Features
Lunar New Year
By Michelle Chung ’20
February 2, 2017
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While many individuals in America consider the first day of January to be the beginning of the new year, millions of individuals of East Asian descent recently celebrated Lunar New Year, observed on Jan. 28.
Following the lunar calendar whose dates are dependent on the cycles of the moon, Lunar New Year typically lands at the end of February or the beginning of January. The holiday is widely celebrated by those from Asian countries such as China, Taiwan, Japan, Korea, Vietnam, Indonesia and many more.
In China, Lunar New Year is honored as the beginning of a year filled with happiness, unity, healthy living, and prosperity. Families typically celebrate by sharing oranges with others, setting off firecrackers, handing out red envelopes filled with money as a way to spread good luck and appreciating the art of lion dances.
The onset of a new year in China is also associated with one of 12 animals from the Chinese zodiac as well as one of five elements. Traditionally, every zodiac sign and element are said to affect the personality and destiny of those who were born in that year. 2017 marks the Year of the Fire Rooster, meaning that individuals born in this year will be trustworthy, responsible, and strong at time-management.
In Vietnamese culture, the Lunar New Year is called T?t and is a time for family reunions and bonding. The celebration actually spans several days as each day is dedicated to visiting immediate family members, distant relatives, or close friends.
Hoang Do ’17, an international student from Vietnam, says, “We usually decorate with peach plants and peach blossoms. Peach blossoms bloom around spring time so they signify that a new year has come.”
For Do, “Celebrating New Year means that I get to do a lot of things that I don’t usually do like eating a lot of fatty foods such as banh chung (glutinous rice cake), or singing karaoke until 2 a.m. on a weekday with my parents.”
In Korea, the Lunar New Year is called Seollal and places a great emphasis on family as well. According to Janice Kang ’20, “my family and relatives gather and have memorial service for our ancestors. After that, the younger generation bow to the older generation and get pocket money in return. Then, we eat rice cake soup which is just rice cake in beef stock. Then, we talk or play traditional Korean board games.”
In fact, Kang’s favorite part about Lunar New Year is the food. The memorial service for their ancestors require them to make a feast as a sign of respect and honor, including Korean food such as Korean braised short ribs, a variety of Korean pancakes with beef, ham, shrimp, squash and mushrooms, and desserts like Korean rice cakes.
“Celebrating [Lunar New Year] is important because it is part of my culture. When I was young, it just seemed like one of the fun events where I got to play with my cousins, but as I grow up, and especially since I am away from my country, it is more than a just fun event,” Kang admits.
While the different Lunar New Year celebrations in Asian countries all honor the beginning of the new year following the lunar calendar, different families and cultures honor different traditions and customs. Millions of individuals in America, though they no longer live in Asia, celebrate the holiday to commemorate the importance of their culture and diverse way of living.