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Chinese New Year

Chinese New Year

Chinese New Year is the most important festivity for the Chinese people in America and Great Britain. It is also called the Spring Festival① or the Lunar New Year②. The exact date on the Western calendar changes from year to year. However, Chinese New Year takes place between 1 January and 19 February.

On the Chinese lunar calendar every month begins with the new moon. Every year has an animal's name. These animals are the rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon③, snake, horse, ram④, monkey, rooster⑤, dog and pig. A Chinese legend says that these twelve animals had a race. The first year was named after the rat, the winner. The other eleven years were named afte the order⑥, in which the animals arrived in the race. The clever rat jumped onto the ox's back then at the end jumped over the ox's head to arrive first! The Chinese believe that a person born in a particular year has some of the characteristics⑦ of that animal.

Celebrations in Chinese families last for about two weeks. The celebration begin with traditional house cleaning. The Chinese get rid of old and useless things. They do this to throw away the misfortunes⑧ of the past year. On Chinese New Year's Eve all family members enjoy a big, delicious meal. It is very important for the Chinese to be with their families on this occasion. Fish is always part of the dinner because it represents abundance⑨.

On New Year's Day all Chinese children wear new clothes with bright colours. Red is considered a lucky colour. Parents and relatives give children the traditional New Year's gift called "Lai see" (lucky money). This money is put into bright red and gold envelopes. Red is a traditional colour for festivals, celebrations, weddings and birthdays.

The lion dancers are always part of the festivities. The lion has a big head and long body made of cloth. The lion dance is accompanied by drums, cymbals and noisy firecrackers. According to ancient traditions the great noise frightens away evil spirits.

The dragon is the most important figure of the Chinese New Year festivities and parades. The dragon is considered a lucky figure. A parade dragon can be 20 to 30 metres long! Sixty or more men move under a long cloth that represents the dragon's tail.

① Spring Festival 春节

② the Lunar New Year 农历新年

③ dragon 龙

④ ram 羊

⑤ rooster 公鸡

⑥ order 顺序

⑦ characteristic 特点

⑧ misfortune 不幸

⑨ represent abundance 代表富裕

本文取自由英美人士编写、由意大利出版社出版的黑猫英语系列。

文章内容涉及中国新年的日期，十二生肖的来历，中国人庆祝新年的方式：如年夜饭、打扫卫生、穿新衣、压岁钱、舞狮、舞龙……