Asian American communities across the country will celebrate the start of the Year of the Dragon on Saturday by hosting parades, family get-togethers, community carnivals, traditional food, fireworks, and other events. It is a multi-day celebration of a holiday observed in several Asian nations. In diaspora communities, Lunar New Year is celebrated with visible merriment, especially in cultural enclaves.
2024 is the Year of the Dragon in the Chinese zodiac. Asia’s nations observe different zodiacs and celebrate the new year in a variety of ways.
The Lunar New Year: What Is It?
A prominent celebration observed in various Asian nations, the Lunar New Year is also known as the Spring Festival in China, Tet in Vietnam, and Seollal in Korea. Around the world, diaspora communities also widely celebrate it.
The lunar calendar’s first new moon marks the start of it, while the first full moon occurs 15 days later. Since the lunar calendar is based on lunar cycles, the holiday’s dates fluctuate yearly, falling somewhere between the middle of January and the end of February.
Which animals make up the zodiac?
celebrates an animal according to the Chinese zodiac every year. The rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog, and pig are among the circle of 12 animals that are used to measure time cycles. According to legend, only twelve animals responded to a god’s call for them to say goodbye before he left this world. The zodiac in Vietnam is a little bit different; the cat is honored instead of the rabbit, and the buffalo is honored instead of the ox.
What customs and beliefs surround the Lunar New Year?
An infamous old tale describes Nian as a monstrous creature who consumed human flesh on New Year’s Day. People used firecrackers, red paper dragons on their doors, and red lanterns burning all night to scare away the beast, which was afraid of loud noises, fire, and the color red.
The main focus of the Lunar New Year celebration is still to welcome all that is good and successful while chasing away bad luck. Red is seen as a lucky color to wear on New Year’s Eve. The hue is associated with happiness and good fortune in many Asian traditions. In order to send good vibes for the upcoming year, people dress in red, hang red paper lanterns in their homes, and offer money to friends and family in red envelopes. All civilizations engage in gambling and traditional game-playing during this period.
During this time, ancestor worship is also prevalent. In a custom known as “charye,” male family members serve meals to the ancestors while female family members prepare it. This practice is common among Korean families. The entire family partakes in the feast during the ceremony’s last phase, known as “eumbok,” and asks their ancestors for blessings for the upcoming year. Vietnamese people honor their ancestors by preparing traditional foods and setting them on an altar in their homes.
During this time of year, certain Indigenous people—such as those who belong to Mexico’s Purepecha Indigenous group—also celebrate Lunar New Year.
What holidays are observed by diaspora communities?
Around the Lunar New Year, Asian American communities around the country host parades, carnivals, and celebrations that include lion and dragon dances, fireworks, traditional cuisine, and cultural performances. Many also purchase new furniture and use orchids and other vividly colored flowers for interior decorating in addition to cleaning their homes.
Along with other churches, numerous Catholic dioceses throughout commemorate Lunar New Year as a cultural festival for certain Asian American Christians.
Which foods are appropriate for the new year?
Every culture has a list of traditional dishes to eat during the new year, some of which include meats, seafood, tangerines, rice cakes, dumplings, and spring rolls. For instance, “changshou mian,” or “long-life noodles,” are eaten in Chinese culture with the intention of living a long, healthy, and happy life. Traditional Vietnamese foods made from sticky rice, known as banh chung and banh tet, are a must-have during the festivities. Banana leaves are coated with rice, soft mung beans, and pork belly, then the mixture is rolled into a tight log and wrapped in the leaves and fastened with strings to create a banh tet. Tteokguk is a brothy soup with thinly sliced rice cakes that is served as a celebration food in Korea.
