Happy Chinese New Year!
The Chinese New Year is February 5, 2019! If you follow the Chinese Zodiac, this will be the year of the pig. The Chinese New Year normally falls between late January to mid February on the Gregorian (Western) calendar.
The Chinese follow the lunar calendar which is based on the moon. The moon makes one evolution around the earth in one month which is typically 29 to 30 days. The lunar calendar dates back to 2600 B.C. Since in Chinese society every day life was based on agriculture, this calendar helps to calculate and remember the changes of the moon and tides.
Another element of the lunar calendar is the animal zodiac cycle (mouse, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, cock, dog, and pig) is 12 years long and there is a 10 year cycle of heavenly stems. To complete the cycle it takes 60 years – 5 cycles 12 years each.
Chinese New Year is also referred to as Spring Festival or Lunar New Year. This celebration is found in China and in other Asian countries. In Raleigh, the Triangle Area Chinese American Society (TACAS) had their New Year’s celebration on Saturday, January 26th at Dorton Area.
The Chinese and Asians have many customs. Homes are cleaned prior to the celebration. Only necessary work is done during the celebration. Most people take some time off from work. Families pay homage to their elders and deceased. It is a time of celebration with parades, eating of good foods, visiting family, enjoying fireworks, etc.
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