Chinese New Year starts with the New Moon on the first day of the new year and
ends on the full moon 15 days later. The 15th day of the new year is called the
Lantern Festival, which is celebrated at night with lantern displays and children
carrying lanterns in a parade. The Chinese calendar is based on a combination
of lunar and solar movements. The lunar cycle is about 29.5 days. In order to
"catch up" with the solar calendar the Chinese insert an extra month once every
few years (seven years out of a 19-yearcycle). This is the same as adding an extra
day on leap year. This is why, according to the solar calendar, the Chinese New
Year falls on a different date each year. New Year's Eve and New Year's Day are
celebrated as a family affair, a time of reunion and thanksgiving. The celebration
was traditionally highlighted with a religious ceremony given in honor of Heaven
and Earth, the gods of the household and the family ancestors. The sacrifice to
the ancestors, the most vital of all the rituals, united the living members with
those who had passed away. Departed relatives are remembered with great respect
because they were responsible for laying the foundations for the fortune and glory
of the family.
Year 2008 is the
Year of the Rat by the Chinese calendar. Happy Chinese new year. Fun,
friends, frolic and food, that is all new year celebrations is all about. To catch
on to the right spirit of the chinese new year, we have compiled greeting
cards, history, wallpapers,
history and traditions and more. Learn about Chinese
zodiacs, and what has the year 2008 has in store for you. One of the biggest festival
of the orient, enjoy every bit of it by browsing through the various sections this
site has on offer. Please refer the
site to your friends by clicking here.
The Lunar New Year, also known as
the "Spring Festival", is a time of great excitement and joy for the culturally
enriched China. The festivities get under way from 22 days prior to the New Year
date and continue for up to 15 days afterwards.
