CHINESE NEW YEAR

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Do you want to know how to say 'Happy New Year' in Chinese (cantonese)?

Sun nien fai lok

Did you know that the Chinese do not celebrate the New Year on the same day as we do?

Chinese New Year starts with the second New Moon after the winter solstice and ends on the full moon 15 days later.

Like all Chinese festivals it is determined by the lunar/solar calendar, so the actual date varies from late January to mid-February. In 2006 it falls on January 29.

New Year's Eve and New Year's Day are celebrated as a family affair, a time of reunion, thanksgiving and remembering departed relatives.

Preparations for the New Year festival start during the last few days of the last moon. Houses are thoroughly cleaned, debts repaid, hair cut and new clothes bought.

Doors are decorated with vertical scrolls of characters on red paper whose texts seek good luck and praise nature, a practice that stems from the hanging of charms to keep away ghosts and evil spirits.
In many homes incense is burned, and also in the temples, as a mark of respect to ancestors. On New Year's Eve, houses are brightly lit and a large family dinner is served.
In China, the public holiday lasts for three days but the festival traditionally lasts until the 15th day of the New Year and ends with the Lantern Festival, which is celebrated at night with lantern displays and children carrying lanterns in a parade.

Traditionally, the years are named, in a 12-year cycle, after animals. In 2006 the Year of the Rooster gives way to the Year of the Dog.

(adapted from http://www.educ.uvic.ca/faculty/mroth/438/CHINA/chinese_new_year.html)

Do you want to know what Chinese sign you are ? Just have a look at this table and find it out.

 

RAT 1900 1912 1924 1936 1948 1960 1972 1984 1996
OX

1901

 1913 1925 1937 1949 1961 1973 1985 1997
TIGER 1902 1914 1926 1938 1950 1962 1974 1986 1998
RABBIT 1903 1915 1927 1939 1951 1963 1975 1987 1999
DRAGON 1904 1916 1928 1940 1952 1964 1976 1988 2000
SNAKE 1905 1917 1929 1941 1953 1965 1977 1989 2001
HORSE 1906 1918 1930 1942 1954 1966 1978 1990 2002
GOAT 1907 1919 1931 1943 1955 1967 1979 1991 2003
MONKEY 1908 1920 1932 1944 1956 1968 1980 1992 2004
ROOSTER 1909 1921 1933 1945 1957 1969 1981 1993 2005
DOG 1910 1922 1934 1946 1958 1970 1982 1994 2006
PIG 1911 1923 1935 1947 1959 1971 1983 1995 2007


*Please note: The Chinese year ends on the first new moon of the following year. For those of you born in January and February please take care when determining your sign. We recommend using our Chinese Sign Finder for the most accuracy.


(Chart taken from http://chinese.astrology.com/signs.html)

Now that you already know your Chinese sign, you might want to know a bit about it. Read this:

RAT
You are imaginative.
You are generous.
You can be quick
tempered. You will be
happy as a writer,
critic or publicist.

OX
You are a born leader.
You inspire confidence.
You are demanding.
You are methodical
and good with your
hands. You will make
a good surgeon,
general or hairdresser.

TIGER
You are sensitive,
emotional and capable
of great love. You are
stubborn about what
you think is right.
You will make a good
boss, explorer or race
car driver.

RABBIT
You are affectionate,
cooperative, and
pleasant. People like
to be around you.
You are sentimental.
You will make a
successful business
person, lawyer,
diplomat or actor.


DRAGON
You are full of life and
enthusiasm. You are
popular and "fun-loving".
You will make a good
artist, priest or politician.

SNAKE
You are wise and
charming. You are
a good thinker.
You can procrastinate.
You save money.
You will make a good
teacher, writer or
psychiatrist.


HORSE
You are a hard worker.
You are independent,
intelligent and friendly.
You can be a bit
selfish. You will find
success as an adventurer,
scientist or poet.

SHEEP
You are charming,
elegant and artistic.
You like to be
comfortable.
You can complain
and worry too much.
You will make a good actor,
gardener or beachcomber.

MONKEY
You are very intelligent,
clever, and well-liked by
everyone. You will have
success in any field.

ROOSTER
You are a hard-worker.
You speak your mind.
You can be boastful.
You will make a good
restaurant owner, publicist
or world traveler.

DOG
You are honest and
faithful. You can worry
too much. You will
make an excellent
business person,
teacher or secret agent.


PIG
You are a good friend.
You are sincere, tolerant
and honest. You are
sometimes disappointed.
You will thrive in the arts
as an entertainer or you
will be a great lawyer

ACTIVITIES - PROJECT 2

Do you think they are right? Why? Why not? What about your mates' signs?
You can discuss it with your mates. Which sign is more suitable to yours? What sign is not suitable at all? Can you find famous people with the same Chinese sign as yours ?

Open your word processor, create a new document and write about it. You can surf the Internet if you need some extra information.

Once the writing is finished, hand it in to your teacher, please.