A Good Year for the Metal Ox: 金牛年吉祥年😊

After the tumultuous Year of the Rat (2020), the New Year of the Ox is much like the animal: strong, diligent and committed. The Chinese almanac says this year is a “Metal” Ox as metal is one of the five elements of life (these are fire, metal, wood, earth and water) so those born in the Year of the Ox are patient, hardworking, and family oriented. The almanac also notes that a “metal” Ox represents wealth, the forecast for 2021 calls for renewed good fortune and overall success for all people in 2021. Regardless, care should still be taken when dealing with investments.

The Metal Ox, despite its name, does not have a “hard” heart – this is the year for romance and love and for couples contemplating taking the plunge, time to the tie the knot.

Trust the Ox who plows the field of life – he promises a good harvest for the year and, for travel, he is leading the way to a brighter future for travel. But, just like the Ox, we must be patient and work diligently in order to reach our goals. 

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The Chinese New Year: Guo Nian (过年)

Guo Nian (过年) is the celebration of the new year in China as well as other Chinese regions including Hong Kong, Macau, Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan. Its influence, however, is so strong that it is also an official holiday in South Korea, Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei.

Traditions, centuries old, differ from region to region but these all focus on the promise of good health, happiness and fortune. One of the most popular of these traditions is “Lai See” or “Hong Bao” the red envelopes containing lucky money that are given out to children on the Chinese New Year Day.

Food is also important for the celebration and each region has its own lucky dishes. In northern China dumplings, which are shaped like gold and silver ingots, are popular while in southern China long-life noodles and the “nian gao” a glutinous new year rice cake are enjoyed.

Traditionally the New Year lasted for 15 days and celebrated with firecrackers, fireworks, lion and dragon dances and prescribed customs for when to visit relatives and when to return to work. 

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Singapore and Malaysia: Toss it Up for Lou Hei (撈起)

For Chinese residents of Singapore and Malaysia nothing says, “New Year” more than the tradition of “Lo Hei” or “Qi Cai Yu Sheng” which literally means, “Seven Colours Raw Fish”. This is also “Lo Hei” or “Tossing it Up” – both of these originate from an ancient tradition in southern China (now no longer practiced there) where on the seventh day of the New Year, fishermen would eat raw fish for good luck. This practice was brought to Malaysia and Singapore with an added new twist - the raw fish became part of a salad with different coloured vegetables that was tossed together by the family - the higher you tossed the salad the more luck you would receive. So, to this day, families in Malaysia and Singapore, “Toss it up for the New Year”.

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Hong Kong: The Lion Dances Tonight (舞獅)

Hong Kong has many interesting traditions for the New Year – Nian Gao (the special New Year’s cake that symbolizes improving one’s place in life), firecrackers to ward off the evil spirits, Lai See, the red envelopes containing auspicious money that are given to children and unmarried adults, and the exchanging of oranges for prosperity. The Lion Dance is the quintessential Hong Kong New Year tradition. The dancing and prancing teams of athletic dancers dressed as colorful lions welcome the New Year and drive out the evil spirits for the year just passed. No New Year in Hong Kong is without its dancing lions! 

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Taiwan: Sky Lanterns & Fireworks (放天燈)

The Lantern Festival is one of the most popular Chinese New Year traditions in Taiwan. Across the island colorful parades of lanterns, fireworks and high-tech light shows mark the occasion. Two of the most beloved traditions are the Sky Lanterns of Shifen and the Yanshui Fireworks Festival. Sky lanterns were originally used by villagers to send messages but over time they became part of the New Year celebrations. On the last day of the festival, lanterns with wishes for the new year were released to the heavens. In Yanshui people celebrate the New Year with an explosion of fireworks which CNN has dubbed, “the world’s most dangerous New Year’s celebration” as the villagers stand among bunches of fireworks to set them off. The fireworks – the bigger and louder, the better – are meant to thank Guan Gong, the deity of prosperity and business, for his help during the new year. 

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Traditions: Unique Chinese New Year’s Customs: 華人的新年风俗习惯

We conclude our festive feature with some special traditions unique to the celebration of the Chinese New Year whether you are in Beijing, Hong Kong, Taipei or Singapore.

*Get a haircut before the New Year – this will ensure a clean start for the New Year!

*Wear or give new clothes for the New Year

*Put up red couplets outside your door – these have auspicious sayings to welcome the New Year.

*Give or receive “lai see” (Hong Kong and Guangdong) or “hong bao” (northern China / Taiwan / Singapore) – red envelopes containing lucky money.

*Lucky foods – fish (for abundance), Ba Bao Fan (a rice dish with fruits, and nuts), Tang Yuan (sticky rice balls stuffed with sesame paste in a sweet soup) which symbolize family unity and harmony and dumplings (northern China for wealth).

恭喜发财 、身体健康、万事如意！

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