We are accustomed to the fact that each year corresponds to a patron animal from the Chinese calendar. But we don’t take into account that according to the Chinese lunisolar calendar New Year comes later than the Gregorian. So, Chinese New Year 2012 will be celebrated on January 23.

Of course, China also uses the Gregorian calendar, and 2012 will arrive there at exactly the same time as everyone else. But the dates traditional holidays in China are determined by Chinese calendar . Chinese New Year, also known as the Spring Festival, also belongs to these holidays. This is what they began to call it after the introduction of the Gregorian calendar in order to separate it from the European New Year. In everyday life, the holiday is simply called “Nyan” (“year”).

In general, before January 1 was universally recognized as the beginning of the new year, for many peoples the new year began in the spring, coinciding with the awakening of nature from winter sleep. Traditionally, the New Year in China was timed to coincide with the first new moon at the end of the first lunar cycle after winter solstice. By Gregorian calendar Chinese New Year falls between January 21 and February 21. Chinese New Year 2012, as we already said, comes on February 23(although to be precise, according to the Chinese calendar it is not 2012, but 4710).

Since ancient times, New Year in China has been the longest and most important holiday.. Chinese New Year is celebrated not only in mainland China, but also in Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, Christmas Island, Brunei and Indonesia - in general, where there is a significant Chinese population. The New Year celebrations last two weeks (of course, not all of these days are weekends) and end with the Lantern Festival.

Chinese New Year is first and foremost a family holiday.. Even if a person has been living alone for a long time, if possible, he should spend this holiday with his parents and family. That is why on the eve of the New Year in China there are colossal queues at the railway ticket offices, and tickets must be purchased in advance. Gala dinner at New Year's Eve always satisfying and plentiful. Chicken, fish and soy cheese are always placed on the table, because the names of these products in Chinese are consonant with words meaning “prosperity” and “happiness”.

In the northern part of the country, dumplings are eaten on New Year's Day.. The name of the dumplings - jiaozi - is consonant with the phrase “farewell to the old and welcome to the new.” In addition, Chinese dumplings are shaped like traditional gold and silver bars, thus symbolizing wealth. And in southern China they prefer a dish called niangao. These are pieces of sticky rice, they symbolize the improvement of life every year.

On Chinese New Year, it is customary to stay up all night. This tradition is called “shou sui”, “to protect the year”. The Chinese paste red paper with paired calligraphic inscriptions (wishes for the New Year) on door frames. Also, the hieroglyph “happiness” is pasted on the door in an inverted form, because in Chinese the expressions “happiness has come” and “happiness has turned upside down” are consonant.

On the first day of the New Year, it is customary to set off fireworks, firecrackers, and burn incense.. It is believed that fireworks will scare away evil spirits and attract a spirit of happiness and peace to the family. The Chinese believe that on this day the deities visit the spirit world and “give an account” of the past year, so in the evening they welcome them home, and after that they pay tribute to their ancestors.

In the first five days of the new year It is customary to meet with relatives, friends, acquaintances, classmates, colleagues and congratulate them on the New Year. But it is not customary to give gifts for the New Year. But for Chinese New Year they give children Ya-sui Qian - pocket money in special red envelopes. According to ancient tradition, money should be given to every child who comes to your home during the first 15 days of the new year.

Chinese New Year is a noisy holiday. For several days in a row, noisy fairs and folk festivals with dancing and performances by street performers take place on the city streets. And on the 15th day of the New Year, the Lantern Festival, colorful lanterns are lit on the streets. As on New Year's Day, folklore performances are held. The traditional treat on this day is yuanxiao (tangyuan) - cakes with a sweet filling made from rice flour. In 2012, the Lantern Festival falls on February 6th.

New Year in China is a very bright and colorful holiday. Therefore, if you were unable to celebrate the European New Year abroad, you may well celebrate the Chinese New Year 2012 in China or any other country where this holiday is celebrated on a grand scale.

| Chinese New Year 2012

Chinese New Year 2012

2012-01-17 - 2012-02-06.

New Year is one of the favorite holidays all over the world, and in Hong Kong it is celebrated twice: according to the Gregorian and lunar calendars. From January 17 to February 6 in Hong Kong there will be a festival, dedicated to the celebration of the Chinese New Year. Chinese New Year is a celebration of the first day of the first lunar month, which annually presents the world with a new symbol of the year. This year, Hong Kong residents will celebrate this holiday especially brightly and joyfully and will greet with special respect the symbol of the black water dragon, which, according to Chinese beliefs, brings goodness and prosperity to people.

The main event of the festival will be the 17th Night Parade under the auspices of Cathay Pacific, which this year will take place on the evening of January 23. The parade will begin at 6.30 pm at the Tsim Sha Tsui embankment in the Cultural Center Piazza, and then proceed along Canton Road, Haiphong Road, and ceremoniously cross Nathan Road and Salisbury Road. and will end its solemn procession near the Sheraton Hong Kong Hotel & Towers. A ticket to the stands, from which you can comfortably watch the parade, costs from 700 to 1,400 rubles, but you can watch the parade for free from any place along festive streets. On January 24 at 8pm, thousands of people will line both sides of Victoria Embankment to watch the dazzling pyrotechnics display. The best view of the stunning fireworks will be from Victoria Bay itself, where you can take a romantic cruise for an affordable price.

From January 17 to 22, floristry lovers can visit the Flower Market, where locals go in search of auspicious aroma and floral masterpieces. This is a great place to mingle with the crowd and feel like you're part of a small town. The best time visiting is considered the second half of the day from 6 to 9 pm, although the market is open until midnight. After some pleasant shopping and admiring the riot of colors and aromas, you can visit the Bamboo Theater, which combines elements of traditional Cantonese opera and modern art. The performances will take place from January 20 to 24 in the western part of the Kowloon Peninsula.

Sports lovers can enjoy football by attending the Asian Cup, which will be held in Hong Kong from January 23 to 26. The Hong Kong team South China FC will take part in the fight, as well as the Japanese team Shimizu S-Pulse, the Korean Seongnam Ilwa Chunma and the Chinese Guangzhou R&F FC. The opening of the cup will take place on January 23 at 4 pm at the Hong Kong Sports Stadium.

Ocean Park, Madame Tussauds, Ngong Ping 360 complex, Disneyland have prepared special holiday programs for tourists during the festival. For example, from January 7 to February 5, the Ngong Ping 360 complex will be decorated in the bright colors of the festival, and the Ngong Ping Village will delight its visitors with traditional dragon dance and lion dance. From January 13 to February 5 at Disneyland, the dragon Mushu from the children's favorite cartoon "Mulan" will happily greet little guests and share with them good wishes in the new year.

Chinese New Year, often called the Spring Festival, is an important annual holiday for the entire Chinese people...

This time, the New Year in China will be celebrated on January 23 and will be held under the auspices of the Dragon itself, the most auspicious animal in the Chinese zodiac circle. It is not surprising that the Chinese New Year is celebrated on all continents of the planet; many people pay a lot of attention to Eastern traditions and like to inquire about their predictions, which are often contained in horoscopes for the year. Modern Chinese cultural traditions are not very different from the ancient ones, which makes them even more attractive to people all over the world.

Celebrations are usually accompanied by various dances, enchanting parades, beautiful singing, interesting competitions karaoke, the streets are crowded with countless stalls selling delicious culinary delicacies... the atmosphere is truly festive.

The days that fall to celebrate the Lunar New Year are rightfully declared official holidays in many countries - Vietnam, Singapore, Indonesia, Macau, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Taiwan, South Korea, as well as other countries where there are large Chinese communities. But at the same time, in countries such as Japan, Cambodia and Philippi, despite its proximity to China, the Eastern New Year is not considered something special - for them it is an ordinary working day.

The dragon is the only one of the 12 animals of the entire Chinese zodiac circle that is a mythical creature. Chinese all over the world proudly consider themselves to be the descendants of the dragon; this creature is a symbol of the Chinese people. Dragon symbols can be found everywhere - in art, architecture, furniture, fabrics and even clothing. Since ancient times, only the emperor himself could use the dragon symbol, but over time, the Dragon began to be considered the main symbol of all of China, which denoted its power and the strength of the country. And even Napoleon himself said during his campaigns: “Let China sleep, because if the dragon awakens, it will shake the whole world.”

Since ancient times, people have firmly believed in the existence of dragons and worshiped them. Nowadays, the Chinese dragon is associated with the traditional New Year's dance, which can be seen at ceremonial processions in honor of the Chinese New Year. A group of people puts on festive costume dragon and performs a New Year's dance. According to some sources, this Chinese dragon dance dates back to the Han Dynasty. Then this dance-rite meant the manifestation of universal respect for the mythical dragon as the patron of all heavenly powers.

The Chinese revere the dragon so much as an auspicious symbol of their people that they even ban any advertising posters that depict dragons in a negative way. Moreover, in China it is prohibited to show the destruction or death of this mythical creature.

The Chinese dragon, unlike the Western one, is a kind and benevolent creature who is the ruler of lakes, rivers and seas. He is responsible for the weather, brings rain, helps grow crops, and gives coolness to the peasants. For people, these are special eastern angels, they are loved and worshiped. The peculiarity of Eastern dragons is that they do not breathe fire, they long body and small legs, they can fly both with and without wings.

Traditionally, the Chinese dragon is represented as follows: the head of a horse or camel, ears like a cow, the body of a snake, the belly of a frog, and the scales of a carp, horns like a deer, sharp eagle claws, fiery eyes and a long beard. Korean and Japanese dragons differ from Chinese ones only in the number of toes on their paws: Chinese dragons have 5 toes, Korean dragons have 4, and Japanese dragons have only 3.

There are several varieties of Chinese dragons.

Sky dragons- patrons of heaven. They are the guards of the Gods and their homes, they drive the heavenly chariots of the Gods themselves.

Spiritual Dragons- dragons of gigantic size. Responsible for the weather on Earth, they control the flow of rain and winds. People turn to these dragons for a good harvest.

Dragons of Hidden Treasures. These mythical creatures guard secret treasures in the earth. Many believe that these dragons live in caves and guard precious metals and stones, including the most priceless possession of these mythical creatures: the Dragon Pearl. This pearl personifies the male energy of Yang and all the wisdom of the world.

Earth dragons- dragons are the closest to people, they love to give people gifts and, moreover, marry earthly women. As a result of such a union, children are born... half-dragons.

Underground Dragons. Another type of earthly dragon, they control the flow of all rivers and springs on Earth.

Horned dragons- Probably the most powerful species of all dragons.

Snake dragons. They are also water dragons - they live mainly in the Eastern lakes.

Dragon Kings. These dragons are the rulers of the four seas - west, north, east and south. These dragons have the ability to turn into people. Dragon kings live in crystal palaces, which are guarded by shrimp soldiers.

Winged dragons. Surprisingly, this is the only type of dragon that has real wings. These dragons are also considered the most ancient among all eastern dragons.

Zodiac dragons are slightly different from mythical dragons. The Chinese associate their dragons with the water element - they can even call an ordinary faucet nothing more than “the head of a water dragon.”

2012 is the year of the Dragon, color - black, element - Water. Black Water Dragon.

This means that when preparing for this Chinese New Year, it is necessary to pay as much attention to this element as possible. So, there must certainly be various drinks on the table, including water. It is advisable to place a figurine of a dragon in the center of the table, or you can decorate the New Year's table with candles in original candlesticks in the shape of small dragons. Don't forget about the most important dishes on the New Year's table.

What clothes are best to wear to celebrate the 2012 New Year of the Dragon? Dresses, skirts made of light, flowing fabrics that will resemble streams of water, blouses decorated with flounces. It is better to choose clothes in blue shades, for example, sea green. Since the dragon is a bright animal, and on top of that, it is a symbol of China, you need to choose a T-shirt with the image of a dragon, and have it decorated with bright sparkles.

The main thing, do not forget - the Chinese dragon is a cheerful and playful character, and therefore New Year's Eve It’s better to spend it as fun and bright as possible, then this powerful creature will certainly give you real happiness and great luck in the coming year 2012.

Author Moment asked a question in the section Other things about cities and countries

What year is it now according to the Chinese calendar and what year is it according to the Slavic calendar? and got the best answer

Reply from Repressed[guru]
2012 in other calendars
Gregorian calendar2012
Julian calendar 2011 - 2012 (from January 14)
Julian calendar
with Byzantine era7520 - 7521 (from September 14)
From the foundation of Rome 2764 - 2765 (from May 4)
Jewish calendar 5772 - 5773
Islamic calendar 1433 - 1434 (from November 15)
Armenian church calendar 1461
Chinese calendar 4708 - 4709 (from January 23) white rabbit - black dragon
Ethiopian calendar 2004 - 2005
Ancient Indian calendar
- Vikram Samvat2068 - 2069
- Shaka Samvat1934 - 1935
- Kali Yuga 5113 - 5114
Iranian calendar 1390 - 1391
Buddhist calendar2555
Repressed
Thinker
(6706)
The Constantinople era, the Byzantine era, the Old Russian era, “from Adam” - the chronology system “From the creation of the world”, which Orthodox theologians referred to Friday - the sixth day of creation, calculated according to the Septuagint as March 1, 5508 BC. e., and subsequently as Saturday September 1, 5509 BC. e. It existed in Rus' until the calendar reform of Peter I in 1700.
We use the Gregorian calendar

Answer from Experienced.[guru]
In Chinese it is the year of the black water dragon.
According to the Slavic Godoslov, 2012 is the year of the pearl pike.

Answer from Tata[guru]
Astrological new year eastern calendar will begin on January 23, 2012, when the right to manage the eastern zoo in the starry firmament will pass to the Black Dragon. In the East, an odd year is considered “female”, and an even year is considered masculine.
The dragon will reign from January 23, 2012 until February 9, 2013 (year of the Black Water Snake)
Chinese calendar - 4710 year. Chinese New Year begins at midnight on the day on which the second new moon after the winter solstice falls, that is, January 23, 2012. The next 4711 Year of the Snake will begin on February 9, 2013 (element - water, color - black).
The scant information that has reached us about the ancient pre-Christian Slavic calendars is fragmentary, very confusing, and largely contradictory. In addition, over the centuries, they have been significantly “amplified” and “corrected” by clergy and various researchers.
Therefore, there is no completely reliable reconstruction of at least one ancient Slavic calendar - most of the information about them is lost forever.
It is known that the Slavs had several calendar forms of chronology,
According to the ancient Slavic calendar, in 2012 the era of Christianity ends (the era of Pisces), which corresponds to the month of Lute in the Slavic monthly calendar, and the era corresponding to the month of Bereznya begins. In 2012, the circle of Svarog closes and a new Svarog Kolo begins.
The beginning of the Light Times, that is, the dawn, will begin in the Sacred Summer 7521 from the Creation of the World in the Star Temple (S.M.Z.H.) or in 2012 from the Nativity of Christ.
Our Slavic ancestors used a special astrological calendar.
According to the beliefs of the ancients, Saturn made a revolution around the Sun in 32 years. Each year in the cycle corresponded to a totem. The Supreme Being in 2012 is Squirrel.
The Slavs' New Year began on March 1st.

Answer from Yergey Li[newbie]
According to the Slavic calendar, abolished by Peter the Great, the year is now 7524. from the creation of the World under the Temple.... this is the date of the signing of the Peace Treaty between the Aryans and Great China. after the Aryan victory over Great China. The army came from Aria. because they were Great Wars. and the magical installation of an “iron” wall (what is called the Great Wall of China) with loopholes towards China. Today it is correct to call China. further these peoples will be called Gog and Magog.

On January 23, China welcomed New Year's Eve lunar calendar . The symbol of the so-called “Chinese New Year” in 2012 was the Black Water Dragon - a mythical creature, strong and kind.

Every Chinese New Year celebration is accompanied by noise, fun, fireworks, and traditional lion and dragon dances. A very beautiful sight. However, see for yourself.

So, 2012 is the year 4710 according to the Chinese calendar. Starts January 23rd, symbols: Dragon, Water, Black. (Photo by David Gray | Reuters):

Chinese New Year celebrations begin on the first day of the new moon and last for 15 days until full moon. (Photo by Mark Ralston | AFP | Getty Images):

Celebration in Chinatown Manila, Philippines, January 23, 2012. (Photo by Mark Ralston | AFP | Getty Images):

Chinese New Year, which after 1911 is literally called “Spring Festival”, has been the main and longest holiday in China since ancient times. Beijing, January 22, 2012. (Photo by Liu Jin | AFP | Getty Images):

Therefore, in China, the New Year is celebrated twice: according to the Gregorian calendar (January 1) and according to the lunar calendar - “Chinese New Year”. (Photo by Carlos Barria | Reuters):

Each New Year is associated with one of the 12 animals and one of the five elements. This time the symbol of 2012 was the Black Water Dragon. According to Chinese beliefs, this strong, mythical creature brings goodness, prosperity and good luck to people.

Pictured: A worker finishes making a dragon in Manila, Philippines, January 20, 2012. (Photo by Pat Roque | AP):

Of course, Chinese New Year is celebrated not only in China, but also in other countries. The Empire State Building in New York is painted yellow and red in honor of the Lunar New Year, January 20, 2012. (Photo by Shannon Stapleton | Reuters):

Every Chinese New Year celebration is accompanied by the launching of fireworks and the burning of various incense. (Photo by Eugene Hoshiko | AP):

According to legend, evil spirits, expelled from different places, look for a new home, settle in it and throughout the coming year bring various misfortunes to the owners. Lighting fireworks on New Year's Day should scare away evil spirits and thereby attract a spirit of peace, tranquility and happiness. Shanghai, January 23, 2012. (Photo by Carlos Barria | Reuters):

Chinese families can spend about $700 on fireworks alone, so the amount of pyrotechnics can make unprepared tourists feel uneasy. The explosions end at about 3 a.m. and begin at 5-6 a.m. Beijing, January 23, 2012. (Photo by David Gray | Reuters):

By the way, instead of a Christmas tree, the Chinese put Orange tree, on which red envelopes with money are hung so that there is prosperity in the house.

Pictured: Chinese New Year 2012 at a temple in Kuala Lumpur, January 23, 2012. (Photo by Bazuki Muhammad | Reuters):

Also, there is a belief that evil spirits are afraid of the color red, so on New Year's Day the color red predominates everywhere. Philippines, January 23, 2012. (Photo by Bullit Marquez | AP):

Young Chinese performers prepare for a performance to celebrate the New Year in Beijing, January 22, 2012. (Photo by Feng Li | Getty Images):

A ritual at a temple in Jakarta in honor of the Lunar New Year, January 23, 2012. Visitors hold various incense and bottles of oil in their hands. (Photo by Supri | Reuters):

Divers perform a dragon dance at the Shanghai Aquarium on January 19, 2012. (Photo by Carlos Barria | Reuters):

A colorful participant in one of the performances, Beijing, January 23, 2012. (Photo by David Gray | Reuters):

LED dragon at a night festival in Hong Kong, January 23, 2012. (AFP Photo | Getty Images):

Another Chinese New Year tradition is releasing lanterns into the sky. North Sumatra, Indonesia, January 22, 2012. (Photo by Binsar Bakkara | Reuters):

Beautiful light installations in the form of dragons in the Chinese province of Shaanxi, January 26, 2012. (Photo by China Daily | Reuters):

Traditional lion and dragon dances are performed during Chinese New Year celebrations. The dance of lions symbolizes protection from troubles and misfortunes, and the dance of dragons was included in festive rituals back in the 12th century and expressed people’s admiration for this mythical animal. Beijing, January 22, 2012. (Photo by Getty Images | Reuters):

New Year celebrations end in China, which falls on the 15th and last day of the Chinese New Year. Pictured: Beijing Temple, January 23, 2012. (Photo by Mark Ralston | AFP | Getty Images):