning of the year is January 1st. Meanwhile, our ancestors began to celebrate this day only in 1700 by decree of Peter I. Before that, the Slavs celebrated the New Year in March. However, the ancient Slavic tribes did not have an accurate calendar in pre-Christian times. Of course, this does not mean that they did not follow the passage of time at all. Scientists examined ancient chronicles, studied archaeological finds and were able to establish that chronology was, as a rule, from the beginning of the reign...
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January 1... Perhaps the most important holiday for us - the New Year - in China (where it is now called Yuan Dan) passes quite unnoticed. No noisy night feasts, New Year's "Lights", sparkling Christmas trees and red-nosed Santa Clauses with...
Chinese New Year - Chun Jie, which means Spring Festival, is the most important holiday for the Chinese, it has been celebrated for more than two thousand years. It falls on the second new moon after the winter solstice, between January 12 and February 19. WITH...
The date of the holiday is unique for each year.
In 2016 this date is 22...
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The calendar is a rhythm that is designed to unite the external universe with the inner person into a harmonious whole. Attitude to time indicates not only a certain level of culture, but is also an expression of those internal features that distinguish one culture from another. Naturally, the attitude to time within a particular culture affects primarily the calendar.
However, the calendar is not only a rhythm, but also the rhythmic memory of humanity.
Even the most ancient of calendars, such as the solar calendar of Ancient Egypt or the solar-lunar calendar of Babylon with their periodically repeating cycles of religious holidays, always pursued one important goal: to be, first of all, reliable keepers of the memory of what lay at the root of each of them. crops
The Jewish calendar is a religious calendar and the official calendar of Israel. This is a combined solar-lunar calendar. The years are counting...
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In Russia, preparations for the New Year begin in mid-December. Both children and adults enjoy the holiday with its solemn atmosphere. In China, this celebration is celebrated twice a year - first with the whole world on January 1, and then according to the lunar calendar every year on different dates. Most residents will look forward to the Chinese New Year in 2019 with great anticipation, since Chun Jie (as the New Year is called in China) has a special meaning for the indigenous people of the country.
Date of celebration and symbol of the year
Every year the Chinese celebrate Spring Festival on different dates. The date is calculated according to the lunar calendar. So, when does Chinese New Year 2019 celebrations begin and end?
According to the Chinese calendar, 2019 will begin on February 5, when the main festivities will be held in the country (lasting 15 days until February 20). The Year of the Pig itself will last until January 25, until 2020 comes into power. The main celebration will begin on February 5th and end on February 6th.
Chun Jie symbolizes the arrival of spring and wealth, so they carefully prepare for it, and family and folk festivities last 15 days. During this period, many government agencies and private companies take 2 weeks off, and some only have a week off.
According to the Chinese calendar, 2019 is the year of the Yellow (brown) Earth Pig. This animal is revered in the Middle Kingdom. It symbolizes family happiness and wealth. Once upon a time, pork meat was only on the tables of rich people. The pig represents kindness, gentleness, peacefulness and patience.
According to an ancient parable, the pig accidentally became the 12th animal in the eastern horoscope. There should be a cat in her place, but the rat did not wake him up when the Supreme Ruler collected all the animals. Then the choice fell on the first animal that came across, which turned out to be a pig.
On the eve of the holiday
New Year in China is a special holiday and preparations for it are no less intense. According to beliefs and traditions, before the holiday, the Chinese must cleanse themselves and put their home, body and soul in order.
Preparation includes the following actions:
- Housewives carry out general cleaning. Women wash their homes thoroughly, as the presence of dust is unacceptable.
- Old things must be thrown away so that there is room for new ones.
- The day before, all Chinese go to the bathhouse to cleanse the body.
- Women prepare many delicacies for the celebration. On the first day of the New Year you cannot cook anything, so the day before you prepare meat and fish dishes, sweets and other treats.
- Tangerines and other citrus fruits are placed on the table, which symbolize well-being.
- Prepare the robes. You need to celebrate the Spring Festival in clean, ironed and smart clothes.
- The house must be decorated with paper garlands, lanterns and other festive decorations. A hieroglyph denoting happiness, inverted, is hung on the door.
When preparing for the holiday, do not forget to prepare gifts for loved ones, relatives and friends. Before the New Year, the family gathers for a pre-holiday dinner. This evening several generations gather at the table.
Features of New Year celebrations in China
Chinese New Year is celebrated every year with tradition and 2019 will be no exception. Celebrations stretch over 15 days and take place in the following sequence:
- The night before, the family gets together for dinner. Adults and children do not sleep all night. They watch entertainment programs on TV, sing and dance, have fun and always set off fireworks. It is believed that fun and loud noises scare away evil spirits.
- On the second day they go to visit relatives. In some regions this day is called Son-in-Law Day.
- On the third day, sacrifices are made - paper “sacrifices” are burned. They pray and don’t leave the house, except to go to church.
- In the following days they go to visit colleagues and friends. They prepare goodies and set off firecrackers.
- From the 6th to the 8th day, the Chinese spend time with their families, and on the ninth day they honor the memory of the dead.
- The second week is less busy; workdays begin in many provinces. People prepare for the Lantern Festival, go to visit people, and folk festivities are held on the streets.
- On the 13th day it is customary to eat vegetarian food.
- On the 14th day, sheds are built for launching lanterns and the final preparatory work is carried out.
- The Lantern Festival concludes the New Year celebrations. Thousands of hot lanterns rise into the sky on this day. The mesmerizing spectacle has a special meaning for the Chinese. It is believed that this ritual helps refresh the sky and help the souls of the dead find their way upward.
During the New Year celebrations, Chinese people spend time with family, visit relatives and friends, and honor the memory of the dead. Any action is accompanied by bright saturated colors, lights shining everywhere and sincere fun. Laughter and songs are heard in the streets, firecrackers and fireworks explode.
Traditions
The indigenous population of the Celestial Empire will celebrate 2019 according to Chinese traditions. Each region has its own characteristics of celebration, but there are also common ones throughout the country:
- Red clothes are chosen for the celebration. You can choose an outfit of a different color, but there must be red elements in the image. This color scares away the terrible monster that in ancient times attacked people.
- When guests enter the house, they are sure to give two tangerines, which symbolize happiness and prosperity. The owners of the house give this amount of fruit to the guests when they go home.
- On New Year's Eve and other days, fireworks are always set off to scare away evil spirits.
- Ribbons or red paper are attached to the windows to protect it from evil spirits.
- On the first day of the New Year, you cannot sweep the floor, as happiness will be swept out of the house. For the same reason, you cannot take out the trash.
In China, it is not customary to give expensive gifts. People present money to each other in red envelopes. Since the number 8 is considered a symbol of happiness and prosperity, eight bills are placed in the envelope. You cannot put an odd number of pieces of paper. Sweets and inexpensive souvenirs can also be given as gifts.
How to celebrate New Year 2019 according to Chinese traditions?
Every year the number of fans of Eastern religion and customs is growing, so many are interested in how to celebrate the New Year. According to the Chinese calendar, 2019 will be the year of the Yellow Earth Pig, so when preparing for the holiday you need to consider the following:
- For the celebration, you can choose clothes in yellow, brown or green, as well as their shades.
- There should be abundance on the table, since the Pig loves to eat delicious food. Various salads would be appropriate. Give preference to plant foods, fruits and vegetables, but you can also serve baked goods, meat or fish dishes.
- You need to celebrate the New Year in the company of friends or family. In China, the symbol of the year means family well-being, and the animal itself lives in a herd, so don’t be alone.
And most importantly, create a comfortable and festive atmosphere in your home, have fun from the heart. In China they believe that only positive emotions, joy and laughter can attract prosperity and happiness into the home.
Look video about how New Year is celebrated in China: