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What is Chinese New Year

Discover the traditions, history, and cultural significance of Chinese New Year in this insightful video. Learn about the zodiac, celebrations, and festive customs that make this holiday unique

Chinese New Year follows the moon, not the Western calendar, which is why it lands anywhere between late January and the middle of February and why it is also called the Spring Festival. The celebrations run for about fifteen days, and the preparation – cleaning the house to sweep out the old year, settling debts, buying new clothes – starts well before the first day.

Two details make good lesson material. The twelve zodiac animals repeat in a fixed cycle, so every student can find the animal of their birth year, and the red envelope carries rules of its own: an even amount, never containing four, because the word for four sounds like the word for death.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Chinese New Year?

The most important holiday in the Chinese calendar, also called the Spring Festival. It follows the moon rather than the Western calendar, so it falls between late January and the middle of February, and celebrations run for about fifteen days.

What are the animals of the Chinese zodiac?

Twelve, in a fixed order: rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog and pig. Each year belongs to one of them, so the cycle repeats every twelve years and people talk about the year they were born in.

How do people greet each other at Chinese New Year?

The best-known greeting is "Gong xi fa cai", a wish for prosperity in the new year. In English, "Happy Chinese New Year" or "Happy Lunar New Year" is the usual thing to say.