MANILA, Philippines – Countries around the world with significant Chinese populations celebrate on Thursday the oldest and most important event in China, the Spring Festival, more popularly known as Chinese New Year. Chinese New Year is a celebration of the Earth coming to life. It ushers in the beginning of the plowing and planting season. It begins on the first day of the first month of the lunar calendar and ends with the Lantern Festival on the 15th day of the first month. This year, Chinese New Year commences on February 3 and culminates in the Lantern Festival, on the Full Moon 15 days later, which falls on the 18th of February.
Beyond the trimmings associated with the festival such as dragon or lion dances and the use of firecrackers, which are integral elements of the celebration, the essence of Chinese New Year is spending more time with the family, giving gifts, holding food festivals. The Chinese believe that the New Year is an opportune time for a fresh start, and so they prepare for it way ahead of time by cleaning their homes and getting rid of junk, repaying debts, having a hair cut, buying new clothes, paying respect for their departed ancestors, and offering prayers to the gods for a good and prosperous year. Houses are decorated with red lanterns and symbols that wish peace and prosperity for the coming year. Homes are brightly lighted, all windows and doors are open to let bad luck out and allow good fortune to come in, as families gather for dinner with special dishes. Lucky money in small red envelopes called ang pao are given out, especially to children. Adults and children stay up late, and firecrackers are set off to drive away bad luck and evil spirits. Manila’s Chinatown, like the Chinatowns in other parts of the country and the world, will have colorful parades featuring dragon and lion dancers performing to the energetic beat of drums.
According to astrologers, people born in the year of the Rabbit are generally calm, gentle, and loving. While they may sometimes be perceived as timid, people born under this sign view themselves as wise and cautious. They are rarely known to act or jump into situation without first carefully considering all their options. At work, they are noted to excel by remaining cool and collected. They can be relied upon for extreme tact in delicate business dealings. Chinese tradition has it that the Rabbit ushers in a year in which we can all “catch our breath and calm our nerves.” It is a time for negotiation and diplomacy.
As we welcome the Year of the Golden Rabbit, we join our Chinese brothers and sisters in striving to gain the greatest benefits and goods that the year promises. May we be as wise, calm, and gentle as the Rabbit in addressing the many challenges that we continue to be confronted with as we strive to achieve our goals for 2011, as individuals and as a nation.
Kung Hei Fat Choi!
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