The Chinese New Year

1. The Chinese New Year

2. What do we see as part of the Chinese New year? • Red Envelopes • Spring Couplets • Dragon & Lion Dance • Scenes on Chinese New Year Day

3. One of the activities during the Chinese New Year Festival is the dragon and lion dance.

4. Day one The first day of the Lunar New Year is "the welcoming of the gods of the heavens and earth.“ Everyone wears new clothes and visit friends, neighbors, and relatives to exchange good wishes.

5. Day two The Chinese pray to their ancestors as well as to all the gods.

6. Days three and four The third and fourth days are for the sons-in-laws to pay respect to their parents-in-law.

7. Spring couplets are paper scrolls and squares with blessings and auspicious words such as “good fortune” and “prosperity’’ and these are given to each other

8. Day five The fifth day is called Po Woo. On that day people stay home to welcome the God of Wealth.

9. Days six, seven, eight, nine and ten! On the sixth to the 10th day, the Chinese visit their relatives and friends.

10. Red envelopes are presented at social and family gatherings .The redcolourof the envelope is a symbol of good luck and is supposed to keep evil spirits away.

11. Day seven The seventh day of the New Year is the day for farmers to display their produce.

12. Day eight On the eighth day people have another family reunion dinner, and at midnight they pray to Tian Gong, the God of Heaven.

13. Day nine The ninth day is to make offerings to the Jade Emperor.

14. Days ten, eleven and twelve These days are the ones on which friends and relatives should be invited for dinner.

15. Day thirteen After so much rich food, on the 13th day you should have simple rice congee and mustard greens (choi sum) to cleanse the system.

16. Day fourteen The 14th day should be for preparations to celebrate the Lantern Festival which is to be held on the 15th night.