By Kyle Chan, Staff Writer
As the 2023 Lunar New Year approaches us, let us explore the celebrations and traditions each culture indulges in and as well as the history behind each ceremony. There are several countries in the world that celebrate Lunar New Year, such as: China, South Korea, and Vietnam. From watching TV shows together to participating in festivals and hearing the sound of firecrackers, all of these countries are rich in history, culture, customs and traditions. With many of these traditions originating in stories that were passed down from generation to generation, let us look together as we observe the upcoming holiday.
The Chinese celebrate Lunar New Year, across a 16-day span, centered on removing the bad and welcoming the good. To get rid of the evil spirits and pray for a good harvest. Before the new year, families clean their homes and re-decorate with lanterns, flowerpots and other furniture. Those who live or work far away from home travel to visit their families (also known as Chun Yun). After reuniting with their families, they sit around a big table to have a New Year’s Eve dinner called Nian Yue Fan. The most important tradition is that families will burn incense to worship their ancestors and the elderly will hand out good luck money to the younger ones in red envelopes. This tradition is known as Ya Sui Qian. Typically on the day of New Year’s, there will be parades marching through the streets along with lion dances and other shows of beauty. The lion dances symbolize driving away the evil spirits and bringing good luck. This began during the Han Dynasty when lions were brought to Northern China as gifts for the emperor.
In Vietnam, Lunar New Year is celebrated for five to seven days. Formally known as “Tét” (which means feast), it commemorates the beginning of a new year and the coming of spring. Similar to the traditions of China, families would spend time cleaning their homes to get rid of the bad luck. They also decorate their houses with peach blossom trees and orange trees which symbolize fertility and fruitfulness. On the first day, families will invite those of good morals as the first visitors determine their fortune. They also give and receive good luck money known as “Li Xi”. During this time , you can see parades, gongs, bells, and firecrackers in the streets of the cities. There are also people wearing masks while performing lion dances. The dance mimics a lion’s movement with the hope of good fortune. The lion dance began in China and was imported to Vietnam, where it developed its own unique style. Some of the traditional foods include Banh Chung, Xoi, and Chag. These foods are made from an arrangement of sticky rice, pork, chicken, and candied goods.
Seollal represents the beginning of the Korean Lunar Calendar. During this time, Koreans would travel back to their families to celebrate, meaning that transportation would be expensive. Despite having many traditions, the most important is Sebae. It is the act of kneeling and bowing deeply to their elders, which is to show a sign of respect. Koreans usually wear hanbok with the tradition. After wishing their elders good luck, they are rewarded with money called Sebaetdon. Another tradition is Charye. It is similar to Sebae in the aspect of worshiping their ancestors, but this one includes setting food on a table as a gift for ancestors. The most important food eaten is the rice cake soup (tteokguk). It signifies purity and the act of growing up as it turns you one year older. Another food eaten is a pancake dish called Jeon. It contains green onions and kimchi or seafood. Since families celebrate together, they will often play traditional games. The most common game is a board game called yunnori which consists of two games and four sticks. Other things to do during Seollal are visiting crowded places, such as amusement parks.
It is important to understand the importance of each of these ceremonials. There are many opportunities to be part of this celebration because there’s many parades that celebrate the cultural representation of the Lunar New Year in our area.
