Written by Zhiqing Zhang (Freshman from China)
As a student from China, I have heard many folk tales about Lunar New Year or Spring Festival. The most intriguing one is the twelve Chinese zodiac. They are rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog and pig. This year is the Year of the Pig. Each animal has its own “character.” According to the legend, people held a meeting with animals at the beginning to select zodiac symbols, and the animals who came first could enter the zodiac. As the cat’s best friend, the mouse, did not wake up the cat for the meeting. The cat was not part of the zodiac. Therefore, the war between cats and rats continues to this day.
In Chinese, the phrase “New Year” is used to express the celebration of the Spring Festival (Chinese New Year). The word “Year,” or “Nian” in Chinese, is a terrible monster in Chinese. Because Nian is afraid of red and fire, Chinese people hang Spring Festival couplets on their doors, write good wishes, and set off firecrackers to drive it away. This tale is somewhat similar to the vampires being scared off by garlic and cross.
Growing up loving Chinese food, I felt compelled to introduce cuisines prepared for Lunar New Year. China is famous for the variety of food. The food we eat during Spring Festival is even more specially-prepared. The majority of dishes are shaped so that they represent wellness and prosperity, and more importantly, they symbolize the wonderful reunion of a whole family. Through dishes, we exchange wishes. For example, in the north, every household will make dumplings. Dumplings are in the shape of golden treasure which symbolizes good fortune. Some families may wrap coins in dumplings, and the lucky person who eats this dumpling is supposed to have good luck for the entire year. Moreover, some families make braised pork balls in gravy, one of the classical Chinese traditional dishes, which originated from the Shandong cuisine. The dish consists of four meatballs with attractive color, fragrance, and taste. The dish is typically prepared for wedding banquets, birthday dinner, or New Year’s Eve feasts in order to convey its auspicious meaning. It symbolizes four blessings: happiness, wealth, longevity, and good health. On the contrary, the south has totally different tradition than the north. In the south, New Year’s rice cake is a must for the Spring Festival. Even if you do not eat it, you are supposed to put a piece of cake on the table for an auspicious purpose. The rice cake comes with the meaning of making the fortune, having a promotion, and anticipating a sweet and joyful year.
Lunar New Year is considered the most important holiday in China, Korea, Singapore, Mongolia and Vietnam. It is celebrated in eastern Asia and in territories and countries with significant Chinese populations. The New Year greeting is an important custom to observe. It serves an opportunity for people to bid farewell to the past and to welcome the new life. In ancient times, the original meaning of the word “New Year’s greeting” was to celebrate the New Year for elders, including kowtowing to the elders, congratulating them on the happy New Year and greeting them for a prosperous year. When there are relatives and friends of the same generation, courtesy and wishes are usually exchanged. Nowadays, the custom of the New Year’s greeting has been altered to suit people’s need. In addition to the traditional modes of expressing New Year’s wishes, telephones, text messages, WeChat, and internet have sprung up, and the digital wishes have spread New Year greetings across time and space.
Celebrating the Spring Festival is not only a heritage of customs, but also a reason for people to get together. Even though I come from China, what I can show you is limited. After telling you a bit of my story, I strongly encourage you to attend the annual Lunar New year Celebration at Penn State Harrisburg on February 8 in the Student Center of the Capitol Union Building. No matter how many stories you have heard, it is always the best for you to experience the festival yourself. We have prepared you a wonderful celebration of reunion as a big family at Penn State Harrisburg, let’s get together and enjoy it. 