We've moved to China. We're pretty excited about it and settling into our new home. Today is Chinese New Year's Day. Last night was New Year's Eve. The Chinese invented fireworks, so you can bet they do it right. :)
Here is a little bit about the Chinese New Year this year, which is the year of the dragon. I got this from my second-cousin's blog, who is also living in China right now:
The Year of the Dragon starts on January 23rd this year 2012.
The Chinese dragons are described as supernatural creatures that can control water-related weather phenomena such as rainfall, hurricanes, and floods. There many such descriptions in Chinese myth and folklore. Thus in old times during drought and flooding, it was customary for Chinese to go to temples dedicated to the 'Dragon King' to offer sacrifices or to pray for rain, or the cessation of it.
In China today, dragons have become an auspicious symbol signifying success and happiness.
A Chinese dragon is typically a combination of 9 different animals. For example, the horns of a stag, the claws of an eagle, and the 117 scales that cover the body are that of the carp. Chinese dragons are invariably accompanied by thunder, rain, cloud, or water in the paintings, drawings, or displays.
The dragon is the fifth sign of the Chinese Zodiac and represents luck. The year of the dragon comes every 12 years and is most welcomed by the Chinese people. According to Feng Shui masters the year 2012 will be the year of the water dragon. The element of water represents wealth in Feng Shui. Therefore it is really good news for people who have encountered financial difficulties during the last few years. It takes a cycle of 60 years for the next Water Dragon Year to come again. It is truly a year to cherish, and we should all make the most of it.
On the eve of the Lunar New Year the family gets together to celebrate the holiday just like Americans would gather together for Thanksgiving or Christmas. The reunion dinner or Nian ye fan will include some traditional foods, hanging red symbols on doors and windows, and lighting of fireworks to scare away evil.
The Fu character is pasted on the front door of homes around China for the Chinese New Year. The Fu character means happiness, and you want your year to be full of happiness so you put it on your door to keep happiness in and any bad luck out. With many of the holiday celebrations in China, similar sounds will dictate what you eat or give to help symbolize the meaning of the holiday. TouFu in America or DouFu here in China has the same Fu sound as the happiness so they will eat DouFu to symbolize happiness.
Niángāo is a new year cake made from steamed glutinous rice; Nian is the word for year and gao is the word for cake, or the word can mean high/above average. Eating Niángāo symbolizes a better year than the past years.
Yú is the word for fish, which has the same sound as Yú, which means to have surplus/extra. The Chinese will have fish at their dinner to acknowledge the surplus they have at the close of the year and the surplus they hope to have in the next year.
Jiǎozi or dumplings are shaped like ancient gold ingots. The Jiǎozi are usually eaten around 11:00pm on Lunar Eve. Sometimes families will put a coin in one of the Jiǎozi and the person that gets that one will have a very fortunate year.
Before dinner the family will light Biān Pào; these are strings of loud fireworks to scare away the evil ghosts. At the turn of the New Year the family will light Yānhuā or the flower fireworks like the ones we are used to seeing in America to start the Spring Festival.
So Holly and I are celebrating the new year right now. We're pretty excited about it since our baby will be a dragon baby. Which is pretty much the coolest thing ever.
