張菊

Chinese New Year （CNY） is China’s most important traditional festival， with many interesting customs. You must be very curious about why the Chinese do what they do...

1. Why don’t the Chinese just celebrate New Year on January 1？

Chinese New Year is never on January 1. Chinese have a different traditional date for New Year.

Though China has a day off on January 1， and some fireworks are let off then， most attention is focused on the traditional date of New Year， according to China’s lunar calendar1. Chinese New Year falls in the period from January 21 to February 20.

The Chinese get no time off for Christmas （except those in HK， Macau， and Taiwan）. Instead of earlier in winter， the Chinese have their much-needed winter break in mid to late winter.

The holiday time was chosen for farmers. It’s a good time for them to get together， relax， and pray for the next year of farming， as it’s the slack time before spring ploughing etc. begins.

2. Why does the date for Chinese New Year change every year？

Firstly， China’s lunar calendar is according to the moon. New Year always starts with a new moon for the Chinese. Secondly， it is according to the sun. Chinese New Year is always 1 to 2 months after China’s shortest day of the year （the winter solstice， December 21 or 22）.

（Like Easter’s varying date， on the Sunday after the full moon after the March equinox， CNY is on the second new moon before the March equinox， or the second new moon after the December solstice.）

So the Chinese lunar date is always 21–51 days behind the corresponding Gregorian （international） calendar date… except when they add a month.

3. Why do the Chinese call Chinese New Year ‘Spring Festival’？

Chinese New Year always falls within half a month of ‘Start of Spring’ （beginning February 4）， the first of the 24 solar terms2 of China’s traditional solar calendar. As ‘Start of Spring’ begins the ‘farming calendar’ it is logical that New Year should be celebrated then， with a ‘spring’ festival.

‘Start of Spring’ is an oddly named solar term， because spring is still a month or more away in China’s cold north， and wintry weather still lingers in temperate south China. However， Chinese still celebrate （the coming） spring with the Spring Festival.

To distinguish between ‘international’ New Year （January 1） and Chinese New Year， instead of using ‘New Year’， Chinese call January 1 ‘first dawn’ （元旦） and Chinese New Year ‘Spring Festival’ （春節(jié)）.

4. Why is each Chinese New Year associated with a different animal？

Since ancient times， Chinese people have been using the Chinese Zodiac animals to represent the years. Each lunar year is related to a zodiac animal， beginning at Chinese New Year. The 12 zodiac animals recur on a 12-year cycle.

For example， 2019 is a year of the Pig， as was 2007...

5. Why are there not enough trains at Chinese New Year？

Chinese New Year is the most important time for family reunions. No matter how far Chinese are from their homes， they do whatever they can to get back for a family reunion dinner on New Year’s Eve， which results in the world’s biggest annual migration of people （over 200 million in China）.Even with the rail network at capacity3， train tickets are the first to sell out.

6. Why do the Chinese eat dumplings on New Year’s Eve？

Dumplings are a traditional Chinese New Year food， especially in North China. As they are the shape of old silver and gold ingots （an old form of currency）， Chinese believe that eating dumplings will bring prosperity in the coming year.

7. Why do the Chinese set off so many firecrackers？

For the right vibe4： Chinese New Year is a happy and lively festival， so for Chinese people lots of noise is a must to heighten the festival atmosphere， and firecrackers （and fireworks） are the cultural way to do it.

In ancient times， it was believed that the explosive sound of firecrackers scared away evil spirits， who might otherwise bring bad luck.

In modern China， people set off firecrackers and fireworks during festivals to express their happiness， and invite good luck （all firecrackers are the lucky color red）.

8. Why do the Chinese hand out red envelopes at Chinese New Year？

For luck： In Chinese culture， red is a lucky color， so giving money in a red envelope is a way of giving best wishes， as well as a financial present. It’s like sending a greetings card with money inside in the West. Red envelope money is called ‘lucky money’， though it’s really the red envelope that’s lucky.

Demon suppression： Traditionally red envelope money is called ‘suppressing years money’ （壓歲錢yāsuìqián /yaa-sway-chyen）. According to many New Year legends， evil spirits are scared of red， so red envelopes were originally used to suppress or ward off5 demons while giving money.

Chinese New Year， like Christmas in the West， is ‘the season of good will’ in China， so most people receive a red envelope from someone， whether employer or family. There are lots of customs about who gives who how much in a red envelope.

9. Why do Chinese wear new red or colorful clothes at CNY？

It is believed that wearing new clothes from head to toe symbolizes a new start and fresh hopes for the New Year. Chinese believe that New Year’s Day sets the tone for the rest of the year， so everyone tries to dress well.

As mentioned repeatedly here， red is China’s good luck color， believed to scare away spirits of bad fortune.

Chinese usually wear red or other brightly-colored clothes on New Year’s Day， to go with the festive and upbeat6 mood. Black or white， symbolic of mourning and death would not be appropriate.

10. Why do Chinese do dragon and lion dances at Chinese New Year？

Dragon dances and lion dances are traditional performances for joyous festivals and big occasions to enhance festive atmosphere.

It is traditionally believed that performing dragon or lion dances （during the Spring Festival） is a way to pray for good luck and drive away evil spirits.

中國新年（CNY）是中國最重要的傳統(tǒng)節(jié)日，有許多有趣的習俗。你一定很好奇為什么中國人會那樣慶祝……

1. 為什么中國人不在公歷1月1日慶祝新年？

中國新年從不在1月1日，中國人的新年有不同的傳統(tǒng)日期。

雖然1月1日中國會放一天假，那天也會放些煙花，但最受關(guān)注的還是根據(jù)中國農(nóng)歷所定的傳統(tǒng)農(nóng)歷年。中國新年恰逢1月21日至2月20日期間的某一天。

中國人圣誕節(jié)不放假（除香港、澳門和臺灣地區(qū)）。中國人急需的冬歇在隆冬至晚冬，而非初冬。

這個假日時間是為農(nóng)民選的。對他們來說，那時正好聚在一起放松放松，并為來年農(nóng)事祈禱;那時也是春耕等農(nóng)活開始前的閑暇時間。

2. 為什么中國新年的日期每年都變？

首先，中國農(nóng)歷是根據(jù)月亮的運行制定的。新年對中國人而言總是始于新月。其次，也是根據(jù)太陽的運行。中國新年總是在一年中最短那一天（冬至，12月21日或22日）之后的1至2個月。

（正如復(fù)活節(jié)是在3月春分之后滿月后的那個周日一樣，具體日期不定;中國新年是在3月春分前的第二個新月，或12月冬至后的第二個新月。）

因此，中國農(nóng)歷日期總是比相應(yīng)的國際通用的公歷日期晚21至51天，那一年有閏月的除外。

3. 為什么中國人稱中國新年為“春節(jié)”？

中國新年總是在“立春”（始于2月4日）后的半個月內(nèi)?！傲⒋骸笔侵袊鴤鹘y(tǒng)二十四節(jié)氣的第一個。因為“立春”是“農(nóng)歷”之始，所以在那時用“春”節(jié)慶祝新年是有道理的。

節(jié)氣“立春”的命名有點兒奇怪，因為在中國寒冷的北方，春天還有一個多月之久;在氣候溫和的中國南方，天氣也依舊寒冷。但中國人仍然用春節(jié)來慶祝（即將到來的）春天。

為了區(qū)分“國際”新年（1月1日）和中國新年，中國人不用“新年稱呼1月1日，而稱其為“元旦”，中國新年為“春節(jié)”。

4. 為什么每一個中國新年都會和一個不同的動物聯(lián)系在一起？

遠古以來，中國人就一直用中國十二生肖的動物來代表年份。從中國新年開始，每一個農(nóng)歷年都和一個生肖聯(lián)系在一起。十二生肖12年一個輪回。

比如，2019年是豬年，與2007年一樣……

5. 為什么中國新年的時候，火車總是一票難求？

中國新年是最重要的家人團聚時間。無論離家多遠，人們都會盡其所能在除夕夜趕回去吃團圓飯，因此就有了世界上最大規(guī)模的年度人口遷移（在中國超過2億）。即便鐵路系統(tǒng)滿負荷運轉(zhuǎn)，火車票也是最先售罄的。

6. 為什么中國人在新年除夕夜吃餃子？

餃子是中國新年的傳統(tǒng)食物，尤其在華北。因為餃子外形看起來像以前的金銀元寶（舊時貨幣），中國人便認為吃餃子能為來年帶來財運。

7. 為什么中國人放那么多鞭炮？

為了營造氛圍：中國新年是歡樂、熱鬧的節(jié)日。對中國人而言，噼噼啪啪的響聲是增強節(jié)日氣氛的必要條件，鞭炮（和煙花）就是達到這一效果的文化方式。

遠古時代，人們相信鞭炮的爆炸聲能嚇跑可能帶來厄運的惡鬼。

現(xiàn)代中國，人們在節(jié)日期間放鞭炮和煙花表達喜悅，同時希望帶來好運（所有的鞭炮都是幸運的紅色）。

8. 為什么中國人新年發(fā)紅包？

為了好運：中國文化里，紅色是幸運色，因此，把錢放在紅色信封里送出去就是在送最好的祝福，也是一份禮金。這就像西方人把錢放在賀卡里一樣。紅包里的錢被稱為“好運錢”，可實際上代表幸運的是紅信封。

鎮(zhèn)鬼：紅包傳統(tǒng)上被稱作“壓歲錢”。據(jù)很多新年傳說，惡鬼害怕紅色，因此，用紅色信封最初是為在給錢時鎮(zhèn)住或抵擋惡鬼。

中國新年就像西方的圣誕節(jié)，是“美好祝福的節(jié)日”，大多數(shù)人會收到別人給的紅包，也許是雇主的，也許是家人的。關(guān)于誰給誰的紅包里該放多少錢，有很多習俗。

9. 為什么中國人在中國新年穿紅色或色彩艷麗的衣服？

人們認為，從頭到腳穿戴一新象征著新年新的開始、新的希望。中國人認為，新年那天是為一年的其余日子奠定基調(diào)，因此，每個人都盡力好好打扮。

正如本文反復(fù)提到的，紅色是中國的幸運色，人們相信它能嚇跑帶來厄運的惡鬼。

中國人通常會在新年那天穿紅色或者鮮艷的衣服，來搭配喜慶歡快的氛圍。象征哀悼和死亡的黑色或白色不合時宜。

10. 為什么中國人在中國新年舞龍舞獅？

舞龍舞獅是歡樂節(jié)日或者大型慶典的傳統(tǒng)表演節(jié)目，用以增強節(jié)日氣氛。

傳統(tǒng)認為，（春節(jié)期間）舞龍舞獅是祈禱好運、趕走惡鬼的方式。

（譯者單位：中華女子學(xué)院）

【本文的翻譯工作得到國家留學(xué)基金資助，項目編號201700830007】