Un rito di passaggio al nuevo más que una verdadera fiesta institucional: el Año Nuevo chino (Chūnjié) es una tradición muy arraigada no solo en China sino para los pueblos orientales en general; la preparación comienza desde antes, con una limpieza profunda y radical de las viviendas, con el fin de alejar las negatividades.
No hay una fecha de celebración precisa porque se basa en la luna nueva, por lo tanto el Año Nuevo chino cae durante la segunda luna nueva después del solsticio de invierno.
Chinese New Year, Christmas in the West
Il Chinese New Year in some ways resembles Christmas in the West: it is indeed a family holiday, so much so that millions of people travel from all over China to return to their hometown.
Although the streets are cheerfully decorated mainly with red drapes, tradition holds that one must meet with parents, relatives, and friends to spend at least the first three/four days of the holiday together and to exchange small good luck gifts before sitting down to eat.
In addition to culinary gifts and fine teas, what is most popular is some money wrapped in red paper or cloth, to continue respecting the color and mood of the festival.
Houses are decorated with cloth banners adorned with phrases for the occasion and, here and there, fish-shaped objects are placed.
Finally, the iconic red lanterns, at the end of the two weeks of the New Year celebration, are taken down and carried into the streets to close the period together with other people, amid fireworks and the lion dance, a symbol of prosperity and longevity.
The lion, somewhat like the dragon – another important figure in Chinese mythology – scares away evil, removes negative influences, and welcomes the new year benevolently, bringing its joyful and proud dance to the streets which gathers thousands of celebrating people.
In China the New Year is welcomed with great care and splendor, but the event is felt and followed worldwide, wherever there is a Chinatown and therefore wherever Chinese communities are present.
