Happy Chinese New Year!

Xin Nian Kuai Le! Wan Shi Ru Yi!!

No, I’m not swearing or putting a curse on you – these are classic Chinese New Year greetings! These greetings are usually in four character phrases wishing someone good health and a prosperous year ahead, said with hands clasped together prayer style. As the program coordinator for our internship and volunteer programs in Shanghai and a “descendant of the dragon” myself, I see it as my duty to introduce to you this most important festival for Chinese people worldwide. Just so you don’t think it’s about a bunch of us dressed in red and lighting firecrackers for no good reason.

Chinese New Year, or Spring Festival, falls on the first of the first month on the lunar calendar. The festival lasts 15 days (which makes the 12 days of Christmas look highly inadequate) and each year marks the start of one of the 12 zodiac animal years. According to the Chinese, 2012 is the year of the dragon, not the fire-breathing one the guards a locked up princess, but an imaginary legendary animal that used to represent the emperors. It has the body of a snake, scales of a fish, antlers of a deer, claws of an eagle…and parts of a few other animals. It is the most auspicious zodiac animal of the 12 (the others include the less imposing rat, pig and monkey, as well as the stronger tiger and horse) and many Chinese couples aim to have a baby born in the Dragon year. And tough luck if you miss it – you’ll have to wait another 12 years!

Speaking of parents and babies, Chinese New Year is a time for family reunion, and the most important meal of the year is the reunion dinner on the eve of Chinese New Year. Family members scattered all over the world gather for a sumptuous meal, where every dish served has a name that symbolizes good luck for the next year. Different parts of China celebrate with different traditional dishes, the north hides coins in dumplings for the lucky few to choke on, I mean, to enjoy the bit of extra fortune. The south enjoys a feast of seafood and meat. There are also plenty of sweets and snacks to last you through the day as you visit family and friends and reconnect with everyone.
If you think the food is the best bit, wait till the best part comes up- the new clothes and shoes and the red packets! Come Chinese New Year, every girl will wish she is Chinese, as it is a very important tradition to have a new outfit to symbolize a new start 😉 What a perfect excuse for some serious shopping! What’s more, the elders give the younger generation red packets – cash put in red envelopes – known as Ya Sui Qian, as a blessing. See why this is my favourite time of the year?

Before I get carried away I should probably tell you how all this started. There are many versions to the story, but the old school one I’ve always heard is this- (abridged because I’m in a hurry to get back to shopping for new shoes!)

Once upon a time, there was a monster named “Nian” who wrecked havoc on the villages of China. The villages thought they were all going to die, hence they gathered their families together, put on their best clothes and prepared their finest food before the inevitable. Then they discovered that this monster is afraid of noise and the colour red, so they lit firecrackers and painted the town red to scare him away. They succeeded and the cowardly monster never returned, so “the last supper” became a celebratory feast and everyone realized the greatness of having new outfits and a luxurious meal once a year. Ok I made up the last bit, but well, the traditions stuck and became what it is today.

Well now that you have gained what little insight about Chinese New Year, Gong Xi Fa Cai and buy yourself a little red something on January 21 this year to join in on the festivities!

photo credit: fireworks and dragon

Sherilyn left Singapore to study Chinese Language and Literature at Nanjing University in China. Intrigued by her interaction with both international and Chinese students, she decided to move to cosmopolitan Shanghai after graduation to put her east-meets-west background to full use. She enjoys the fun of volunteering, the excitement in meeting new people, the wonderment in the exchange of culture, and the knowledge gained from the overseas experience. Joining the Connect-123 team gives her the chance to share these joys with others. Sherilyn welcomes you to join her in exploring one of the most exciting cities to be in the world now!