What is lunar new year?
Lunar New Year, also known as Chinese New Year or Spring Festival, is a major holiday in China and other countries with significant Chinese populations, such as Taiwan, Singapore, and Malaysia. It typically falls between late January and mid-February, depending on the lunar calendar. The holiday marks the start of a new year according to the lunar calendar and is a time for families to gather, celebrate, and exchange gifts. The celebrations typically last for 15 days and include traditional activities such as lion dances, dragon dances, and fireworks, as well as the exchange of red envelopes filled with money. The lunar new year is also celebrated by other Asian countries with different name and customs.
What is Chinese zodiac story?
The Chinese zodiac is a 12-year cycle of 12 animal signs. The story behind the Chinese zodiac is that the Jade Emperor invited all the animals to a race and only 12 animals showed up, so they were named the 12 signs of the zodiac. The order of the animals is: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, Pig. Each animal is believed to have certain personality traits and is associated with certain years.
The Chinese zodiac, also known as Sheng Xiao, is a system of 12 animals that symbolize different years in the Chinese calendar. The origins of the Chinese zodiac are rooted in ancient Chinese mythology, where it was believed that the Jade Emperor, the ruler of all gods, summoned all the animals of the earth to compete in a race. Only 12 animals finished the race and were chosen to represent the 12 years of the lunar calendar.
It is also worth noting that Chinese astrology is different than Western astrology. Western astrology is based on the study of the positions and movements of celestial bodies, whereas Chinese astrology is based on the traditional Chinese lunar calendar. Therefore, the Chinese zodiac signs are not based on the positions of stars or planets, but on the cycles of the lunar calendar.
It is mostly used as a cultural reference, and people born in the year of certain animal are said to have certain characteristics and personalities associated with that animal. People often consult Chinese astrologers for advice about their future and love life, as well as predictions about their wealth, health, and career based on the Chinese zodiac.
List of animals and years of Lunar New Year
Here is the list of years and corresponding animals for the Chinese lunar calendar:
- Rat: 1996, 2008, 2020, 2032
- Ox: 1997, 2009, 2021, 2033
- Tiger: 1998, 2010, 2022, 2034
- Rabbit: 1999, 2011, 2023, 2035
- Dragon: 2000, 2012, 2024, 2036
- Snake: 2001, 2013, 2025, 2037
- Horse: 2002, 2014, 2026, 2038
- Goat: 2003, 2015, 2027, 2039
- Monkey: 2004, 2016, 2028, 2040
- Rooster: 2005, 2017, 2029, 2041
- Dog: 2006, 2018, 2030, 2042
- Pig: 2007, 2019, 2031, 2043
It’s worth noting that the Chinese lunar calendar is a lunisolar calendar, meaning it’s based on both the lunar and solar cycles. The Chinese New Year usually falls between January 21st to February 20th.