Chinese New Year

Chinese New Year

Chinese New Year is the longest and most important

celebration in the Chinese calendar. The Chinese year 4712 begins on Jan. 31, 2014

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 horse years are 

cheerful, skillful with money, perceptive, witty, talented and

 good with their hands. Rembrandt,Harrison Ford, Aretha 

Franklin, Chopin, Sandra Day O’Connor, and President 

Theodore Roosevelt were born in the year of the horse.

At Chinese New Year celebrations people wear red clothes,

 decorate with poems on red paper, and give children “lucky 

money” in red envelopes. Red symbolizes fire, which 

according to legend can drive away bad luck. The fireworks

 that shower the festivities are rooted in a similar ancient 

custom. Long ago, people in China lit bamboo stalks, 

believing that the crackling flames would frighten evil spirits.