恭喜发财, 万事如意! (Gong Xi Fa Cai, Wan Shi Ru Yi)
The above are two very commonly used Chinese New
Year phrases. The first phrase is wishing you good fortune and wealth, while the second phrase is wishing you the best and hoping your
wishes get fulfilled in the New Year.
The Chinese follow a lunar calendar, which is why it is often referred to as Lunar New Year. This year will be the year of the snake. Chinese New Year falls on a different date every year, falling on Feb. 10 this year. The celebrations last about 15 days; the last day being the Lantern Festival. There are different traditions for each day of the holiday. For example, the first day starts at the stroke of midnight the day before, with the lighting of fire crackers, burning bamboo sticks, and warding off any evil spirits, while the second day is when the married daughters return to their parent's house and visit close friends, and so forth, continuing until the 15th day when families walk throughout the streets carrying lanterns or light candles in front of their houses to guide wayward spirits home.
The Chinese follow a lunar calendar, which is why it is often referred to as Lunar New Year. This year will be the year of the snake. Chinese New Year falls on a different date every year, falling on Feb. 10 this year. The celebrations last about 15 days; the last day being the Lantern Festival. There are different traditions for each day of the holiday. For example, the first day starts at the stroke of midnight the day before, with the lighting of fire crackers, burning bamboo sticks, and warding off any evil spirits, while the second day is when the married daughters return to their parent's house and visit close friends, and so forth, continuing until the 15th day when families walk throughout the streets carrying lanterns or light candles in front of their houses to guide wayward spirits home.
Chinese New Year is a just few short days
away. Stores are closing for the
holidays already, our normal breakfast eateries were closed, and many more
restaurants and shops will be closing in the next few days, which
means that the "Great Modern Migration of China" has already begun, aka millions
of Chinese people heading home or out of the country for the next week or so.
Chinese New Year, also known as Spring Festival
here in China, is their single largest holiday of the year. Think
Christmas in the United States, and then imagine the craziness of traveling
during that period times ten. Yeah, it's that insane to travel in China
during this period. Our Chinese teacher informed us today that if you
choose to travel by train during this period, if you are lucky enough to get a
seat for the ride, you will not be able to move for however many hours your
train ride will be, people who didn't manage to snag seats will be standing
around you in the walkway the entire ride.
To shorten that explanation: you’re basically herded into the train like
cattle.
For Spring Festival, Chloe and I will be
traveling to Taiwan and staying with my relatives there. A few of our other friends will be partaking
in this so called great migration as they head to Nanjing, Huangshan, and Harbin for the
week. I’ve either never spent Chinese New
Year in a country that celebrates it, or I was too young that I’ve forgotten,
so this will essentially be my first time, so I’m pretty excited about that
(also pretty excited to get out of 30 degree weather and into 70 degree weather).
On that note, today was our last day of classes
before our Spring Festival break, and in celebration, NYU put on a Dumpling Festival
for the school. Festivities included a
spin wheel that guarantees you at least a t-shirt as the prize, 3000+ dumplings
ordered, at least a hundred or so Coco’s drinks ordered (bubble tea/pearl milk
tea/boba/whatever you’d like to call it), and a few other activities.
Our school all decked out in Chinese New Year decorations, and our Dumpling Festival mascot!
With that being said: Safe travels everyone and 新年快乐!
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