Chinese New Year rituals actually begin with spring cleaning when the homes are thoroughly cleaned to sweep out all that is bad.
However this cleaning will stop right before the New Year commences so as not to wipe away the good luck that the New Year is expected to bring in.
On the New Year’s Eve, a Reunion Dinner is held which is an elaborate feasting where essentially all the members of the family unite in the home of the eldest in the family. The dinner is preceded by thanksgiving prayer and paying homage to ancestors. Some people also visit temples and light incense sticks.
The house is decorated and lit up. Red is believed to be auspicious. Paper lanterns adorn the homes. Gifts are exchanged. The elders generally gift the younger ones money in a red envelope that is believed to bring in prosperity in the upcoming months of the brand New Year.
Lion Dance and Dragon dances are held all over the country and is a noisy affair that is believed to scare off the evil.
Apart from these principal rituals, these are also various local customs that are observed in different regions of the country in keeping with their traditions.
Chinese New Year has its traditions deep rooted to ancient civilizations, history and mythology. As such, there are many interesting facts entwined with it that have origin in folk-lores and ancient beliefs.
At the end of the year the Chinese pay tribute to the Kitchen God. They burn paper cutouts of Kitchen God as it is believed that the Go will travel up along with the fumes to Emperor Jade in the Heaven and tell him how the family has behaved in the bygone year. Some people smear the God’s lips with sweet things so that He speaks good things about them.
The family stays awake together till the midnight to wish each other Happy New Year after the Reunion Dinner on the Eve. This practice is known as Shou Sui.
Shooting firecracker and making loud noises are believed to ward away all that is old and evil.
Doors and windows are closed on the Eve in Chinese households to be opened only in the New Year to welcome the positive vibes.
New Year Greetings are conveyed often by shouting auspicious phrases while negative words are not uttered during the whole fifteen days of celebrations.
Аз съм Роси. Това е моят блог за грим, мода, козметика.
