New Year in the Chinese calendar.

New Year in the Chinese calendar is the most important social and economic event of the year for all ethnic Chinese and people living in other countries of southeast Asia. It usually falls on the second new moon after the winter solstice, from January 21 to February 21. Begins in the middle of the twelfth month, when the sun enters the constellation of Aquarius, and ends in the middle of the first month with the full moon. In rare cases (an additional thirteenth month in the previous year), the start date of the new year moves to the third new moon after the winter solstice.

The ancient Chinese calendar (a variant of the solar-lunar calendar), on which the Chinese New Year is based, was used as a guide for the maintenance of dynastic power, applied in religious and social life. Tantalizing bones with astronomical calculations indicate that it existed, at least, already in the fourteenth century BC during the time of the state of Shan (Yin). It represents a complex system in which dates are calculated in accordance with the lunar phases, solstices, equinoxes. Months are set according to the cycles of the Moon, years - according to the solar year. For months to match the seasons, there is an additional month. The concept of yin and yang is an important principle forming a harmonious world, it is integrated with the zodiac system. Each new year in the Chinese calendar is marked by features of one of the twelve zodiac animals.

An important aspect is the sixty-year "Jovian" cycle, based on A combination of ten "celestial trunks" (decimal cycle) and twelve "earth branches" (duodecimal cycle). Designated by 60 terms on the Shan dynasty bones, it was used to record days. Since the third century BC, it has been used to record the years, becoming an important part of the calendar systems not only in China, but also in other Asian countries - in particular, Japan, Korea and Vietnam. The combinations of "celestial trunks" and "earthly branches" form the names for each year according to the eastern calendar. Although the traditional method of numbering days and years is no longer significant in modern time accounting, it plays a very important role for astrology and fortune telling.

With the adoption of the Gregorian calendar in 1912 in China joined the celebration of the New Year on January 1, and the traditional new year began to be called the Spring Festival. The main celebrations take place on the eve of the holiday, when families gather together for a plentiful supper; On the first day of the new year, when people visit local churches to pray for prosperity and luck, relatives and friends go to visit each other with congratulations and gifts; On the fifteenth day (last), when the lantern festival is held.

The new year on the Chinese calendar is undoubtedly the most grandiose holiday and the largest of the three "golden weeks" (another state holiday Golden Week begins before and after the first October, and the third, covering May 1, was canceled since 2007). "Golden Week" means that people have three days of paid holidays, and the weekend is rebuilt in such a way that employees in all Chinese companies rest for seven consecutive days.

A festive dinner on New Year's Eve, which is called a "reunion dinner", necessarily includes a chicken (or duck) and fish. The menu is based on the word game. For example, the words fish and excess in Chinese sound like "yu" (only written in different hieroglyphs), the phrase "nanny nanny yuyy" (year after year there is a fish) is a homophone phrase "meyanyan yuli jun" (to make profit annually). Also, other products are selected. The belief is that, since the product names are in tune with favorable words, the presence of one will lead to another. It is also important to maintain integrity during cooking, so duck, chicken, and fish are cooked whole.

New Year on the Eastern calendar is a colorful, symbolic, very joyful time. At midnight, the bells begin ringing in the temples. After twelve hours fireworks are launched, which symbolically drive away evil spirits. It is believed that the one who will launch the fireworks first will be lucky throughout the year.

Dragons of papier-mâché, covered with red and gold silks, sometimes a hundred meters in length - an indispensable attribute of the holiday. One dragon can carry up to thirty people, and their appearance is accompanied by drumming drums, plates and gongs. Red color is a symbolic color of happiness and dominant during the holiday.

Many customs and traditions of the Spring Festival have a long history. A deep and detailed analysis shows that the cultural practices associated with this holiday had social functions, even if they are not immediately apparent. Thus, the new year in the Chinese calendar is one of the forms of the transfer of cultural heritage from generation to generation, illuminating the values and aspirations of the Chinese people.