It’s Chinese New Year (Spring Festival)

This year the Chinese Lunar New Year falls on February 8. It is the Year of the Monkey according to Chinese zodiac. The Chinese New Year, also called Spring Festival, has more than 4,000 years of history. It is the grandest and the most important annual event in Chinese communities and celebrated around the world. In China it is the longest public holiday as workplaces are closed for a week to celebrate the New Year and most families gather for reunions.  Students take a whole month off this time of year. It is a time for new clothes and the color red is especially used in decorating as it is auspicious and will bring success and good fortune.  The whole house is cleaned before the festival begins and there are special customs observed, including giving red envelopes of money to children and seniors.  We are lucky to live in San Francisco Bay Area with vibrant and large Chinese communities to share in the fun and festivities and experience this great holiday, a big parade, wonderful foods and excitement!
May 2016 be filled with increasing success, ample family and recreational time, vibrant health and  balance for you and your family!

HISTORY The holiday traces its origins to the Shang Dynasty (17th-11th century BCE) where the folklore tells of a monster Nian who liked to steal and devour children or livestock.  The tradition of lighting loud red firecrackers dates from this practice of protecting one’s home, family and livelihood to scare the monster Nian away who disliked noise and the color red.

ZODIAC In the Chinese zodiac there are 12 animals each representing a year in this astrological system and the Monkey is the 9th after the Ram/Sheep and before the Rooster which will start on January 28th, 2017. The Chinese zodiac system also follows the 5 elements (Gold/Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, or Earth) and this year is a Fire or Red Monkey.  The animal years follow the pattern of elements so the whole system takes 60 years to repeat so it will be 2076 before we have another Fire Monkey Year.

If you were born in the a year of the monkey (1920, 1932, 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016) then your sign is a Monkey.  Monkeys are said to be intelligent, social, cheerful or energetic by nature and usually represent flexibility. People under the sign of the Monkey are clever and wise, intelligent, confident, charismatic, loyal, inventive and have leadership skills. The weaknesses of the Monkeys are being egotistical, arrogant, crafty, restless and snobbish.

To read more about the Chinese zodiac, Spring Festival and customs:
http://www.chinahighlights.com/travelguide/chinese-food/chinese-new-year-food.htm
http://www.yourchineseastrology.com/zodiac/

What Type of “Monkey” Are You: Wood, Fire, Earth, Gold, or Water?
5 Element Positive (+) and Negative (-) Associations

• WOOD (1944, 2004) + Helpful, Compassionate, Strong Self-Esteem, – Stubborn
• FIRE (1956, 2016) + Ambitious and Adventurous, – Irritable
• EARTH (1908, 1968) + Frank and Optimistic, – Fearless
• GOLD METAL (1920, 1980) + Smart, Witty, Confident, – Irritable and Stubborn
• WATER (1932, 1992) + Smart, Witty, Enjoys Limelight and Attention, – Arrogant

Some popular Chinese New Year Greetings:
1. 新年好 / 新年好 (Xīnnián hǎo) “New Year goodness!”

• In Mandarin: /sshin-nyen haoww/
• In Cantonese: /sen-nin haow/

2. 恭喜发财 / 恭喜發財 (Gōngxǐ fācái) “Happiness and prosperity!”

•  In Mandarin: /gong-sshee faa-tseye/
•  In Cantonese: Kunghei fatchoy /gong-hey faa-chwhy/

Special foods to enjoy celebrating The Spring Festival/New Year

• Fish
• Dumplings
• Glutinous rice cakes or mochi
• Spring rolls (named for this festival).