China celebrates New year according to the lunar calendar
BEIJING, February 16. /TASS./ The people of China in the night from Thursday to Friday to meet the spring Festival (Chun Jie) is the New year according to the lunar calendar. Its symbol is a yellow earth dog.
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Traditionally, Chinese families gather round the table — a symbol of unity and well-being of the family. Preparing for the holiday starts in a few weeks. Housewives stocking up on food and buying presents.
A special place in the new year is “junbao” — red envelopes with money. First of them was made to give to children as a talisman, but now “junbao” get and adults: older family members put from 2 thousand to 5 thousand yuan (about $300-800 dollars), children — from 100 to 200 yuan (about $16-32 per dollar).
The Chinese New Year’s Eve dinner is the most important meal of the year. We ask movie star Li Bingbing to show us a few pointers on how to make a perfect New Year feast! #HappyChineseNewYear @libingbinglove pic.twitter.com/DqBH6nOChs
— China Xinhua News (@XHNews) February 15, 2018.
Two weeks before New year the Chinese are beginning to return to their hometown to celebrate the holiday together with family. At this time, the transport system of the PRC is working to the limit. After the people of China get to the house, life in the cities is dying out: most of the shops and institutions are closed, the roads are empty.
Holiday tradition
Long before the feast of the streets and homes are decorated with red banners “conlang” with calligraphically written characters — wishes of happiness and good luck and garlands of bright lanterns.
According to the legend, the color red is a symbol of prosperity and wealth, as well as a kind of talisman: he repels all evil spirits.
On the festive table necessarily contains fish (Mandarin fish — “Yu” — in tune with the character meaning prosperity) and dumplings “Jiaozuo”, shaped like a silver ingot to mold them together means “together to make money”. Often the number of dishes at the holiday table is eight: this is a lucky number in China means prosperity.
Of the drinks the Chinese prefer “Bizzy” (Chinese vodka). In some regions, put on the table “, huantsu” — purified rice brew. Residents of big cities often prefer non-Chinese beverages.