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大年初一，串门走亲戚
On the first day, the oldest and most senior members will be visited, the visits serve to strengthen family kinship. This practice is called bai nian, or wishing somebody a Happy New Year.
The visitor will bring a small gift to the household which will be visited-usually two mandarin oranges, as the fruit symbolises gold, hence wealth and good fortune. Giving oranges in pairs because of the preference of number two in Chinese culture as there is an idiom saying hao shi cheng shuang or good things come in pairs.
大年初二，媳妇回娘家
On this day, married daughters usually go back to their own family to visit their parents, relatives and close friends. Traditionally, married daughters didn't have the opportunity to visit their birth families frequently.
In old days, since married daughters are considered as outsider and no longer belonging to their parents family（在旧时代，人们认为"嫁出去的女儿，泼出去的水"）, they are not required to come back for reunion dinner on the New Year Eve or come back on the first day of the New Year.
大年初三，老鼠嫁女儿
Today is the 3rd day of the 1st month in Lunar Calendar. After being busy visiting and receiving guests for two days, Chinese people can rest for a while.
Actually, it is considered an unlucky day to have guests or go visiting. People will go to rest earlier at night and get up late in the morning.
The folklore is the 3rd day is for rat marriage day (老鼠娶亲). So people will restrict night activities in order to give rats time for their wedding.
大年初四，迎接灶王爷
Today is the 4th day of the 1st month in Lunar Calendar. According to folklore, it is a god-send-off day on the 23rd of the 12th lunar month, and it is also a god welcoming day on the 4th day of the Chinese New Year.
The Kitchen God (灶王爷) is said to report to his work to the Jade Emperor (玉皇大帝) commenting on human good and evil, until the 4th day of New Year to return back to the earth.
Chinese folk saying goes: “Send-off early, welcome late" (送神早，接神迟) so that the Kitchen God needs to be sent off in the morning, while to welcome at about four o'clock in the afternoon.
大年初五，开市接财神
Today is the 5th day of the 1st month in Lunar Calendar. This day is commonly known as the Festival of Po Wu (破五).
According to the traditional customs, it is believed that many New Year taboos (新年禁忌) can be broken on this day. From this day on, shops will generally return to normal.
There are several stories about the origin of the Festival of Po Wu, among which the most popular one is that this day is the birthday of the God of Fortune (财神). So, people will celebrate this day with a large banquet.
大年初六，千家送穷鬼
Today is the 6th day of the 1st month in Lunar Calendar. According to traditional customs, families usually send away the Ghost of Poverty (穷鬼) on this day.
By doing this, Chinese people wish to send away poverty and welcome the beautiful days and good luck in the new year.
大年初七，人日捞鱼生
Today is the 7th day of the 1st month in Lunar Calendar. Today is commonly referred to as the day of human (人日) and it is considered as birthday for everyone.
In most part of China, people will have noodles on this day, because noodles symbolise longevity in Chinese culture.
Yusheng literally means 'raw fish' but since 'fish(鱼)' is commonly conflated with its homophone "abundance(余)",yusheng (鱼生) is interpreted as a homophone for yusheng (余升) meaning an increase in abundance. Therefore, yusheng is considered as a symbol of abundance and prosperity.
大年初八，谷日惜粮食
Today is the 8th day of the 1st month in Lunar Calendar. It is believed to be the birthday of millet, an important crop in ancient China, a typical agricultural society.
People take the 7th day as the birthday of human while 8th day of birthday of the main food for human.
It is called Millet Day (谷子节or 谷日). According to the folk proverbs, if this day is bright and clear, then this whole year will be a harvest year; however, if this day is cloudy or even rainy, then the whole year will suffer from poor harvest.
大年初九，拜天公寿诞
Today is the 9th day of 1st month in Lunar Calendar. It is believed to be the birthday of the Jade Emperor (玉皇大帝) who is the Supreme Deity of Taoism.
It is one of the most important celebrations in Chinese culture, the Jade Emperor's birthday is touted as grander than the first day of the Chinese New Year as it is like a thanks-giving celebration.
Beginning from the midnight of the 8th day of the Chinese New Year to 4 o'clock before the dawn of the ninth day, people will keep setting off firecrackers. On this day, people usually offer sacrifices to the Jade Emperor.
大年初十，祭石头生辰
Today is the 10th day of the 1st month in Lunar Calendar. It is believed to be the birthday of the God of Stone (石神). On the very next day of the birthday of the Jade Emperor, people will celebrate the birthday of the God of Stone.
On this day, it is forbidden to move any stone, including stone roller, stone mill and even Chinese herb/drug grinder which was made by stone, so this day is also known as 'Shi Bu Dong' (石不动, meaning not move any stone, and 十不动, literally meaning ten not moving).
In addition, it is also forbidden to cut into a mountain for rock and build a house with rocks, or bad things will happen to the crops.
正月十一，岳父请女婿
Today is the 11th day of the 1st month on Lunar Calendar. This day is for fathers-in-law (wife's father) to entertain sons-in-law (wife's husband).
There is a lot of food left on the 9th day of the Chinese New Year when celebrating the birthday of the Jade Emperor, so the left over of that day can be used to entertain the sons-in law.
正月十二，选灯塔灯棚
Today is the 12th day of the 1st month in Lunar Calendar. This day does not have much significance.
From the Chinese New Year's Eve to the 11th day, the food that people eat is mostly rich and oily. So, from this day on, people start to take a light diet and moisturize dry heat by clearing the bowels.
More importantly, as it will be Lantern Festival three days later, so, preparing work should start on this day. Families will buy some lanterns and build the lantern shack.
正月十三，点灯买灯笼
Today is the 13th day of the 1st month in Lunar Calendar. In the southern part of China, this day is the day to appreciate lanterns. On this day, Chinese people in an endless stream will go to Town God's Temple (城隍庙) to appreciate lanterns.
A folk saying goes like: 13rd and 14th are for gods to enjoy lanterns, 15th and 16th are for ordinary people, whereas 17th and 18th are for the ghosts. (十三十四神看灯，十五十六人看灯，十七十八鬼看灯)
正月十四，春夜猜灯谜
Today is the 14th day of the 1st month in Lunar Calendar. On this day, the lantern fair is officially open for citizens to buy lanterns. Performances like dragon dancing and lion dancing for Lantern Festival begin to practice in the streets.
The Lantern Riddles (灯谜) is a very traditional word puzzle games in China. Adults and children all love solving the problem.
正月十五，上元食汤圆
Today is the 15th day of the 1st month in Lunar Calendar. Today is commonly celebrated by all Chinese people as Yuan XiaoJie (元宵节) or more well known as Lantern Festival in English. This festival is also called Shang Yuan Jie (上元节).
Yuan xiao is also known as Tang Yuan(汤圆). According to the legend, during the period of Yuan Shikai's (袁世凯) rule from AD 1912 to 1916, he disliked the name Yuan Xiao (元宵) because it sounded identical to "remove Yuan" (袁消), and so he gave orders to change the name to Tang Yuan.
This day officially marks the end of Chinese New Year celebration. |
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