Chinese New Year
Description:
Chinese New Year is widely celebrated in Thailand
About 15% of the population of Thailand is Chinese. Therefore, the New Year is celebrated here three times - according to the Christian calendar, according to the lunar Chinese and in its own, Thai.
This holiday always begins on the new moon (usually in late January - early February). After the introduction of the Gregorian calendar, this holiday was considered a spring festival to separate it from the Western European New Year. On this holiday, the Chinese wish each other a rich harvest. Noisy feasts are arranged with firecrackers and crackers. Children are given red envelopes of money for good luck. The fun lasts 15 days and culminates on the night of the full moon, when the Lantern Festival is celebrated.
Chinese New Year is a family celebration, it is time to meet with parents and relatives. At this time, it is customary to honor and commemorate the deceased ancestors, who are treated with great respect, because they laid the foundations for the well-being of the family. It is also believed that the souls of the dead visit their descendants at this time to take part in the New Year feast, so the festive banquet is a great event, uniting all generations of the family at one table. At this time, family members give each other gifts, often red and yellow envelopes with money.
On the eve of the New Year, it is customary to explode firecrackers and arrange fireworks to scare away evil demons. There is a lion dance on the street. This is how the Chinese celebrate the old year and welcome the new one. When it is midnight, all doors and windows in the house must be open so that the outgoing year can leave the premises without hindrance.
Dishes served on Chinese New Year are symbolic and have a karmic purpose. Everything on the table means something.
The first day of celebration is dedicated to honoring the gods of Heaven and Earth - patrons of family values. Many abstain from meat at this time, because such behavior is the key to a long and happy life.
On the second day, the Chinese pray to their deceased ancestors as gods. It is also considered the birthday of all dogs, so the latter are generously fed and in every possible way pampered.
The third and fourth day is the time when daughters-in-law and son-in-law pay homage to their husband’s parents.
The fifth day of celebration is called Po Wu. People stay home to receive the God of Welfare. No one goes to guests at this time, because such a visit, according to legend, brings failure to both the host and the guest.
But the period from the sixth to the tenth day, the Chinese, on the contrary, devote visits to relatives and friends. In addition, they visit temples, where they pray for good luck and health.
The seventh day is traditionally considered a universal birthday, and then it is customary to serve noodles, which means longevity, and fish, symbolizing success.
On the eighth day, another dinner is organized, at which the whole family unites, and at midnight everyone prays to the God of Heaven, Tian Gong.
From the tenth to the twelfth day it is customary to invite friends and relatives to visit and, of course, it is tasty to feed them.
The thirteenth day is unloading. After an abundant festive meal, it is useful to sit a little on rice and greens.
And finally, on the fourteenth day, preparations begin for the main and last event in the series of New Year holidays - the Lantern Festival, which is celebrated on the full moon and illuminates cities with hundreds of thousands of red lights.