fbpx
Wikipedia

Lunar New Year

Lunar New Year is the first new moon of a lunar calendar or lunisolar calendar year, whose months are moon cycles. The event is celebrated by numerous cultures in various ways at diverse dates.

Lunar New Year
Top to bottom, left to right:
TypeCultural
DateVaries

The more well-known celebrations include New Year's Day (or week) in the Chinese calendar and Tibetan calendar of East Asia;[1][2][3] the Buddhist and Hindu calendars of Southeast and South Asia; the Islamic calendar and the Jewish calendar that originated in the Middle East; and the Nisga'a calendar from Canada. The determination of the first month of a new lunar year varies by culture.

Definition edit

The Lunar New Year is an event celebrated by millions of people across the world on the first new moon of their calendar. Although often referred to as "Lunar New Year" in English, this is a misnomer, as it refers to both celebrations based on a lunar calendar as well as a lunisolar calendar. The Islamic New Year (also called the Hijri New Year or 1 Muharram) determined by the Islamic calendar, a purely lunar calendar that ignores the solar cycle that is used to reset lunisolar calendars.[4] Lunar New Year celebrations in East and Central Asia, such as Chinese New Year, are based on a lunisolar calendar. Chinese New Year usually falls on the second new moon after the winter solstice (rarely the third if an intercalary month intervenes).[5] Some Lunar New Year celebrations, such as in Korea and Vietnam, generally fall on the same day as the Chinese celebration in late January or February, due to being based on the Chinese calendar or a variation of it. However celebration customs and holiday durations may differ. Lunisolar New Year celebrations of other cultures such as Burmese, Cambodian, Lao, Sri Lankan, and Thai people are based on the Buddhist calendar and occur in mid-April.[6][4]

In the United States of America, Lunar New Year is strongly associated with Chinese Americans and "Chinese New Year" is commonly used as a translation by people of non-Chinese backgrounds.[4][7] Chinese New Year is the official name of the celebration and holiday in some countries such as Singapore,[8] Brunei,[9] and Malaysia.[10] However the celebration has officially been known as "Spring Festival" in China since the founding of the Republic of China in 1911 when the previous name, "Yuandan" (The First Day), was assigned to the first day of the Gregorian calendar. Chinese people outside China refer to it as both Lunar New Year as well as Chinese New Year. Since at least the mid-2010s, there has been criticism in America of using the term "Chinese New Year" in an official capacity, particularly by Korean and Vietnamese people. Some American politicians have avoided using the term "Chinese New Year" in preference for "Lunar New Year".[11][4][7]

Celebrations by (sub)continent edit

Asia: East Asia edit

China, South Korea, Taiwan, and Vietnam celebrate the Lunisolar New Year on the same date. Japan, excluding the Ryukyu Islands, now only celebrates the solar new year apart from a remnant of the lunisolar celebration called Little New Year (小正月, koshōgatsu) occurring on the 15th day of the first lunar month for Japanese calendar.[12]

  • Chinese New Year (simplified Chinese: 农历新年; traditional Chinese: 農曆新年; pinyin: Nónglì Xīnnián or simplified Chinese: 春节; traditional Chinese: 春節; pinyin: Chūnjié)
  • Tujia New Year (Chinese: 土家新年; pinyin: Tǔjiā Xīnnián or Chinese: 赶年; pinyin: Gǎnnián)
  • Tsagaan Sar (Mongolian New Year) Mongol Bichig: ᠴᠠᠭᠠᠨ ᠰᠠᠷᠠ; Chinese: 查干萨日、白节)
  • Miao New Year (Hmongic: Nongx Yangx; Chinese: 能央)
  • Japanese New Year (正月 Shōgatsu) (prior to 1873)[13]
  • Ryukyu New Year
  • Korean New Year (Korean설날; RRSeollal)[14][15]
  • Vietnamese New Year (Vietnamese: Tết Nguyên Đán; chữ Hán: 節元旦)[16]
  • Wuyue New Year (Standard Wuyue language:過年 kou3 niae1)

Tibetans and Mongols celebrate New Year in February or early March, based on the closely related Tibetan calendars. Chinese-Mongols celebrate Tsagaan Sar according to Chinese calendar. The Uyghurs adopted the Chinese calendar, and the Mongols and Tibetans adopted the Tibetan calendar. Depending on the year, the Tibetan New Year can either coincide with the Chinese New Year, or take place around one month later.

  • Tsagaan Sar (Mongolian New Year) (Mongolian: Цагаан сар; Cagán sar; Mongol Bichig: ᠴᠠᠭᠠᠨ ᠰᠠᠷᠠ)[16]
  • Losar (Tibetan New Year) (Tibetan: ལོ་གསར་, Wylie: lo-gsar)[17]

China edit

The history of the Chinese New Year festival can be traced back to more than 4000 years ago.[18][19] Before the new year celebration was formed, ancient Chinese gathered around and celebrated at the end of harvest in autumn. However, the celebration is not Mid-Autumn Festival, during which Chinese gathered with family and worship the moon. In the Classic of Poetry, a poem written during Western Zhou (1045 BC – 771 BC), by an anonymous farmer, described how people cleaned up millet stack-sites, toasted to guests with mijiu, killed lambs and cooked the meat, went to their master's home, toasted to the master, and cheered for long lives together, in the 10th month of an ancient solar calendar, which was in autumn.[20] The celebration is believed to be one of the prototypes of the Chinese New Year.[21]

The first dated Chinese new year celebration can be traced back to Warring States period (475 BC – 221 AD). In Lüshi Chunqiu, an exorcistic ritual called "Big Nuo (大儺)" was recorded being carried out in the ending day of a year to expel illness in Qin (state).[22][23] Later, after Qin unified China and the Qin dynasty was founded, the ritual was continued. It evolved to cleaning up houses thoroughly in the preceding days of Chinese New Year.[citation needed]

The first mentioning of the celebration of the start of a new year was recorded in Han dynasty (202 BC – 220 AD). In the book Simin Yueling (四民月令), written by Eastern Han's agronomist and writer Cui Shi (崔寔), the celebration was recorded by stating "The starting day of the first month, is called 'Zheng Ri'. I bring my wife and children, to worship ancestors and commemorate my father." Later he wrote: "Children, wife, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren all serve pepper wine to their parents, make their toast, and wish their parents good health. It's a thriving view."[24] People also went to acquaintances' homes and wished each other a happy new year. In Book of the Later Han Volume 27, 吴良, a county officer was recorded going to his prefect's house with a government secretary, toasting to the prefect and praising the prefect's merit.[25]

Lunar new year is the grandest ancient traditional festival in China, commonly known as "Guo Nian". This festival means the beginning of spring and the arrival of the new year. The customs of Chinese lunar new year include sticking Spring Festival couplets, buying New Year's goods, and having family dinner together.

Korea edit

The earliest references to Korean New Year are found in 7th-century Chinese historical works, the Book of Sui and the Old Book of Tang, containing excerpts of celebrations during the New Year in the Silla Kingdom for Korean calendar, which was influenced by the Tang dynasty's calendaric system.[26][27] Korea's own record of new year celebration is found in Samguk yusa (Memorabilia of the Three Kingdoms), compiled in the 13th century. Under the rule of 21st King of Silla, new year was celebrated in 488 AD. Then celebration of Korean New Year have continued to Goryeo and Joseon. By the 13th century, Korean New Year was one of the nine major Korean festivals that included ancestral rites, according to the Korean historical work, the Goryeosa.[26][28][29]

As opposed to red envelopes, Korean New Year tends to involve white envelopes.[30]

Taiwan edit

While there is little recorded history of when Lunar New Year was first observed in Taiwan, it is known that the indigenous population had other ceremonies and did not originally celebrate the festival.[31] It was likely first celebrated by the Hakka or Hoklo populations that migrated from now part of mainland China to the island during the 17th century. Due to Taiwan's population being mostly Han Chinese, its Lunar New Year celebration is very similar to that of China, especially in regards to traditions. However, in modern day, there can be more of a focus on visiting Buddhist or Taoist temples with extended family members. There are also notable variations to the food that is eaten during this time, such as the consumption of pineapple cakes and other products derived from pineapples or daikon since the latter is a homophone for "good fortune" in Hokkien.[32]

Asia: South Asia edit

These South Asian traditional lunisolar celebrations are observed according to the local lunisolar calendars. They are influenced by Indian tradition, which marks the system of lunar months in a solar sidereal year. A separate solar new year also exists for those Indian regions which use solar months in a solar sidereal year.

The following are influenced by the Tibetan calendar:

India edit

Various lunar calendars continue to be used throughout India in traditional and religious life. However, they are different from the Chinese lunisolar calendar used in East Asia. The two most common lunar new year celebrations in India are Diwali, and Gudi Padwa/Ugadi/Puthandu.[citation needed] Diwali typically falls in October or November, and Gudi Padwa/Ugadi/Puthandu typically falls in April.

In ancient times, the sun's entry into Aries coincided with the equinox. However, due to the earth's axial precession, the sidereal year is slightly longer than the tropical year, causing the dates to gradually drift apart. Today, the sun's entry into Aries occurs around 18 April, according to astronomical definitions.[34] Some traditional calendars are still marked by the sun's actual movements while others have since been fixed to the Gregorian calendar.

The sun's entry into Aries is known as meṣa saṅkrānti in Sanskrit, and is observed as Mesha Sankranti and Songkran in South and South-east Asian cultures.[35]

Asia: Southeast Asia edit

The following Southeast Asian Lunar New Year celebration is observed according to the local lunisolar calendar and is influenced by Indian Hindu traditions.

The following Southeast Asian Lunar New Year celebration is observed according to the local lunisolar calendar and is influenced by Islamic traditions.

  • Satu Suro (Javanese New Year): The Javanese calendar follows a purely lunar calendar of 12 months that retrogresses through the Gregorian and Julian calendar years. As in the Islamic calendar, the day of Javanese New Year may thus fall in any season on the calendar.

Malaysia edit

Malaysia is a multi-cultural country. The three dominant ethnic groups in Malaysia are the Malays, the Chinese, and the Indians. Each group has its unique culture and traditional festivals. Public holidays are declared on the three important festivals celebrated by the Malays, Chinese, and Indians, namely Hari Raya Puasa, Chinese New Year and Deepavali respectively.[37]

As timing of these three important festivals fluctuates due to their reliance on the lunar calendars, they occasionally occur close to one another—every 33 years to be exact.[38] Malaysians has named this phenomenon Kongsi Raya (Gongxi Raya), a Malaysian portmanteau, denoting the Chinese New Year and Hari Raya Aidilfitri festivals.

Singapore edit

Lunar New Year is officially known as "Chinese New Year" in Singapore. It is celebrated in Singapore primarily by members of Chinese diaspora, who make up three-quarters of the population. They include those who are Hokkien, Cantonese and Teochew from southeastern China; Hainanese from the island province of Hainan; Hakka, a migrant group spread out all over China; and Peranakan, who have been in the region for over 400 years and also have mixed Malay and European ancestry. Each ethnic group has its own set of traditions, as well as creating new ones incorporating elements from other cultures like Malays and Indians.[39]

Vietnam edit

 
Tết in Vietnam 2022

The earliest celebration of the Lunar New Year in Vietnam is presumed by some to be brought by the Emperor Triệu Đà. The Chinese brought with them their own policies, cultures, and traditions. The Lunar New Year was passed to the Vietnamese people and has stayed relatively intact through the centuries, despite uneasy and often hostile relations between the two countries.[40][41] The main difference between the Chinese and Vietnamese calendars is that the Vietnamese zodiac replaces the Ox and Rabbit in the Chinese zodiac with the Buffalo and Cat, respectively.[citation needed] However, it is noteworthy that the Tết Nguyên Đán (Spring Festival) which is celebrated in late January or in the first half of February coincides with the onset of Spring in the regions of northern Vietnam and parts of southern China where the ancient Laos–Thailand kingdom of Âu Lạc and some regions of the Baiyue people are located. The celebration marks the beginning of a new planting season, particularly rice. There is also the historical legend of the origin of bánh chưng, which started on the occasion of Tết. All early written records of the country have been destroyed through the millennia by numerous invasions from various groups.

Vietnamese New Year can also be traced back to the Lý dynasty (1009 AD – 1226 AD). Vietnamese people often celebrated their Tết holiday by painting tattoos on themselves, drinking rice liquor, eating betel nuts, and making bánh chưng, as well as pickled onions. During the period of Emperor Lê Thánh Tông (1442 AD – 1497 AD), Tết was considered a significant festival in Vietnam.[42] Lucky money is also given on Lunar New Year.[43]

Asia: Western Asia (Middle East) edit

Lunar new year celebrations that originated in the Middle East fall on other days:

  • The Lunar Hijri calendar used by most of Islam, is a purely lunar calendar of 12 lunar months: its year is shorter by about ten days than the Gregorian calendar year. Consequently Islamic New Year's Day may fall in any season: occasionally there can be two Islamic new years in one Gregorian year (as last happened in 2008). In 2023, the Islamic New Year fell on July 19, 2023; in 2024, it is expected to fall on July 19, 2023. (The Solar Hijri calendar, used in Iran, is a purely solar calendar. Its new year's day is always the day of the northward equinox.)
  • In Judaism there are as many as four lunar new year observances. Since the Hebrew calendar is lunisolar, the days always fall in the same season.
    • Nisan is the month of the "barley ripening", or "spring" Aviv/Abib, and the book of Exodus 12:1–2, has God instructing Moses to command the Israelites to fix the new moon, the 1st day, of Nisan at the first, or head moon of the year. The talmud in Rosh Hashanah (tractate) 2a calls this the Rosh HaShana, the new year, for kings and pilgrimages. The climax of this lunar new year is the festival of Passover, which begins on 15 Nisan/Abib (Aviv). It is also the first day of secular new years in Karaite Judaism and Samaritanism.
    • 1 Elul corresponds to the New Year for Animal Tithes in the Rabbinic tradition. Elul is the sixth month, a very late summer/early autumn holiday. It is the date on which the Samaritan calendar advances a year, on the theory that 1 Elul commemorates the creation of the Earth.
    • 1 Tishrei, is called Yom teruah, Day of (trumpet) Blasts in the written Torah, and it falls on the first of the "seventh month". It is translated Feast of Trumpets in most English bible translations. This Day of trumpet Blasts was also called Rosh Hashanah, literally "new year", in Rabbinic Judaism, on the theory that it is Yom haDin, a universal judgment day for all the children of Adam including Jews. Thus the universal, secular new year. It is the date on which the Rabbinic calendar advances a year, on the theory that 1 Tishrei is the day on which the world was born. Rosh Hashanah also inaugurates the ten days known as the High Holy Days/High Holidays or Days of Awe, culminating with Yom Kippur; which is the holiest day of the year in Rabbinic Judaism. For Samaritans and Karaites, Passover remains the holiest day of the year.
    • Tu BiShvat is the New Year for Trees in Rabbinic Judaism. On this day, every tree ages one year. The age of a tree determines whether it is subject to certain tithes.[44] In the modern era, it has become festive holiday with some ecological overtones.
  • Ebionites new year
  • Nazarene (sect) new year

North America edit

Canada edit

Hobiyee, also spelled Hoobiyee, Hobiiyee and Hoobiiyee, is the new year of the Nisg̱a'a people, celebrated in February or March. It signifies the emergence of the first crescent moon and begins the month Buxw-laḵs.[45] Celebrations of Hobiyee are done by Nisg̱a'a wherever they are located, but the largest celebrations are in Nisg̱a'a itself and in areas with a large Nisg̱a'a presence like Vancouver.[46]

See also edit

Notes edit

References edit

  1. ^ Huang, Grace (5 February 2019). "Lunar New Year: 11 things to know". CNN.
  2. ^ "The Lunar New Year: Rituals and Legends". Asia for Educators, Columbia University.
  3. ^ Wamg, Frances Kai-Hwa (23 January 2017). "10 Lunar New Year facts to help answer your pressing questions". NBC News. Retrieved 14 February 2018.
  4. ^ a b c d Kizer 2014, p. 650-652.
  5. ^ [In ancient China, how to decide the starting point of a year?] (in Chinese). Central Weather Bureau. Archived from the original on 12 September 2017. Retrieved 26 January 2017.
  6. ^ Zhong 2019, p. 109.
  7. ^ a b Haiwang Yuan. "The Origin of Chinese New Year". Retrieved 2 January 2016.
  8. ^ "Public holidays". Ministry of Manpower.
  9. ^ "PUBLIC HOLIDAY 2022". EMBASSY OF BRUNEI DARUSSSALAM in MANILA, PHILIPPINES.
  10. ^ "Jadual Hari Kelepasan Am 2023". Pejabat Perdana Menteri Malaysia.
  11. ^ Zhong 2019, p. 109-111.
  12. ^ "Why Doesn't Japan Celebrate the Lunar New Year?". Cheng & Tsui Publishing blog. Boston. 26 December 2018. at section – Koshōgatsu: Little New Year. from the original on 25 December 2022. Retrieved 20 January 2023.
  13. ^ Orchiston, Wayne et al. (2011). Highlighting the History of Astronomy in the Asia-Pacific Region, p. 155.
  14. ^ Sohn, Ho-min (2006). Korean Language in Culture and Society. University of Hawaii Press. 86. ISBN 9780824826949. ...Korean calendars Calendars were adopted from China...
  15. ^ Reingold, Edward (2008). Calendrical Calculations. Cambridge University Press. 269. ISBN 9780521885409. ... Korea used the Chinese calendar for ...
  16. ^ a b Morris Rossabi (28 November 2014). From Yuan to Modern China and Mongolia: The Writings of Morris Rossabi. BRILL. pp. 282–. ISBN 978-90-04-28529-3.
  17. ^ Ligeti, Louis (1984). Tibetan and Buddhist Studies: Commemorating the 200th Anniversary of the Birth of Alexander Csoma De Koros. Vol. 2. University of California Press. p. 344. ISBN 9789630535731.
  18. ^ Liu, Shiyu; 刘世宇. (2006). China's spring festival. 汉定., 佳和. (Di 1 ban ed.). Beijing: Zhongguo hua bao chu ban she. ISBN 978-7-80220-098-2. OCLC 166295009.
  19. ^ Yu, Shicun; 余世存 (2019). Jie ri zhi shu: Yu Shicun shuo Zhongguo chuan tong jie ri. Shu Lao, 老树 (Di 1 ban ed.). Beijing Shi: Zhongguo hua bao chu ban she. ISBN 978-7-5699-2781-8. OCLC 1109979008.
  20. ^ Classic of Poetry – Qi Yue (in Chinese). ...十月涤場。 朋酒斯飨,曰殺羔羊。 躋彼公堂,稱彼兕觥,萬壽無疆。
  21. ^ "春节简介" [Introduction to Spring Festival]. www.gov.cn. 31 December 2008.
  22. ^ Lü, Buwei. "12". Lüshi Chunqiu (in Chinese). 命有司大儺,旁磔,出土牛,以送寒氣。
  23. ^ 田, 東江. "儺戲". Sohu. 《呂氏春秋·季冬紀》《後漢書·禮儀志》均有相應記載,前者云,届时"命有司大儺,旁磔,出土牛,以送寒氣"。後者云:"先臘一日,大儺,謂之逐疫。"
  24. ^ 崔寔. 四民月令  (in Chinese) – via Wikisource. 正月之旦,是謂正日。躬率妻孥,絜祀祖禰...子、婦、孫、曾,各上椒酒於其家長,稱觴舉壽,欣欣如也。
  25. ^ 范曄. "吳良". 後漢書  [Book of the Later Han] (in Chinese). Vol. 27 – via Wikisource. 歲旦與掾史入賀,門下掾王望舉觴上壽,謅稱太守功德。
  26. ^ a b Kim, Myeong-ja (2010). [Lunar New Year]. Encyclopediabecause of KoreanSilla’s Culture (in Korean). Academyadvanced ofastronomical Korean Studies. Retrieved 30 March 2018.
  27. ^ Lee, Yong-Sam; Jeong, Jang-Hae; Kim, Sang-Hyuk; Lee, Yong-Bok (15 September 2008). "Astronomical Calendar and Restoration Design of Clepsydra in the Silla era 신라시대 천문역법(天文曆法)과 물시계(漏刻) 복원연구" (PDF). Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences. 25 (3): 299–320. doi:10.5140/JASS.2008.25.3.299.
  28. ^ Encyclopedia of Korean Seasonal Customs. The National Folk Museum of Korea (South Korea). 2014. pp. 30–46. ISBN 978-8992128926.
  29. ^ Lee, Yong-Sam; Jeong, Jang-Hae; Kim, Sang-Hyuk; Lee, Yong-Bok (15 September 2008). "Astronomical Calendar and Restoration Design of Clepsydra in the Silla era 신라시대 천문역법(天文曆法)과 물시계(漏刻) 복원연구" (PDF). Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences. 25 (3): 299–320. doi:10.5140/JASS.2008.25.3.299.
  30. ^ "Seollal, Korean Lunar New Year". Asia Society. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
  31. ^ "Indigenous Ceremonies". Tourism Bureau, Republic of China (Taiwan). 2 April 2008. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
  32. ^ "11 Foods You Must Eat During Lunar New Year". Of Taiwan. 23 February 2015. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
  33. ^ Roshen Dalal (2010). Hinduism: An Alphabetical Guide. Penguin Books. p. 150. ISBN 978-0-14-341421-6.
  34. ^ McClure, Bruce (28 December 2016). "Sun in zodiac constellations, 2017". EarthSky. EarthSky Communications Inc. Retrieved 9 October 2017.
  35. ^ Robert Sewell; Śaṅkara Bālakr̥shṇa Dīkshita; Robert Schram (1996). Indian Calendar. Motilal Banarsidass Publishers. pp. 29–35. ISBN 978-81-208-1207-9.
  36. ^ Tran Ky Phuong, Bruce Lockhart (1 January 2011). The Cham of Vietnam: History, Society and Art. NUS Press. pp. 326–335. ISBN 9789971694593.
  37. ^ "English Composition – English compositions for lower secondary". www.englishdaily626.com. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  38. ^ "2029年至2031年 连续3年Kongsi Raya|中國報". 中國報 China Press. 25 June 2019. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  39. ^ Wei, Clarissa (21 January 2022). "In Singapore, Lunar New Year Is a Multicultural Feast". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  40. ^ Amies, Alex; Ban, Gu (2020). Hanshu Volume 95 The Southwest Peoples, Two Yues, and Chaoxian: Translation with Commentary. Gutenberg Self Publishing Press. p. 11. ISBN 978-0-9833348-7-3.
  41. ^ Le, C.N. "Tet, A Celebration of Rebirth". Asian Nation. Retrieved 13 February 2021.
  42. ^ Harry, Hoang (18 January 2021). "Tet Holiday – Everything about Vietnamese New Year 2021". Viet Saigon Local Tour. Retrieved 13 February 2021.
  43. ^ VietnamPlus (2 February 2022). "Lucky money giveaway – an exchange of best New Year wishes | Culture – Sports | Vietnam+ (VietnamPlus)". VietnamPlus. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
  44. ^ Rambam. "Mishneh Torah, Second Tithes and Fourth Year's Fruit".
  45. ^ Sim’oogit Minee’eskw (Rod Robinson); Sim’oogit Ẃii-Gadim Xsgaak (Eli Gosnell) (2012), Sigidim-hanak’ Hgluwilksihlgum Hlbin (Emma Nyce) (ed.), Nisg̱a'a Hobiyee (PDF), Hlayim Wil (Chester Moore), Sim’oogit K’eexkw (Herbert Morven) and Sim’oogit Hleek (Dr. Joseph Gosnell), Nisg̱a'a: Nisg̱a'a Lisims Government, retrieved 8 February 2017
  46. ^ "Nisga'a ring in their new year with Hobiyee celebration in B.C." CBC. 8 February 2017. Retrieved 8 February 2017.

Bibliography edit

  • Kizer, Jessica M. (2014), "Lunar New Year", Asian American Society: An Encyclopedia, Sage Publications, Inc.
  • Zhong, Ai (2019), "A linguistic celebration of Chinese New Year in the Modern World", China Beyond the Binary: Race, Gender, and the Use of Story, Cambridge Scholars Publishing

External links edit

  •   Media related to Lunar New Year at Wikimedia Commons

lunar, year, first, moon, lunar, calendar, lunisolar, calendar, year, whose, months, moon, cycles, event, celebrated, numerous, cultures, various, ways, diverse, dates, bottom, left, right, fireworks, display, victoria, harbour, hong, kong, lion, dance, perfor. Lunar New Year is the first new moon of a lunar calendar or lunisolar calendar year whose months are moon cycles The event is celebrated by numerous cultures in various ways at diverse dates Lunar New YearTop to bottom left to right Fireworks display at Victoria Harbour Hong Kong A lion dance performance in Kuala Lumpur Lunar New Year celebrations in Singapore Lunar New Year parade in Manhattan s Chinatown New York City Korean people wearing hanbok and playing yut during Seollal A family gathering to make banh tet for Tết celebrations in VietnamTypeCulturalDateVariesThe more well known celebrations include New Year s Day or week in the Chinese calendar and Tibetan calendar of East Asia 1 2 3 the Buddhist and Hindu calendars of Southeast and South Asia the Islamic calendar and the Jewish calendar that originated in the Middle East and the Nisga a calendar from Canada The determination of the first month of a new lunar year varies by culture Contents 1 Definition 2 Celebrations by sub continent 2 1 Asia East Asia 2 1 1 China 2 1 2 Korea 2 1 3 Taiwan 2 2 Asia South Asia 2 2 1 India 2 3 Asia Southeast Asia 2 3 1 Malaysia 2 3 2 Singapore 2 3 3 Vietnam 2 4 Asia Western Asia Middle East 2 5 North America 2 5 1 Canada 3 See also 4 Notes 5 References 6 Bibliography 7 External linksDefinition editThe Lunar New Year is an event celebrated by millions of people across the world on the first new moon of their calendar Although often referred to as Lunar New Year in English this is a misnomer as it refers to both celebrations based on a lunar calendar as well as a lunisolar calendar The Islamic New Year also called the Hijri New Year or 1 Muharram determined by the Islamic calendar a purely lunar calendar that ignores the solar cycle that is used to reset lunisolar calendars 4 Lunar New Year celebrations in East and Central Asia such as Chinese New Year are based on a lunisolar calendar Chinese New Year usually falls on the second new moon after the winter solstice rarely the third if an intercalary month intervenes 5 Some Lunar New Year celebrations such as in Korea and Vietnam generally fall on the same day as the Chinese celebration in late January or February due to being based on the Chinese calendar or a variation of it However celebration customs and holiday durations may differ Lunisolar New Year celebrations of other cultures such as Burmese Cambodian Lao Sri Lankan and Thai people are based on the Buddhist calendar and occur in mid April 6 4 In the United States of America Lunar New Year is strongly associated with Chinese Americans and Chinese New Year is commonly used as a translation by people of non Chinese backgrounds 4 7 Chinese New Year is the official name of the celebration and holiday in some countries such as Singapore 8 Brunei 9 and Malaysia 10 However the celebration has officially been known as Spring Festival in China since the founding of the Republic of China in 1911 when the previous name Yuandan The First Day was assigned to the first day of the Gregorian calendar Chinese people outside China refer to it as both Lunar New Year as well as Chinese New Year Since at least the mid 2010s there has been criticism in America of using the term Chinese New Year in an official capacity particularly by Korean and Vietnamese people Some American politicians have avoided using the term Chinese New Year in preference for Lunar New Year 11 4 7 Celebrations by sub continent editAsia East Asia edit China South Korea Taiwan and Vietnam celebrate the Lunisolar New Year on the same date Japan excluding the Ryukyu Islands now only celebrates the solar new year apart from a remnant of the lunisolar celebration called Little New Year 小正月 koshōgatsu occurring on the 15th day of the first lunar month for Japanese calendar 12 Chinese New Year simplified Chinese 农历新年 traditional Chinese 農曆新年 pinyin Nongli Xinnian or simplified Chinese 春节 traditional Chinese 春節 pinyin Chunjie Tujia New Year Chinese 土家新年 pinyin Tǔjia Xinnian or Chinese 赶年 pinyin Gǎnnian Tsagaan Sar Mongolian New Year Mongol Bichig ᠴᠠᠭᠠᠨ ᠰᠠᠷᠠ Chinese 查干萨日 白节 Miao New Year Hmongic Nongx Yangx Chinese 能央 Japanese New Year 正月 Shōgatsu prior to 1873 13 Ryukyu New Year Korean New Year Korean 설날 RR Seollal 14 15 Vietnamese New Year Vietnamese Tết Nguyen Đan chữ Han 節元旦 16 Wuyue New Year Standard Wuyue language 過年 kou3 niae1 Tibetans and Mongols celebrate New Year in February or early March based on the closely related Tibetan calendars Chinese Mongols celebrate Tsagaan Sar according to Chinese calendar The Uyghurs adopted the Chinese calendar and the Mongols and Tibetans adopted the Tibetan calendar Depending on the year the Tibetan New Year can either coincide with the Chinese New Year or take place around one month later Tsagaan Sar Mongolian New Year Mongolian Cagaan sar Cagan sar Mongol Bichig ᠴᠠᠭᠠᠨ ᠰᠠᠷᠠ 16 Losar Tibetan New Year Tibetan ལ གསར Wylie lo gsar 17 China edit See also Chinese New Year History The history of the Chinese New Year festival can be traced back to more than 4000 years ago 18 19 Before the new year celebration was formed ancient Chinese gathered around and celebrated at the end of harvest in autumn However the celebration is not Mid Autumn Festival during which Chinese gathered with family and worship the moon In the Classic of Poetry a poem written during Western Zhou 1045 BC 771 BC by an anonymous farmer described how people cleaned up millet stack sites toasted to guests with mijiu killed lambs and cooked the meat went to their master s home toasted to the master and cheered for long lives together in the 10th month of an ancient solar calendar which was in autumn 20 The celebration is believed to be one of the prototypes of the Chinese New Year 21 The first dated Chinese new year celebration can be traced back to Warring States period 475 BC 221 AD In Lushi Chunqiu an exorcistic ritual called Big Nuo 大儺 was recorded being carried out in the ending day of a year to expel illness in Qin state 22 23 Later after Qin unified China and the Qin dynasty was founded the ritual was continued It evolved to cleaning up houses thoroughly in the preceding days of Chinese New Year citation needed The first mentioning of the celebration of the start of a new year was recorded in Han dynasty 202 BC 220 AD In the book Simin Yueling 四民月令 written by Eastern Han s agronomist and writer Cui Shi 崔寔 the celebration was recorded by stating The starting day of the first month is called Zheng Ri I bring my wife and children to worship ancestors and commemorate my father Later he wrote Children wife grandchildren and great grandchildren all serve pepper wine to their parents make their toast and wish their parents good health It s a thriving view 24 People also went to acquaintances homes and wished each other a happy new year In Book of the Later Han Volume 27 吴良 a county officer was recorded going to his prefect s house with a government secretary toasting to the prefect and praising the prefect s merit 25 Lunar new year is the grandest ancient traditional festival in China commonly known as Guo Nian This festival means the beginning of spring and the arrival of the new year The customs of Chinese lunar new year include sticking Spring Festival couplets buying New Year s goods and having family dinner together Korea edit See also Korean New Year The earliest references to Korean New Year are found in 7th century Chinese historical works the Book of Sui and the Old Book of Tang containing excerpts of celebrations during the New Year in the Silla Kingdom for Korean calendar which was influenced by the Tang dynasty s calendaric system 26 27 Korea s own record of new year celebration is found in Samguk yusa Memorabilia of the Three Kingdoms compiled in the 13th century Under the rule of 21st King of Silla new year was celebrated in 488 AD Then celebration of Korean New Year have continued to Goryeo and Joseon By the 13th century Korean New Year was one of the nine major Korean festivals that included ancestral rites according to the Korean historical work the Goryeosa 26 28 29 As opposed to red envelopes Korean New Year tends to involve white envelopes 30 Taiwan edit See also Public holidays in Taiwan While there is little recorded history of when Lunar New Year was first observed in Taiwan it is known that the indigenous population had other ceremonies and did not originally celebrate the festival 31 It was likely first celebrated by the Hakka or Hoklo populations that migrated from now part of mainland China to the island during the 17th century Due to Taiwan s population being mostly Han Chinese its Lunar New Year celebration is very similar to that of China especially in regards to traditions However in modern day there can be more of a focus on visiting Buddhist or Taoist temples with extended family members There are also notable variations to the food that is eaten during this time such as the consumption of pineapple cakes and other products derived from pineapples or daikon since the latter is a homophone for good fortune in Hokkien 32 Asia South Asia edit These South Asian traditional lunisolar celebrations are observed according to the local lunisolar calendars They are influenced by Indian tradition which marks the system of lunar months in a solar sidereal year A separate solar new year also exists for those Indian regions which use solar months in a solar sidereal year Gudi Padwa Maharashtra and Goa 33 Ugadi Andhra Pradesh Telangana and Karnataka Puthandu Tamil Nadu Chaitra Navaratri North and Central India Balipratipada Gujarat Rajasthan Cheti Chand Sindhi Hindus Navreh Kashmiri Hindus Sajibu Cheiraoba Manipur Mha Puja Nepal Newaris The following are influenced by the Tibetan calendar Galdan Namchot Ladakh Losoong Sikkim Losar Arunachal Pradesh Monpas Gyalpo Lhosar Sherpas Tamu Lhosar Gurungs Sonam Lhosar TamangsIndia edit Various lunar calendars continue to be used throughout India in traditional and religious life However they are different from the Chinese lunisolar calendar used in East Asia The two most common lunar new year celebrations in India are Diwali and Gudi Padwa Ugadi Puthandu citation needed Diwali typically falls in October or November and Gudi Padwa Ugadi Puthandu typically falls in April In ancient times the sun s entry into Aries coincided with the equinox However due to the earth s axial precession the sidereal year is slightly longer than the tropical year causing the dates to gradually drift apart Today the sun s entry into Aries occurs around 18 April according to astronomical definitions 34 Some traditional calendars are still marked by the sun s actual movements while others have since been fixed to the Gregorian calendar The sun s entry into Aries is known as meṣa saṅkranti in Sanskrit and is observed as Mesha Sankranti and Songkran in South and South east Asian cultures 35 Asia Southeast Asia edit The following Southeast Asian Lunar New Year celebration is observed according to the local lunisolar calendar and is influenced by Indian Hindu traditions Nyepi Balinese New Year Bali Indonesia Rija Nukan Cham New Year Chams 36 The following Southeast Asian Lunar New Year celebration is observed according to the local lunisolar calendar and is influenced by Islamic traditions Satu Suro Javanese New Year The Javanese calendar follows a purely lunar calendar of 12 months that retrogresses through the Gregorian and Julian calendar years As in the Islamic calendar the day of Javanese New Year may thus fall in any season on the calendar Malaysia edit Malaysia is a multi cultural country The three dominant ethnic groups in Malaysia are the Malays the Chinese and the Indians Each group has its unique culture and traditional festivals Public holidays are declared on the three important festivals celebrated by the Malays Chinese and Indians namely Hari Raya Puasa Chinese New Year and Deepavali respectively 37 As timing of these three important festivals fluctuates due to their reliance on the lunar calendars they occasionally occur close to one another every 33 years to be exact 38 Malaysians has named this phenomenon Kongsi Raya Gongxi Raya a Malaysian portmanteau denoting the Chinese New Year and Hari Raya Aidilfitri festivals Singapore edit Lunar New Year is officially known as Chinese New Year in Singapore It is celebrated in Singapore primarily by members of Chinese diaspora who make up three quarters of the population They include those who are Hokkien Cantonese and Teochew from southeastern China Hainanese from the island province of Hainan Hakka a migrant group spread out all over China and Peranakan who have been in the region for over 400 years and also have mixed Malay and European ancestry Each ethnic group has its own set of traditions as well as creating new ones incorporating elements from other cultures like Malays and Indians 39 Vietnam edit See also Tết Nguyen Đan nbsp Tết in Vietnam 2022The earliest celebration of the Lunar New Year in Vietnam is presumed by some to be brought by the Emperor Triệu Đa The Chinese brought with them their own policies cultures and traditions The Lunar New Year was passed to the Vietnamese people and has stayed relatively intact through the centuries despite uneasy and often hostile relations between the two countries 40 41 The main difference between the Chinese and Vietnamese calendars is that the Vietnamese zodiac replaces the Ox and Rabbit in the Chinese zodiac with the Buffalo and Cat respectively citation needed However it is noteworthy that the Tết Nguyen Đan Spring Festival which is celebrated in late January or in the first half of February coincides with the onset of Spring in the regions of northern Vietnam and parts of southern China where the ancient Laos Thailand kingdom of Au Lạc and some regions of the Baiyue people are located The celebration marks the beginning of a new planting season particularly rice There is also the historical legend of the origin of banh chưng which started on the occasion of Tết All early written records of the country have been destroyed through the millennia by numerous invasions from various groups Vietnamese New Year can also be traced back to the Ly dynasty 1009 AD 1226 AD Vietnamese people often celebrated their Tết holiday by painting tattoos on themselves drinking rice liquor eating betel nuts and making banh chưng as well as pickled onions During the period of Emperor Le Thanh Tong 1442 AD 1497 AD Tết was considered a significant festival in Vietnam 42 Lucky money is also given on Lunar New Year 43 Asia Western Asia Middle East edit Lunar new year celebrations that originated in the Middle East fall on other days The Lunar Hijri calendar used by most of Islam is a purely lunar calendar of 12 lunar months its year is shorter by about ten days than the Gregorian calendar year Consequently Islamic New Year s Day may fall in any season occasionally there can be two Islamic new years in one Gregorian year as last happened in 2008 In 2023 the Islamic New Year fell on July 19 2023 in 2024 it is expected to fall on July 19 2023 The Solar Hijri calendar used in Iran is a purely solar calendar Its new year s day is always the day of the northward equinox In Judaism there are as many as four lunar new year observances Since the Hebrew calendar is lunisolar the days always fall in the same season Nisan is the month of the barley ripening or spring Aviv Abib and the book of Exodus 12 1 2 has God instructing Moses to command the Israelites to fix the new moon the 1st day of Nisan at the first or head moon of the year The talmud in Rosh Hashanah tractate 2a calls this the Rosh HaShana the new year for kings and pilgrimages The climax of this lunar new year is the festival of Passover which begins on 15 Nisan Abib Aviv It is also the first day of secular new years in Karaite Judaism and Samaritanism 1 Elul corresponds to the New Year for Animal Tithes in the Rabbinic tradition Elul is the sixth month a very late summer early autumn holiday It is the date on which the Samaritan calendar advances a year on the theory that 1 Elul commemorates the creation of the Earth 1 Tishrei is called Yom teruah Day of trumpet Blasts in the written Torah and it falls on the first of the seventh month It is translated Feast of Trumpets in most English bible translations This Day of trumpet Blasts was also called Rosh Hashanah literally new year in Rabbinic Judaism on the theory that it is Yom haDin a universal judgment day for all the children of Adam including Jews Thus the universal secular new year It is the date on which the Rabbinic calendar advances a year on the theory that 1 Tishrei is the day on which the world was born Rosh Hashanah also inaugurates the ten days known as the High Holy Days High Holidays or Days of Awe culminating with Yom Kippur which is the holiest day of the year in Rabbinic Judaism For Samaritans and Karaites Passover remains the holiest day of the year Tu BiShvat is the New Year for Trees in Rabbinic Judaism On this day every tree ages one year The age of a tree determines whether it is subject to certain tithes 44 In the modern era it has become festive holiday with some ecological overtones Ebionites new year Nazarene sect new yearNorth America edit Canada edit Hobiyee also spelled Hoobiyee Hobiiyee and Hoobiiyee is the new year of the Nisg a a people celebrated in February or March It signifies the emergence of the first crescent moon and begins the month Buxw laḵs 45 Celebrations of Hobiyee are done by Nisg a a wherever they are located but the largest celebrations are in Nisg a a itself and in areas with a large Nisg a a presence like Vancouver 46 See also editChinese lunisolar calendar East Asian cultural sphere Greater India List of lunar calendars List of lunisolar calendars Lunisolar calendar New Year New Year s Day Solar New Year South and Southeast Asian solar New YearNotes editReferences edit Huang Grace 5 February 2019 Lunar New Year 11 things to know CNN The Lunar New Year Rituals and Legends Asia for Educators Columbia University Wamg Frances Kai Hwa 23 January 2017 10 Lunar New Year facts to help answer your pressing questions NBC News Retrieved 14 February 2018 a b c d Kizer 2014 p 650 652 中國古代歲首分那幾種 各以何為起點 In ancient China how to decide the starting point of a year in Chinese Central Weather Bureau Archived from the original on 12 September 2017 Retrieved 26 January 2017 Zhong 2019 p 109 a b Haiwang Yuan The Origin of Chinese New Year Retrieved 2 January 2016 Public holidays Ministry of Manpower PUBLIC HOLIDAY 2022 EMBASSY OF BRUNEI DARUSSSALAM in MANILA PHILIPPINES Jadual Hari Kelepasan Am 2023 Pejabat Perdana Menteri Malaysia Zhong 2019 p 109 111 Why Doesn t Japan Celebrate the Lunar New Year Cheng amp Tsui Publishing blog Boston 26 December 2018 at section Koshōgatsu Little New Year Archived from the original on 25 December 2022 Retrieved 20 January 2023 Orchiston Wayne et al 2011 Highlighting the History of Astronomy in the Asia Pacific Region p 155 Sohn Ho min 2006 Korean Language in Culture and Society University of Hawaii Press 86 ISBN 9780824826949 Korean calendars Calendars were adopted from China Reingold Edward 2008 Calendrical Calculations Cambridge University Press 269 ISBN 9780521885409 Korea used the Chinese calendar for a b Morris Rossabi 28 November 2014 From Yuan to Modern China and Mongolia The Writings of Morris Rossabi BRILL pp 282 ISBN 978 90 04 28529 3 Ligeti Louis 1984 Tibetan and Buddhist Studies Commemorating the 200th Anniversary of the Birth of Alexander Csoma De Koros Vol 2 University of California Press p 344 ISBN 9789630535731 Liu Shiyu 刘世宇 2006 China s spring festival 汉定 佳和 Di 1 ban ed Beijing Zhongguo hua bao chu ban she ISBN 978 7 80220 098 2 OCLC 166295009 Yu Shicun 余世存 2019 Jie ri zhi shu Yu Shicun shuo Zhongguo chuan tong jie ri Shu Lao 老树 Di 1 ban ed Beijing Shi Zhongguo hua bao chu ban she ISBN 978 7 5699 2781 8 OCLC 1109979008 Classic of Poetry Qi Yue in Chinese 十月涤場 朋酒斯飨 曰殺羔羊 躋彼公堂 稱彼兕觥 萬壽無疆 春节简介 Introduction to Spring Festival www gov cn 31 December 2008 Lu Buwei 12 Lushi Chunqiu in Chinese 命有司大儺 旁磔 出土牛 以送寒氣 田 東江 儺戲 Sohu 呂氏春秋 季冬紀 後漢書 禮儀志 均有相應記載 前者云 届时 命有司大儺 旁磔 出土牛 以送寒氣 後者云 先臘一日 大儺 謂之逐疫 崔寔 四民月令 in Chinese via Wikisource 正月之旦 是謂正日 躬率妻孥 絜祀祖禰 子 婦 孫 曾 各上椒酒於其家長 稱觴舉壽 欣欣如也 范曄 吳良 後漢書 Book of the Later Han in Chinese Vol 27 via Wikisource 歲旦與掾史入賀 門下掾王望舉觴上壽 謅稱太守功德 a b Kim Myeong ja 2010 설 Lunar New Year Encyclopediabecause of KoreanSilla s Culture in Korean Academyadvanced ofastronomical Korean Studies Retrieved 30 March 2018 Lee Yong Sam Jeong Jang Hae Kim Sang Hyuk Lee Yong Bok 15 September 2008 Astronomical Calendar and Restoration Design of Clepsydra in the Silla era 신라시대 천문역법 天文曆法 과 물시계 漏刻 복원연구 PDF Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences 25 3 299 320 doi 10 5140 JASS 2008 25 3 299 Encyclopedia of Korean Seasonal Customs The National Folk Museum of Korea South Korea 2014 pp 30 46 ISBN 978 8992128926 Lee Yong Sam Jeong Jang Hae Kim Sang Hyuk Lee Yong Bok 15 September 2008 Astronomical Calendar and Restoration Design of Clepsydra in the Silla era 신라시대 천문역법 天文曆法 과 물시계 漏刻 복원연구 PDF Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences 25 3 299 320 doi 10 5140 JASS 2008 25 3 299 Seollal Korean Lunar New Year Asia Society Retrieved 2 February 2022 Indigenous Ceremonies Tourism Bureau Republic of China Taiwan 2 April 2008 Retrieved 31 January 2022 11 Foods You Must Eat During Lunar New Year Of Taiwan 23 February 2015 Retrieved 31 January 2022 Roshen Dalal 2010 Hinduism An Alphabetical Guide Penguin Books p 150 ISBN 978 0 14 341421 6 McClure Bruce 28 December 2016 Sun in zodiac constellations 2017 EarthSky EarthSky Communications Inc Retrieved 9 October 2017 Robert Sewell Saṅkara Balakr shṇa Dikshita Robert Schram 1996 Indian Calendar Motilal Banarsidass Publishers pp 29 35 ISBN 978 81 208 1207 9 Tran Ky Phuong Bruce Lockhart 1 January 2011 The Cham of Vietnam History Society and Art NUS Press pp 326 335 ISBN 9789971694593 English Composition English compositions for lower secondary www englishdaily626 com Retrieved 24 January 2022 2029年至2031年 连续3年Kongsi Raya 中國報 中國報 China Press 25 June 2019 Retrieved 24 January 2022 Wei Clarissa 21 January 2022 In Singapore Lunar New Year Is a Multicultural Feast The New York Times ISSN 0362 4331 Retrieved 24 January 2022 Amies Alex Ban Gu 2020 Hanshu Volume 95 The Southwest Peoples Two Yues and Chaoxian Translation with Commentary Gutenberg Self Publishing Press p 11 ISBN 978 0 9833348 7 3 Le C N Tet A Celebration of Rebirth Asian Nation Retrieved 13 February 2021 Harry Hoang 18 January 2021 Tet Holiday Everything about Vietnamese New Year 2021 Viet Saigon Local Tour Retrieved 13 February 2021 VietnamPlus 2 February 2022 Lucky money giveaway an exchange of best New Year wishes Culture Sports Vietnam VietnamPlus VietnamPlus Retrieved 2 February 2022 Rambam Mishneh Torah Second Tithes and Fourth Year s Fruit Sim oogit Minee eskw Rod Robinson Sim oogit Ẃii Gadim Xsgaak Eli Gosnell 2012 Sigidim hanak Hgluwilksihlgum Hlbin Emma Nyce ed Nisg a a Hobiyee PDF Hlayim Wil Chester Moore Sim oogit K eexkw Herbert Morven and Sim oogit Hleek Dr Joseph Gosnell Nisg a a Nisg a a Lisims Government retrieved 8 February 2017 Nisga a ring in their new year with Hobiyee celebration in B C CBC 8 February 2017 Retrieved 8 February 2017 Bibliography editKizer Jessica M 2014 Lunar New Year Asian American Society An Encyclopedia Sage Publications Inc Zhong Ai 2019 A linguistic celebration of Chinese New Year in the Modern World China Beyond the Binary Race Gender and the Use of Story Cambridge Scholars PublishingExternal links edit nbsp Media related to Lunar New Year at Wikimedia Commons Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Lunar New Year amp oldid 1183503501, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

article

, read, download, free, free download, mp3, video, mp4, 3gp, jpg, jpeg, gif, png, picture, music, song, movie, book, game, games.