10 Facts to Know About Chinese New Year

发布日期: Jan 23 2017最后更新日期: Jan 23 2017
分享:

23 January 2017 - You’ll be hearing the phrase “Gong Hei Fat Choy” a lot this this season which means congratulations and be prosperous in the future! Chinese New Year in Hong Kong includes ceremonies and traditions that are not only interesting but intertwined with a deep ancestral history. Starting on 28 January this year, this holiday is about celebrating a year of hard work, relaxing with the family and wishing for a prosperous new year. 

We’ve listed 10 Facts you need to know about Chinese New Year in 2017: 



1. Focused, Motivated & Cocky: Year of the Rooster!

2017 is the Year of the Rooster as per the Chinese 12-year animal zodiac. People born in the Year of the Rooster are characterized as honest, energetic, intelligent, flexible and confident. The strengths of the Rooster include health, self-assurance and athleticism. Its weaknesses include sensitivity, moodiness and stress. 


2. Richness of Red

Red is commonly used throughout the New Year's celebrations as it symbolizes a bright and happy future. It is also believed that this color will scare away evil spirits and bad fortune. You will see red lanterns hanging in the streets, red couplets pasted on doors, and lots of red clothing. Red Couplets are the most common and important traditional decorations for Chinese New Year. Couplets are composed of New Year wishes such as health, luck, work, and safety. These couplets are usually pasted on any doors inside and outside of the house. 


3. Get Your Clean On

Homes are completely cleaned before the beginning of the New Year to symbolize a fresh start ahead.  People also make sure to put away all cleaning equipment before New Year's Eve as it's believed that good fortune may be swept away if cleaning is done on New Year's Day.


4. Lai See, Please 

The most commonly exchanged gift during Chinese New Year are red envelopes or “Lai See.” Technically all unmarried children get Lai See from parents, grandparents, uncles, aunts and so forth. The amount of money given depends on the relationship with the person, but amounts with the number “4” are avoided as the Chinese pronunciation of this word resembles that of the character of the word “death.”  


5. Money Talks 


Giving out money that is old, torn and wrinkled is a sign of disrespect. People all over Hong Kong will spend weeks preceding Chinese New Year withdrawing crisp notes from the bank.  Look out for those long lines at the bank!


6. Born Again Vegan! No Meat on Day One


Traditionally, people refrain from eating meat on the first day, as it is believed to bring good luck for the year. Instead they eat  vegetarian dishes most of which include lotus seed to signify fertility, and dried bean curd to represent wealth and happiness. Fresh tofu is typically not included as white is considered bad luck and representative of death and misfortune. Most shops are closed on the first day of the new year, so people need to get everything ready (food, gifts, etc.) the day before!


7. Day Two, it's Family Time!


Married women will visit and pay respect to their parents on this day. The Chinese will also pray to their ancestors as well as the gods. Families will watch the fireworks over Victoria Harbor together and will marvel over the displays of many festive patterns such as the number 8, golden ingots and many hues of red.


8. Blessings on Day Three 

Hong Kongers will avoid visiting their relatives on this day because the 3rd day is known as“chec hao”(赤口), which means it’s easy to get into arguments and will visit a temple instead. A popular one is the Che Kung Temple in Tai Wai area of Sha Tin which honors Che Kung, a military commander of the Southern Song dynasty. People will turn fan-bladed wheels of fortune and beat the drum to wish for good luck in the coming year.

The temple was built around 300 years ago, in a desperate attempt to stop an epidemic that was spreading across the Sha Tin area. Legend has it that the epidemic began to subside the day the temple was completed. Due to this tradition, many people believe the temple is blessed and will continue to visit, and pay respect in hopes of a prosperous new year ahead.  


9. Make it Sweet, with a Chinese Candy Box

The traditional Chinese candy box also known as the tray of togetherness can be found on the tables of almost every house you visit during Chinese New Year. Usually round or Octagonal in shape, it has 6 or 8 compartments which contain a variety of dried fruit, nuts and sweets. The most common components are candied dried lotus root and seeds, candied dried winter melon, roasted watermelon seeds, dried coconut, all of which have symbolic meaning from wising to increased fertility to stronger family ties. 


10. Chinese New Year Taboos 

  • Brooms are to be avoided as sweeping symbolizes the sweeping away of your wealth. Throwing away rubbish or doing laundry have the same connotation
  • Don't wash your hair on the first day as it will wash away good luck
  • Sharp objects such as knives and scissors are to be avoided as any accident is thought to lead to inauspicious events and depletion of wealth
  • Money should not be lent to anyone on New Year’s Day as it means you will be unlucky all year round
  • Avoid buying new shoes during Chinese New Year. The word “shoes” sounds like a sigh which is unfavorable and seen as bad luck  


分享:

您或会感兴趣

OKAY.COM筍盤推介 :西頁偉景別墅 高曠廳堂展現空間

西貢清水灣一帶遠離煩囂鬧市,四周以低密度洋房為主,環境怡人,其中鄰近銀線灣偉景別墅,依山伴海,坐擁靜謐環境。今日精選該處一座靚裝洋房,實用面積2127方呎,4房3浴間隔,另有2工人房,附連泳池花園,從天台外望,可將牛尾灣海景盡收眼底。今日參觀的洋房由知名建築師精心打造,採推拉門、開效式视梯:設計,加上高樓底及流暢格局設計,完美凸顯現代簡約美感。客飯廳以半層式設計分隔,甫入地下客廳,即感受到偌大空間感,整個廳堂採簡約白色為基調,配以實木櫃及白、紫兩組不同色彩沙發,茶几置中擺放,兩組沙發左右兩邊圍
作者: OKAY.com

OKAY.COM筍盤推介 : 中半山南園大廈 簇新大廳時尚雅緻

中半山為港島著名豪宅地段,今日帶大家參觀位於堅尼地道之上的南園大廈,市場正有2房2浴單位放盤,實用面積1348方呎,廳房方正好用,室內裝潢及布置講究,客廳外接大露台,對正香港公園,綠樹成蔭,鬧市罕見。走進巨型廳堂,見開則修長,樓底特高,客飯兩廳分明,可輕鬆佈局傢俬,現時放置了不少木系傢俱,洋溢溫暖典雅氛圍。開放式設計將大廳、餐區無縫連接,還設有閱讀角落和鋼琴區,是款待朋友或獨自放鬆的理想居所。1348方呎2房2浴客廳緊接着為落地大玻璃及私家大露台,前臨翠綠的香港公園,遠為中環著名建築物,如中銀
作者: OKAY.com
更多評論

想秒速寻觅理想「屋企」?我们乐意帮您!

OKAY.COM 手机程式
OKAY.COM 手机程式 - iOS 苹果应用程式商店OKAY.COM 手机程式 - Android 安卓应用程式商店
追踪我们
香港中环云咸街19-27号威信大厦15楼
+852 2102 0888
Do you want to login
You already have an account with us? How about logging in?