The Chinese New Year

Black Tattoo · 02-19-2007, 09:08 AM

Chinese New Year starts with the New Moon on the first day of the new year and ends on the full moon 15 days later. The 15th day of the new year is called the Lantern Festival, which is celebrated at night with lantern displays and children carrying lanterns in a parade.

The Chinese calendar is based on a combination of lunar and solar movements. The lunar cycle is about 29.5 days. In order to "catch up" with the solar calendar the Chinese insert an extra month once every few years (seven years out of a 19-yearcycle). This is the same as adding an extra day on leap year. This is why, according to the solar calendar, the Chinese New Year falls on a different date each year.

New Year's Eve and New Year's Day are celebrated as a family affair, a time of reunion and thanksgiving. The celebration was traditionally highlighted with a religious ceremony given in honor of Heaven and Earth, the gods of the household and the family ancestors.

The sacrifice to the ancestors, the most vital of all the rituals, united the living members with those who had passed away. Departed relatives are remembered with great respect because they were responsible for laying the foundations for the fortune and glory of the family.

The presence of the ancestors is acknowledged on New Year's Eve with a dinner arranged for them at the family banquet table. The spirits of the ancestors, together with the living, celebrate the onset of the New Year as one great community. The communal feast called "surrounding the stove" or weilu. It symbolizes family unity and honors the past and present generations.

You can learn more about the Chinese New Year here>> http://www.educ.uvic.ca/faculty/mrot..._new_year.html

The year of the pig!!!

Chinese New Year is the longest and most important celebration in the Chinese calendar. The Chinese year 4705 begins on Feb. 18, 2007.

Legend has it that in ancient times, Buddha asked all the animals to meet him on Chinese New Year. Twelve came, and Buddha named a year after each one. He announced that the people born in each animal's year would have some of that animal's personality. Those born in pig years tend to have excellent manners, make and keep friends, work very hard, and appreciate luxury. They are very loving and make loyal partners. Lucille Ball, Humphrey Bogart, Hillary Rodham Clinton, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Ernest Hemingway, Alfred Hitchcock, Mahalia Jackson, David Letterman, and Arnold Schwarzenegger were all born in the year of the pig.

Alchemist · 02-19-2007, 01:22 PM

wow hang on a minute...why would having good manners be a trait of a pig? I mean seriously.

Adina · 02-19-2007, 07:14 PM

Hey, hey! Don't start on the Year of the Pig - that's me, you know!

Besides, I have relatively good manners... I think.

Renzokuken · 02-19-2007, 07:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Adina

Besides, I have relatively good manners... I think.

Not when you're drunk, sweetheart.

lol

imrhien · 02-19-2007, 08:57 PM

My Husband is a Pig, and I am a Snake we are meant to be arch enemies.

Black Tattoo · 02-20-2007, 01:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alchemist

wow hang on a minute...why would having good manners be a trait of a pig? I mean seriously.

There's a reasonable explaination for that....I'm just too tired to think of it at the moment - LOL

Besides, speaking as a Pig, I have fairly decent manners

Most of the time

Roland · 02-20-2007, 02:25 PM

Not my year then

. According to wiki I'm a horse....that's fairly cool, I guess.

LyannaWolfBlood · 02-20-2007, 06:14 PM

Yeah, I'm a horse too...born in the same year, I guess. I don't share any of the traditional traits though.

Meteorain · 02-20-2007, 06:16 PM

I'm year of the Dragon....can I have some toast piggy for dinner? :P

Liadan · 02-20-2007, 08:48 PM

Lya and Roland - horse ftw!

We're all '90 babies, and come to think of it, I think Indiana is too... although he was born earlier so he might be Year of the Snake.

Don't have any of the horse's traits either.

Roland · 02-22-2007, 02:41 AM

Good to see other umm...horse's? At least i'm not the only one. There was a wierd thing about fire horse, metal horse and loads of others but for the life of me I can't work out what I am.

Black Tattoo · 02-22-2007, 04:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Meteorain

I'm year of the Dragon....can I have some toast piggy for dinner? :P

*gasp!*

*faints at the thought*

saiqa · 02-22-2007, 09:04 PM

1994...that's the year of the dog....

Hmm...I wonder what kind of personalities I'm supposed to have......is there anyone else who's born in the year of the dog? Dogs seem pretty loyal to me, guess I'm loyal....at times...

Adina · 02-23-2007, 05:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Renzokuken

Not when you're drunk, sweetheart.

lol

Ehhh, is that so? That's quite troublesome.

jake1964 · 02-23-2007, 08:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Meteorain

I'm year of the Dragon....can I have some toast piggy for dinner? :P

Dragon as well. mmmmmmmmmm......bacon.

02-19-2007, 09:08 AM	#1
Black Tattoo The Corruptor Noble Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Buckle of the Snow Belt (AKA Michigan) Posts: 2,491 Blog Entries: 19	The Chinese New Year Chinese New Year starts with the New Moon on the first day of the new year and ends on the full moon 15 days later. The 15th day of the new year is called the Lantern Festival, which is celebrated at night with lantern displays and children carrying lanterns in a parade. The Chinese calendar is based on a combination of lunar and solar movements. The lunar cycle is about 29.5 days. In order to "catch up" with the solar calendar the Chinese insert an extra month once every few years (seven years out of a 19-yearcycle). This is the same as adding an extra day on leap year. This is why, according to the solar calendar, the Chinese New Year falls on a different date each year. New Year's Eve and New Year's Day are celebrated as a family affair, a time of reunion and thanksgiving. The celebration was traditionally highlighted with a religious ceremony given in honor of Heaven and Earth, the gods of the household and the family ancestors. The sacrifice to the ancestors, the most vital of all the rituals, united the living members with those who had passed away. Departed relatives are remembered with great respect because they were responsible for laying the foundations for the fortune and glory of the family. The presence of the ancestors is acknowledged on New Year's Eve with a dinner arranged for them at the family banquet table. The spirits of the ancestors, together with the living, celebrate the onset of the New Year as one great community. The communal feast called "surrounding the stove" or weilu. It symbolizes family unity and honors the past and present generations. You can learn more about the Chinese New Year here>> http://www.educ.uvic.ca/faculty/mrot..._new_year.html The year of the pig!!! Chinese New Year is the longest and most important celebration in the Chinese calendar. The Chinese year 4705 begins on Feb. 18, 2007. Legend has it that in ancient times, Buddha asked all the animals to meet him on Chinese New Year. Twelve came, and Buddha named a year after each one. He announced that the people born in each animal's year would have some of that animal's personality. Those born in pig years tend to have excellent manners, make and keep friends, work very hard, and appreciate luxury. They are very loving and make loyal partners. Lucille Ball, Humphrey Bogart, Hillary Rodham Clinton, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Ernest Hemingway, Alfred Hitchcock, Mahalia Jackson, David Letterman, and Arnold Schwarzenegger were all born in the year of the pig. __________________ Joxer The Mighty....

02-19-2007, 01:22 PM	#2
Alchemist will pounce you Royal of Elysium Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: A Pirate city in international waters Posts: 8,700	Re: The Chinese New Year wow hang on a minute...why would having good manners be a trait of a pig? I mean seriously. __________________ ~E-Lover of Árëlin Milloway my Divine Inspiration~ Black Wolf Pup~Soul Belongs to LyannaWolfBlood~Pouncer

02-19-2007, 07:14 PM	#3
Adina Born-again N00B !! Royal of Elysium Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Australia Posts: 6,663	Re: The Chinese New Year Hey, hey! Don't start on the Year of the Pig - that's me, you know! Besides, I have relatively good manners... I think. __________________

02-19-2007, 08:57 PM	#5
imrhien The Lady of the Sorrows Noble Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Australia Posts: 2,572	Re: The Chinese New Year My Husband is a Pig, and I am a Snake we are meant to be arch enemies. __________________ Many thanks to the lovely Appy for my set There once was a lady named bright, who traveled much faster than light, she departed one day, in a relative way, and returned on the previous night. ASoIaF-Infected Fanatic: Disease Spread on Contact.

02-20-2007, 02:25 PM	#7
Roland Go Horse's Go Noble Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: England Posts: 2,162	Re: The Chinese New Year Not my year then . According to wiki I'm a horse....that's fairly cool, I guess. __________________ Knight of the Jedi Guild Member of the ASoIaF guild/JDF Last edited by Roland; 02-20-2007 at 02:32 PM.

02-20-2007, 06:14 PM	#8
LyannaWolfBlood Ella Dictadora Royal of Elysium Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Ireland Posts: 6,099	Re: The Chinese New Year Yeah, I'm a horse too...born in the same year, I guess. I don't share any of the traditional traits though. __________________ ASoIaF-Infected Fanatic: Disease Spread on Contact Proud Supporter of the JDF Forum Wife of Blackness and Kel Bookclub Dictator: Reading 'Yiddish Policeman's Union' Heoulour Wearg of the Grey Alliance Banner by the amazing Nox Owner of Alchemist's Soul "Strangle Asian Irish birds" - Alchemist

02-20-2007, 06:16 PM	#9
Meteorain Magical & Mystical TFF Nobility Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: London/Essex Posts: 17,106	Re: The Chinese New Year I'm year of the Dragon....can I have some toast piggy for dinner? :P __________________ < robT> Name ONE thing that your windows comp can do that my MAC cant < bawss> Right click.

02-22-2007, 02:41 AM	#11
Roland Go Horse's Go Noble Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: England Posts: 2,162	Re: The Chinese New Year Good to see other umm...horse's? At least i'm not the only one. There was a wierd thing about fire horse, metal horse and loads of others but for the life of me I can't work out what I am. __________________ Knight of the Jedi Guild Member of the ASoIaF guild/JDF

02-22-2007, 09:04 PM	#13
saiqa Innocent evil... Ranger Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: The Anime World Posts: 309	Re: The Chinese New Year 1994...that's the year of the dog.... Hmm...I wonder what kind of personalities I'm supposed to have......is there anyone else who's born in the year of the dog? Dogs seem pretty loyal to me, guess I'm loyal....at times... __________________ "Thinking of you, wherever you are. We pray for our sorrows to end, and hope that our hearts will blend. Now I will step forward to realize this wish. And who knows: starting a new journey may not be so hard, or maybe it has already begun. There are many worlds, and they share the same sky - one sky, one destiny." - Kairi (kh2) Last edited by saiqa; 02-22-2007 at 09:06 PM.

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Which movie are you looking forward to this year?	Anakin	Polls	56	03-30-2007 02:27 PM
Any goals for next year?.	The peoples champion	General Discussion	29	01-02-2007 08:20 PM
Another Year	lanaia74	Fan Poetry	1	12-31-2006 05:44 PM
Character Profiles	Morgan_of_Salerone	RPG #14 - The Children of the Crimson Sea	10	11-14-2006 09:11 PM
School year starts.....	Dead Dutchman	Battle Royal	10	06-07-2006 02:57 PM