Chinese New Year: 2014The Year of the Horseby Holly Hartman

Chinese New Year is the longest and most important celebration in the Chinese calendar. The Chinese year 4712 begins on Jan. 31, 2014.

Chinese months are reckoned by the lunar calendar, with each month beginning on the darkest day. New Year festivities traditionally start on the first day of the month and continue until the fifteenth, when the moon is brightest. In China, people may take weeks of holiday from work to prepare for and celebrate the New Year.

A Charming New Year

Legend has it that in ancient times, Buddha asked all the animals to meet him on Chinese New Year. Twelve came, and Buddha named a year after each one. He announced that the people born in each animal's year would have some of that animal's personality. Those born in horse years are cheerful, skillful with money, perceptive, witty, talented and good with their hands. Rembrandt, Harrison Ford, Aretha Franklin, Chopin, Sandra Day O'Connor, and President Theodore Roosevelt were born in the year of the horse.

Fireworks and Family Feasts

At Chinese New Year celebrations people wear red clothes, decorate with poems on red paper, and give children "lucky money" in red envelopes. Red symbolizes fire, which according to legend can drive away bad luck. The fireworks that shower the festivities are rooted in a similar ancient custom. Long ago, people in China lit bamboo stalks, believing that the crackling flames would frighten evil spirits.

The Lantern Festival

In China, the New Year is a time of family reunion. Family members gather at each other's homes for visits and shared meals, most significantly a feast on New Year's Eve. In the United States, however, many early Chinese immigrants arrived without their families, and found a sense of community through neighborhood associations instead. Today, many Chinese-American neighborhood associations host banquets and other New Year events.

The lantern festival is held on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month. Some of the lanterns may be works of art, painted with birds, animals, flowers, zodiac signs, and scenes from legend and history. People hang glowing lanterns in temples, and carry lanterns to an evening parade under the light of the full moon.

In many areas the highlight of the lantern festival is the dragon dance. The dragon—which might stretch a hundred feet long—is typically made of silk, paper, and bamboo. Traditionally the dragon is held aloft by young men who dance as they guide the colorful beast through the streets. In the United States, where the New Year is celebrated with a shortened schedule, the dragon dance always takes place on a weekend. In addition, many Chinese-American communities have added American parade elements such as marching bands and floats.

2014 Chinese New Year in Washington, DC2014 - Year of the Horse

Washington, DC celebrates the Chinese New Year with a Chinese New Year Parade, Chinese

Dragon Dances, live musical performances, and more. The Chinese New Year is a 15-day event

that starts with the New Moon on the first day of the new year and ends on the full moon 15 days

later. The first day of the year can fall anywhere between late January and the middle of

February. The celebration includes dedicating each year to a specific animal. The Dragon, Horse,

Monkey, Rat, Boar, Rabbit, Dog, Rooster, Ox, Tiger, Snake, and Ram are the twelve animals that

are part of this tradition.

In 2014, on the Western calendar, the start of the New Year falls on January 31st and is The Year

of the Horse. During this important celebration in the Asian culture, it is traditional to wear red,

meant to ward off evil spirits.

Following is a guide to the 2014 Chinese New Year events in Washington DC, Maryland and

Northern Virginia.

In Washington, DC

Chinese New Year Parade and Festival in Washington, DC

February 2, 2014, 2-4:30 p.m. Chinatown - on H Street, NW, between 6th and 8th Streets.

Each year a parade is held in Chinatown to celebrate the Chinese New Year. The event

features the traditional Chinese Dragon Dance, Kung Fu demonstrations and live musical

entertainment. See photos of the Chinese New Year Parade.

Celebrate from 12-5 p.m. at the Chinatown Lunar New Year Festival, Chinatown Community

Cultural Center, 616 H Street, NW Washington, DC. Programs and activities will include: live

music and dance performances, traditional Chinese calligraphy, children’s crafts, face

painting, tai chi and kung fu demonstrations, lion dancing, poetry readings, film screenings,

art and photo exhibits, raffle prizes, New Year souvenirs, free giveaways, and much more.

Special guest performances by: Wong People and students of Yu Ying Public Charter School.

 

Chinese New Year Dining Specials in Washington DC

Throughout the month of February, many restaurants in the Washington DC area offer

specials in celebration of the Chinese New Year. Celebrate the “Year of the Snake” with

special tasting menus.

In Maryland

Gaithersburg Chinese New Year Events 

2014 Dates to Be Announced. Lakeforest Mall, 701 Russell Avenue, Gaithersburg, Maryland.

View beautiful Chinese New Year decorations and exhibits throughout the mall. Live

entertainment (weekends, noon-5:00 p.m.) includes traditional lion and dragon dances, folk

dances and martial arts demonstrations. Demonstrations and workshops include flower/bonsai

arrangement, arts and crafts, painting and games.

 

Rockville Lunar New Year Parade and Street Festival

2014 Date to Be Announced, 10:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. (Parade Begins at 11 a.m.)Rockville Town

Square, Rockville, Maryland. The event will include a parade through Rockville Town

Square, an outdoor Asian street market and musical and dance performances. The celebration

includes participants, sponsors and performers from the Chinese, Taiwanese, Vietnamese,

Thai, Filipino, Korean and Japanese communities. VisArts sponsors the event and opens its

studios to the public showcasing its gallery exhibits and offering arts and crafts for children.

Also, from 3-5 p.m. Montgomery County Executive Office Building, 101 Monroe St. Rockville,

Maryland. The Mayor and Council of Rockville and the City's Asian Pacific American Task Force

host a Lunar New Year Celebration featuring performances by local groups such as Xie cheng-

qi, Child Beijin Opera, Fairfax Chinese Dance Troupe, Korean Drum Team of Spark Matsunaga

Elementary School Tinikling Dancing- MHC Fil-Am Heritage Dance Ensemble and more.

 

Chinese New Year at Montgomery County Public Libraries

Thirteen branches of the public libraries welcome the new year with a variety of programs.

Music, dance and special performances feature the sights, sounds and cultures of China,

Korea and Vietnam. Programs include introduction to customs behind the Lunar New Year,

traditional dances, hands-on art activities, puppet shows, healing and martial arts

demonstrations including tai-chi and kung fu, calligraphy, crafts, customs, Chinese yo-yo,

workshops and children's activities, and the traditional Chinese lion dance. For specific

schedules, visit the Montgomery County Public Libraries website

In Northern Virginia

Chinese New Year Festival - Falls Church

February 1, 2014, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Luther Jackson Middle School, 3020 Gallows Road, Falls

Church, VA. The event, hosted by the Asian Community Service Center, offers performances

from China, Korea, India, Thailand, Vietnam, among others including the beautiful Chinese

sword dance; Dragon Parade, fashion show, Asian plant art, Asian foods, Chinese cooking

demo, teaching of Chinese characters, crafts, kids activities and more. FREE Admission.

 

Fair Oaks Mall Lunar New Year Celebration

2014 Dates to Be Announced, 1-6 p.m. Fair Oaks Mall, 11750 Fair Oaks, Fairfax, VA.

Ceremonies, performances and exhibitions will be presented from each day, with most of the

events centered in the Fair Oaks Mall Grand Court. Presented by the Washington Hai Hua

Community Center, the event will feature traditional Chinese dragon dances; music and dance

performances; martial arts demonstrations; children’s crafts; and a special lantern festival.

More than 200 performers will participate in this year’s Lunar New Year festival, representing

such countries and regions as China, Korea, India, Thailand, Vietnam, Mongolia, Malaysia,

Indonesia, Philippines, Polynesia and the 50th state of Hawaii.

Chinese New Year Traditions

Different part of China has very different traditions. The following are the most typical traditions.

New Year's Eve DinnerThe New Year's Eve dinner is the most important dinner for Chinese. Normally this is the family reunion dinner, especially for those with family member away from home. In the New Year's Eve dinner, normally fish will be served. Dumplings are the most important disk in northern china. These two dishes mean prosperous. Other disks are depending on personal preference. The majority of Chinese will have New Year's Eve dinner at home instead of restaurant.

FireworksFireworks are used to drive away the evil in China. Right after the 12:00PM of the New Year's Eve, fireworks will be launched to celebrate the coming of the New Year as well as driven away the evil. It is believed that the person who launched the first Fireworks in the New Year will get good luck.

Shou SuiShou Sui means after the New Year's Eve dinner, family member will normally stay awake during the night. Some people just stay until the mid night, after the fireworks. According to tales and legends, there was a mythical beast called the "Year". At the night of New Year's Eve, the "Year" will come out to harm people, animals, and proprieties. Later people found that the "Year" is afraid of red color, fire, and loud sound. Therefore, at the New Year's Eve night, people will launch fireworks, put on some fires, and stay awakes the whole night to fend of the "Year".

Red PacketsRed packet is a red envelope with money in it, range from one to a few thousand Chinese Yuan. Usually the red racket is given by adults, especially married couple, and elderly to young children in the New Year days. It was believed that the money in the red packet will suppress the evil from the children, keep the children healthy, and long living.

New Year MarketsAt the New Years days, a temporarily market will be setup mainly selling New Year goods, such as clothing, fireworks, decoration, foods, small arts, etc. The market is usually decorated with a large amount of lanterns.

Small YearSmall year is the 23th or 24th of the last month of the year. It is said that this is the day the food god will leave the family to go to the heaven to report the activity of family to the Emperor of the heaven. People will have some religious ceremony to farewell the food god, including take down and burn the paint of the food god. After the New Year's Day, people will buy a new paint of the food god and post it at the kitchen.

CleaningA few days before the Chinese New Year, people will do a complete cleaning of the house and house ware; means get rid of the old and welcome the new. In old days when bath is not often, people will normally take a throughout bath to welcome the New Year.

DecorationAfter the cleaning, people will decorate the house to welcome the New Year. Most of the decorations are red in color. The most popular New Year decorations are upside down fu, dui lian, lantern, year paint, papercutting, door god, etc..