LUNAR NEW YEAR
ART & DESIGN BY ATHENA WU
BY JESSIE LI & MRUDANI RAMKUMAR
Students of Asian descent at West celebrate Lunar New Year in many different ways.
WHAT IS LUNAR NEW YEAR? Lunar New Year is the most important celebration in Asian cultures. This holiday celebrates the first new moon of the Lunar calendar and is celebrated among family and friends for fifteen days. This year, Lunar New Year begins Jan. 22. There will be no school Jan. 23, marking the first time the ICCSD has mandated a day off for Asian communities celebrating the new year. Read on to learn how to greet others in various languages and to explore how a variety of East and Southeast Asian communities celebrate this holiday. Kaoya Roasted duck with a crisp, red skin, served in carefully sliced strips
Tangyuan Glutinous rice balls with various sweet fillings such as black sesame Jiaozi Dumplings that can have many different fillings, most commonly folded in a crescent shape Mian Noodles with special importance placed on their length
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FEATURE JAN. 20, 2023
Yu Fish usually served whole
Nian Gao Steamed, glutinous rice cakes, usually sweet, sometimes containing chopped dates or walnuts
XINNIÁN KUÀILÈ Chinese New Year is also called Spring Festival, or chunjie. Families hang up new year couplets, a type of Chinese literature often written on red paper. The couplets vary in style and can be poetic or artistic. Red clothes are also worn to signify luck and happiness in the year to come. People gather with family and friends or video call through the social media platform WeChat. “It’s just a time to get together with your family and celebrate the new year,” Thomas Tong ’26 said. Food is an important part of the celebration. Northern Chinese eat jiaozi , or dumplings, which are believed to bring fortune to the household. They are stuffed with Chinese spices and minced vegetables and meats such as pork and cabbage. Those from southern China eat niangao, or sticky rice cakes. After the family reunion dinner on New Year’s Eve, families watch the China Central Television New Year Gala, an entertainment show broadcasted live annually from major cities in China. Performances include comedy, folk dancing and singing, martial arts and magic shows. These acts feature many diverse performers, representing several distinct ethnic groups of China. During this celebration, it’s also important to set off firecrackers to ward off evil spirits. Additionally, younger generations receive hongbao — red envelopes with money inside — from older family members and family friends, as tokens of good luck.