Traditions and Superstitions of the Chinese New Year " Year of the Tiger"

The Chinese New Year or the Spring Festival is the most important tradition among the Asian people. The English also called this holiday the "Lunar New Year". This festival of traditions begins on the first day of the first month and last for 15 days. The Chinese New Year's eve is called "Chuxi" and it means "year-pass eve" and is the longest festivity to take place in their lunar calendar.

The Chinese New Year calendar determines the New Year date; the Chinese New Year falls on a different day each year, usually between January 21 and February 20. Each year the calendar exhibits a sign of an animal and this year is the year of the Tiger. February 14th marks the New Year and the year of the Tiger.

The sign of the Tiger- tiger years come around every third cycle and will recur every twelfth year. Years of the tiger are 1914, 1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998 and 2010. Below are some of the characteristics of people born in the year of the tiger.

10 Characteristics of Tiger people:

• Vividly lucky by nature
• Honest
• Intelligent and engaging
• Bravery and courage run deep
• Can be short tempered
• Punctual
• Powerful and demanding
• Always suspicious of others
• Protectors
• Secretive

People who are born in the year of the tiger are completely honest on how they feel and will expect the same out of every person they come into contact with, tigers are usually very popular and well liked. People born in the year of the tiger can never pass up a challenge and are very competitive by nature. Tigers are always ready for their next task and are eagerly willing to meet life's challenges head on. Although they are honest people, they sometimes have a hidden agenda.

Traditional customs and superstitions that many Chinese and Asian people adhere to during the time honored New Year festival takes place. Some of these may seem a little ludicrous to us, but are in fact if not practiced could mean the demise of oneself.

10 Customs, Traditions and Superstitions related to the Chinese New Year

• On the stroke of midnight the first day of the festival, parents will give red packets "HongBao or LiShi" to their children and family members to bring prosperity.
• Worship the Kitchen God, the Chinese mark this day with acts of appeasement to the kitchen God so he will bring a favorable report back to the Jade Emperor.
• Images of the Kitchen God are burned as a symbolic act for his departure.
• Masks are worn; masks first appearance was in the Shang and Zhou dynasty.
• Many Chinese and Asian people abstain from eating meat on the first day of the New Year to ensure a long and happy life.
• Some Chinese people will eat an entire chicken, with its head and feet in tacked to gain prosperity.
• One of the biggest superstitions is that the Chinese people must clean their entire house to ward off evil spirits and bring in light for the future.
• To sweep dirt out of the front door is to sweep away the families good fortune.
• To sweep away dirt over a threshold is to toss away a family member.
• For a sign of a long life, noodles in ones bowl should be left un-cut, this will ensure a long and healthy life.

The Chinese New Year is a 15-day celebration of eating, dancing, fireworks, superstitions, traditions and religious observances that are widely respected among the Asian culture.

References for this article came from chinesefortunecalender.com and chinapage.com