It is hard to find a more hardworking people on Earth than the Chinese. In their country there is only one day off a week, a ten-hour working day, and a very short vacation. That is why all Chinese people adore holidays and celebrate them truly joyfully. It doesn't matter what the celebration is – a day of ancestor remembrance or Municipal Police Day. But especially colorfully and brightly, China celebrates the traditional Lunar New Year. This year, on the night of February 8 to 9, the cheerful Blue Rooster will replace the departing Blue Monkey at its “battle post.”
The symbol of the Chinese New Year is the narcissus flower: winter is leaving, and somewhere in the distance one can already feel the breath of spring. Long ago, on the eve of spring, a terrible creature named Nyama attacked peasant villages. To protect themselves from the beast, people gathered together the night before, lit fire, and threw bamboo branches into it. As it heated, the bamboo crackled loudly, frightening the monster away. After that, people stayed together through the night, and after dawn they joyfully congratulated each other on their deliverance, prepared tasty and abundant food, and together celebrated the victory.
Today, all that remains of the celebration of the victory over the monster is the custom of setting off loud fireworks. Nevertheless, New Year celebrations in China are sheer ruin. First, you must give gifts to everything and everyone, otherwise you will “lose face,” that is, cease to be a person worthy of respect. New Year presents are to be given to relatives and friends, neighbors and co-workers, as well as all partners in past, present, and future business.
Moreover, the gift must be paired: two vases, two boxes of chocolates, two shirts... Secondly, the New Year must be celebrated within the family circle. This means that China's multi-million population begins a hasty journey to their ancestral home on the eve of the holiday. Thirdly, it is necessary to pay off debts, and fourthly, to buy new clothes... In short, the pleasant chores of the Chinese are capable of outpacing all the New Year bustle in other countries!
Chinese housewives decorate the festively tidied home with New Year pictures, where on a red background (evil spirits are afraid of red!) gold hieroglyphs wish all who enter wealth, joy, and prosperity. Flowering live plants are mandatory – a symbol of rebirth, the beginning of a new life. And on the front door, they paste one of the most beloved Chinese hieroglyphs meaning happiness, upside down. When guests come, they will necessarily remark: “Oh, happiness has turned over!” which will sound like “Fu fan!” – “Happiness returns!”
The first day of the New Year is the happiest time for children. On this day, they will not be punished for anything – according to omens, if you cry on the first day of the year, you will cry all year. So parents steadfastly endure even the most desperate pranks of their little ones, so as not to provoke tears with punishment. And all parents give their children a little money in red festive envelopes.
But the most important New Year tradition is the solemn farewell to the spirit of the hearth, Zao-wang, to the Supreme Lord of Heaven. The household god goes there with an important mission – to report on the merits and misdeeds of the family entrusted to him over the past year. To make the report favorable, they try to appease the spirit: saucers of boiled rice are placed before his image, rice flour cookies or pieces of sugar are laid out. And if the mistress fears that the spirit will still “tattle” to the Lord of Heaven, she may smear his lips with honey or sticky jam – so he cannot open his mouth! As soon as the incense stick lit before Zao-wang's image burns out, the “household observer” will depart for heaven, and the Chinese family will sit down at the festive table.
“The proverb “How you meet the New Year is how you will live it” was coined by the Chinese themselves. Therefore, the attitude toward the festive table is special,” says Tatyana Ryndya, PR manager of the Kiev Chinese restaurant “Mandarin”. “The main New Year dish is jiaozi dumplings. The dough for them is usually made from rice flour, so it does not stick together well. It takes skill, patience, and knowledge of culinary secrets to carefully pinch the edges of the festive dumplings. And how many different fillings exist for dumplings, probably only Confucius knows!”
The New Year table must include symbolic “lucky” dishes. For example, fish for the Chinese means abundance, tangerines – well-being, chestnuts – profit, shrimp – joy and happiness, oysters – luck, seaweed – prosperity. According to tradition, noodles are also one of the mandatory New Year dishes – their long threads symbolize a long life. For the New Year, they also make mantou – steamed buns stuffed with lamb and pork. And remember – on Chinese New Year's Eve you must not use a knife: you might inadvertently “cut off” the happiness allotted to you. But if you happen to find a coin in some pastry or dumpling, know that in the new year luck will be your faithful companion!
On this New Year's Eve, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People's Republic of China to Ukraine promised to congratulate our guests. You will be able to listen to the playing of a national Chinese musical instrument and admire a demonstration of an exotic collection by a Chinese designer. And our chef An-Fuy will certainly surprise everyone with an original culinary surprise. There will be nice souvenirs for guests, dragon dances, and an original holiday program. And our New Year's evening will conclude with an unforgettable festive fireworks display!”