Welcome to the Year of the Dog - Chinese New Year!
Today, more than 1.4 billion Chinese people are celebrating the arrival of their New Year! Today is New Year’s Eve in the traditional lunar calendar.
According to the Chinese 12-animal zodiac system, 2018 is the Year of the Dog - succeeding the Year of the Rooster and preceding the Year of the Pig.
The Dog is the eleventh of all zodiac animals. According to one myth, the Jade Emperor said the order would be decided by the order in which they arrived to his party. Monkey, Rooster and Dog were in another country, helping a god defeat evil spirits. After, they set off to the party together. Because they arrived at the same time, the Jade Emperor went by the order they met the god in the other country. Thus, Dog became eleventh.
Today in China is a day for everyone to leave their work early, join their families for hearty meals.
As the clock struck midnight today in China (4pm GMT), most people were watching the Chinese Near Year Gala aired by state broadcaster China Central Television Station.
As the year ends with an eight, it's been considered an especially lucky year by the Chinese people. This is because in certain Chinese dialects, the sound of the word 'eight' is similar to the sound of the word 'fortune'.
The festivities usually last for 16 days in China, from the Lunar New Year's Eve to the Lantern Festival, or the 15th day of the New Year, when people go out to see colourful lanterns.
Fun facts about the Chinise New Year:
1. The festival date changes every year.
2. It is also called Spring Festival.
3. Chinese New Year starts a new animal’s zodiac year.
4. The celebration lasts for 15 days till Lantern Festival.
5. One sixth of the world’s people celebrate it.
6. It is the longest public holiday and the whole country is on the move.
7. Reunion dinner is a family ritual.
8. Is the annual largest usage of fireworks on the planet.
9. The celebration decorations are mostly in red.
10. “Guo Nian Hao” (meaning “passing a year”) is one of the most used Chinese New Year greetings.
Happy New Year!
Lots of love,
Skova Team