Thursday, February 11, 2010

Chinese New Year—It’s All About the Moons

Many people have heard of Chinese New Year, but few know much about it, so here’s a brief explanation:

China utilizes both the western and the traditional lunar calendars. The western calendar is for every day use while the lunar calendar is used for setting the date for traditional festivities.

The traditional Chinese calendar is based on the moons cycle, which is why Chinese New Year falls on a different day each year. It starts with the first new moon in China; therefore, it can begin any time between January 21st and February 20th. The range of festivities celebrating Chinese New Year lasts for fifteen days.

There is a revolving cycle of twelve animals, each one representing a year. The animals included in this list are the rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog, and pig. February 14, 2010 will mark a new year in the traditional Chinese calendar and will be represented by the tiger.

Many people find it fun to look up their birth year and discover the animal that represents their birth year. Click here to find out which animal represents your birth year and tell us in the comments below!

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