Un rito di passaggio al nuovo più che una vera e propria festa istituzionale: il Chinese New Year (Chūnjié) è una tradizione molto radicata non solo in Cina ma per i popoli orientali in generale; la preparazione inizia sin da prima, con una pulizia approfondita e radicale delle abitazioni, al fine di allontanare le negatività.
Non vi è una data di festeggiamento precisa poichè ci si basa sul novilunio, dunque il Chinese New Year cade durante il secondo novilunio dopo il solstizio d’inverno.
Chinese New Year, Christmas in the West
The Chinese New Year in some ways resembles Christmas in the West: it is indeed a family celebration, so much so that millions of people travel from all over China to return to their hometown.
Although the streets are cheerfully decorated mostly with red drapes, tradition dictates that one must meet with parents, relatives, and friends to spend at least the first three or four days of the holiday together and to exchange small auspicious gifts before sitting down at the table.
Besides culinary gifts and fine teas, what is most popular is some banknotes wrapped in red paper or fabric, to continue respecting the color and mood of the festival.
Homes are decorated with canvas banners adorned with phrases for the occasion and, here and there, objects shaped like fish are placed.
Finally, the inevitable red lanterns, at the end of the two-week celebration of the New Year, are taken down and brought to the streets to close the period with other people, amid fireworks and the lion dance, a symbol of prosperity and longevity.
The lion, much like the dragon—another important figure in Chinese mythology—scares away evil, dispels negative influences, and welcomes the new year with benevolence, bringing its joyful and proud dance to the streets, gathering thousands of celebrating people.
In China, the New Year is celebrated with great care and splendor, but the event is felt and followed throughout the world, wherever there is a Chinatown and thus wherever Chinese communities are present.
