Customs and traditions of Chinese New Year

The traditional lion dance is based on the myth of a monster called Nian. According to the legend, it attacked a village every year on New Year's eve. The villagers decided to make a puppet lion to scare off the beast. A dancer supports the head while the other moves the tail of the lion. Accompanied by drums, symbols and gongs, the lions battle each other. The dance brings good luck and fortune.

Yusheng is a radish salad with raw salmon. Yusheng means "raw fish" but the term is a homophone for "rise in abundance." While shouting celebratory phrases, the salad is tossed collectively using chopsticks. According to the belief, the higher it is tossed, the more abundance one will have. The ritual is practiced in Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia.

Meat consumption has been associated with the increasing wealth of the growing middle class. In China, people consumed an average of 22.7 kilograms of pork meat per person in 2020. Pork is an important ingredient in many Chinese New Year dishes, including dumplings — a symbol of wealth. The meat can also be roasted and braised to make other special Chinese New Year delicacies.

"Gao" in Chinese is a homophone for "cake," but also "high." "Nian gao" translates to "year high" and the Chinese believe that eating this sticky rice cake during Chinese New Year will increase their income, lead to a promotion at work or contribute to the financial growth of children. "Nian gao" brings the promise of a bright future. The desert has equivalents in Japan (mochi) and Korea (tteok).

The mandarin orange is a symbol for gold and money. Mandarines are presented as gifts during home visits as a sign of respect, courtesy and returning good favors. Since the Chinese believe that good things come in pairs, people give each other an even number of the oranges. They are also used as decoration.

Arguably the best part of Chinese New Year for all youths: receiving red envelopes of cash. Also known as "hong bao," or red packet, these envelopes contain anywhere between $3-15 each. Married people are obliged to give red packets and only un-married people are allowed to receive them. The closer one is to the giver, the more money they will receive. It pays off to have many married relatives!

A symbol of happiness and luck for the Chinese, the loud raucous of fireworks and firecrackers was traditionally meant to scare off Monster Nian and contributed to the festive atmosphere. However, due to the risks of injuries and death, fireworks have been banned in China during Spring Festival. According to statistics from 2018, they were banned in 444 cities, and restricted in many more.

The Chinese diaspora, counting their descendants, is estimated at about 60 million, according to the International Organization for Migration. Chinese New Year is a four-day public holiday in some countries like Singapore, where the Chinese make up 75% of the local population. Singapore celebrates Chinese New Year with festival lights and games against the backdrop of the Marina Bay skyline.