Chinese New Year

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Chinese New Year Introduction (jí xiáng hùa) also known as Chinese New Year is the longest and most important festival for the Chinese. This festival begins on the first day of the first month ( 正月: zhēng yuè ) in the lunisolar Chinese calendar and ends 15 days later. Some might be confused why Chinese New Year falls on a different date each year. This is because the Chinese calendar is based on a combination of lunar and solar movements. The lunar cycle is about 29.5 days. In order to "catch up" with the solar calendar the Chinese insert an extra month once every few years (seven years out of a 19-yearcycle). This is the same as adding an extra day on leap year. This is why, according to the solar calendar, the Chinese New Year falls on a different date each year. Chinese New Year is mainly celebrated in countries with significant Han Chinese populations. For example, Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore, Taiwan, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, and Thailand. Before celebrating the Chinese New Year festival, important preparations must be done. The preparation begins two weeks before the Chinese New Year. This includes days such as Birthday of the Land Deity (16th Day of the 12th Month), Sending of the Kitchen God (24th Day of the 12th Month), Chinese New Year Shopping (25th Day of the 12th Month until Chinese New Year Eve), Spring Cleaning (28th Day of the 12th Month) and Chinese New Year Eve (29th or 30th Day of the 12th Month). At the stroke of midnight, Chinese New Year is greeted by loud firecrackers signifying a new year. On this day several taboos must be followed. For example, family members cannot do any cleaning on this day as it is believed that cleaning clean away all the good luck. Windows and doors can be seen decorated with paper cuts and couplets with auspicious sayings such as ‘happiness’, ‘wealth’, ‘longevity’. Chinese

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