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Chinese dumplings, or jiaozi, have been around for more than 1,800 years.They're widely eaten during Chinese New Year as a symbol of wealth and treasure, as they are meant to look like silver. Overweight and under-groomed but waiting to sample the year’s new Harleys. On the other hand, when Barbara Sher says that “The amount of good luck coming your way depends on your willingness to act,” and blogger Nesta Jojoe Erskine adds that “You don’t get lucky while sitting in (sic) the sofa with arms crossed doing nothing.
Lunar New Year 2021 is literally just around the corner.
You may be excited for the (albeit, muted) festivities coming up, but are you ready to dive deep into the customs that will ensure a successful celebration, and in turn, a successful year?
The following 'tips' may only be applicable to those of you who observe these intricate, often superstitious rules. But even if you don't believe in the many unwritten rules that come with the Lunar New Year festivities, you can still probably relate to them.
Here are 8 unwritten rules you should follow for Lunar New Year 2021.
Disclaimer: This list is in no way, shape, or form extensive. There will be some rules that have been left out.
1. Spring cleaning should only be done BEFORE the Lunar New Year.
No one likes a messy house. But make sure to clean it before Lunar New Year, okay? GIF: Tenor / Steam Community
It's believed that sweeping all the dirt and trash from your house during the Lunar New Year equates to getting rid of all your good fortune.
Sure, you'll probably want your house to be neat and tidy for incoming guests (if it's allowed in your country with current COVID-19 rules), but it's best to carry out your spring cleaning before the first day of the Lunar New Year.
This way, you can still start off on a fresh new slate, without losing any ong (good fortune) during the Lunar New Year.
2. Avoid telling scary stories and even uttering the word 'death'.
If you're in Southeast Asia, there are tons of mythical creatures to be weary of. But save the stories for another time. IMAGE: Yuris Alhumaydy / Unsplash
This means that scary campfire-style stories or the telling of urban legends should be saved for another time, especially if they involve (you guessed it) death and/or ghosts.
These types of stories are considered inauspicious any time of the year, but even more so during Lunar New Year. Those who observe this rule believe that even saying the word 'death' could very well bring it into their own lives during the year.
Yikes. Big no.
3. Any bright color will bring you luck. But red is your best friend.
Plus, the color red looks great. GIF: GIPHY
Whether you have a full traditional outfit in mind, or just a casual shirt-and-pant combo, as long as you highlight the color red, you're good to go. Other bright colors will benefit you as well, but not nearly as much as red.
And in case you're wondering, it's a legit tradition to wear red underwear as well, for that maximum ong. Because luck isn't just what other people see on you.
However, avoid the colors black and white at all costs. These colors are often associated with death and funerals, and you don't want to be bringing those vibes to any Lunar New Year celebration.
If you have guests coming over, and they're not exactly familiar with these customs, you can always 'advise' them to wear red to join in on the festive spirit.
4. Don't cry on the first day of Lunar New Year, unless you want to be crying throughout the entire year.
Patience is a virtue. IMAGE: Yang Miao / Unsplash
I mean, no one wants to start off any festive occasion with some weeping, right? It's said that crying during the Lunar New Year is a foreboding sign, bringing with it an entire year's worth of tear shedding.
Parents with little hyper kids, this is a time when your patience will be tested. Sorry to say, but you'll have to let your kids be kids during the Lunar New Year. Even if they mess up, avoid making them cry at all costs. A weeping child is said to bring misfortune to the entire family.
Happy kid, happy family, happy life.
5. Cussing is bad any time of the year, but it brings the most bad luck during the Lunar New Year.
How do people in your country flip the bird? GIF: WiffleGif
My seventh grade English teacher once said, 'Swearing is for people with a limited vocabulary.'
Whether that's true or not, it's something to keep in mind for the Lunar New Year. Even badmouthing a person, or wishing bad things upon others is considered a major bringer of bad luck during this time.
If you're Chinese, saying the word 'sì', which denotes the number four, is also bad luck. That's because it sounds similar to the word 'death'.
Instead, you can spend the Lunar New Year dishing out as many kind words and compliments as you wish. Spreading good vibes will attract good vibes.
6. Clear your debts before the Lunar New Year.
No one likes being in debt. But you can be absolutely certain no one likes being in debt during the Lunar New Year. IMAGE: AFP / Market Watch
As with most Lunar New Year superstitions, everybody follows them in order to bring in a successful, prosperous year ahead. Entering the New Year with debt will also result in ending the year with debt, or some form of financial struggle.
It's also highly discouraged to lend or borrow money at this time of the year. So if you're out having a good time with friends and family, make sure you can pay for what you eat and/or drink.
7. When giving ang pow (red money packets) to someone, always make sure to give them an even sum of cash. This applies to digitalang pows as well.
Has COVID-19 affected the amount of money you'll be giving out this year? IMAGE: GIPHY
Odd numbers, in any form, are often associated with funerals. Even numbers are a safe bet when giving out your ang pow to their happy recipients. But you can level this up by going for extra special figures, like the number '8', which is said to represent an abundance of wealth.
Fitting, considering the fact you're giving out free money!
Extra points if the money in these ang pow is made up of fresh, crisp bills. It symbolizes renewed hope and a fresh new start to the year. Whenever possible, try to avoid folding or crumpling up these bills when you put them in their red packets.
8. Do not buy a new pair of shoes for yourself or someone else.
KangaROOS released these limited edition Lunar New Year sneakers back in 2020. IMAGE: Hanon
This rule has its roots in Chinese culture, particularly among those who speak Cantonese. The word for 'shoes' in Cantonese sounds a lot like the word for 'sigh'.
Sighing at the beginning of the Lunar New Year symbolizes stress and exhaustion, which could bring more of it later on throughout the year.
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So if you're planning on having a relaxing year, new shoes are a no-go. However, if you do feel an itch for variation, especially with your Lunar New Year outfits, it won't hurt to bring an extra pair of shoes (ones you already own) along.
Sneakerheads, take note.
While you don't necessarily have to follow all these rules, they do serve as a great guideline to navigating the Lunar New Year festivities with relative ease.
Of course, if you're not the type to even believe in all these rules, you can still share this story with all the uncles, aunties, cousins, nephews, and nieces that do!
Mashable Southeast Asia wishes you a safe and happy Lunar New Year.
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Cover image sourced from Reuters / Financial Times.
During Chinese Lunar New Year, everyone wants to do some lucky things to obtain good fortune for the new year. Having some lucky Chinese New Year foods is an easy way for you, no matter for some Chinese dishes, snacks or fruits.
Speaking of Chinese New Year lucky fruits, you can either share with your families, or give your friends as Chinese New Year gifts. Here we have to mention the 7 lucky fruits for Chinese New Year, pick what you like and celebrate Chinese New Year in your own way.
1.Oranges, Kumquats and Tangerines —— Good Luck and Happiness
In China, oranges, kumquats and tangerines are always on the shopping list for Chinese New Year. Chinese people love golden color so much, they believe that these fruits will bring them happiness, prosperity and good luck in making money.
And for the round shape, it’s an auspicious symbol of togetherness and harmony. Some Chinese people will buy a pot of kumquat tree and place it at home, by this way, good fortune will come around the house.
Kumquats
2.Pomelos (柚子 Yòuzǐ) —— Family Reunion
No matter for the shape, color or meaning, pomelos will be one of the most important type of lucky fruits for Chinese New Year. As the ripening season of pomelos is around Mid-Autumn Festival in China, Chinese people think that pomelos symbolize family reunion.
In Chinese, the word “柚” sounds the same to the word “佑”， which is “protect” in English. Thus, Chinese people eat pomelos during Chinese Lunar New Year and hope everything will go well in the new year.
Pomelos
3.Apples (苹果 Píngguǒ) —— Safeness
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In Chinese, “苹” and “平” are homophones, “平” means safe and peace. Chinese people believe that one can live a peaceful and harmonious life by eating apples. They also like to buy a box of apples as Chinese New Year gift for their relatives and friends, for the best wishes of good luck and wealth for the next year.
Apples are Popular in Every Family
Actually, young people in China also give each other red apples on Christmas Eve, due to the same pronunciation of “ping”.
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4.Grapes (葡萄 Pútáo) —— Abundance
As grapes usually come in bunches, it’s a good symbol of abundance and harvest. It means good luck will always accompany you. Besides, no matter purple or green ones you choose, the meanings are great, purple for respect and elegance while green for vitality and prosperity.
5.Pineapples (菠萝 Bōluó) —— Wealth
Pineapples stand for wealth and good luck. Some Chinese people also use pineapples for cooking. When it’s Chinese Lunar New Year, it’s a good idea to buy two pineapples and place at home, especially in areas around Fujian Province. In Hokkien(Fujian Dialect), the word “pineapple” is “ong lai”, it means good fortune will come.
6.Pomegranates (石榴 Shíliú) —— Longevity and Prosperity
Just like what we mentioned about grapes, pomegranates represent fertility, longevity and prosperity. When you open one pomegranate, you’ll see the jeweled kernels inside its vermillion skin, it’s an auspicious fruit for Chinese Lunar New Year.
As there are lots of kernels inside a pomegranate, it has good blessings of having more sons and grandsons. In addition, it is also a symbol of good fortune, for the bright color.
Pomegranates
7.Sugarcanes (甘蔗 Gānzhè) —— Success
Sugarcanes are popular Chinese New Year lucky fruits in southern regions in China. With the similar appearance like bamboo, sugarcane has stout and jointed stalks, which symbolize promotion in one’s career, and improvement of life.
Here we have to mention the Chinese idiom ——“Jiejie gaosheng”， which shows a rising trend in a positive way. It’s good wishes for students to make progress for study, for employees to have improvement for work, for all the people to live a better life.
Sugarcanes
Cultural Tour during Chinese New Year
You can either buy some lucky fruits for Chinese New Year for the best blessings of the new year, or you can give your friends as Chinese New Year gifts. Wish you good luck in the new year. If you’re interested in traditional Chinese culture, don’t hesitate to plan a trip to China. See our sample tours below:
Celebrate Lunar New Year in China
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- 9 Days Chinese New Year Tour: Beijing, Xian, Shanghai
- 11 Days North China Ancient Town Exploration Tour：Beijing, Datong, Pingyao, Xian, Shanghai
- Customized Tour for Chinese New Year: just tell us all your requirements for accommodation and food, we will work out an ideal travel plan for you