Lunar New Year
is the beginning of a calendar year whose months are moon cycles, based on the lunar calendar. The Lunar New Year as a celebration is observed by numerous cultures including Vietnam, Thailand, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, China, Philippines and Korea.
It is said the 12 animals were chosen animals by the Jade Emperor who won a special race for guarding the Heavenly Gate.
The order of winner were Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig.
Do you know which year 2023 is?
While it would be widely known that 2023 is the year of the Rabbit
In Vietnam, it is recognized as the year of the Cat.
It is a tradition shared by various Asian culture, to wish luck and prosperity in the year ahead.
In China the custom is to give only brand new money in red envelope and never in the multiple of fours.
If you wonder why, read a comprehensive story about the red envelope here
Lunar New Year is also a moment to remember those who has passed before us. Praying for the ancestors are an important part of the Lunar New Year tradition.
Lunar New Year is the time for family gathering and wishes for a good health and prosperity. On the new year day, the younger family member visit their parents and elder to greet them and have a great time together.
Feeling playful? Why not try to play puzzle
on your own or with your friends and family!
Disclaimer : The specific of traditions of Lunar New Year may differ from country to country in Asia.
According to myths, the twelve animals of the Chinese zodiac were selected through a race. This race is meant to create a time measurement for the people.
There could only be twelve winners and in order to win, the animals had to cross a rapid current river and reach the finish line on the shore.
Originally, there was a cat and a rat, who hated each other with a passion. It is hard to believe that they were once friends. These two were the worst swimmers in the animal kingdom, but they were both smart.
They discovered that the fastest way to the river is to hop on top of the ox. The generous ox agreed to carry them across the river.
However, the rat was so eager to win that he pushed the cat into the water; thus the cat never forgave the rat, and wasn't included in the race.
Other variations of the story say that it is the other way around.
All of a sudden, a loud thumping sound came: it was the rabbit.
It jumped from one stone to another and was doing well until it slipped. Fortunately, there was a log floating by and it grabbed onto that log and floated to the finish line, earning the fourth place in the race.
In fifth place was the dragon, but everyone thought that it would come in first because it could fly.
It told the Jade Emperor that it had to stop a couple of times to help some villagers. And on its way to the finish line, it saw a little rabbit on a log and decided to give a little puff of air to help it get to shore.
After the dragon, the horse came galloping towards the finish line.
The sneaky snake was hidden behind the horse’s foot. It suddenly appeared and startled the horse. The snake took advantage of this and landed itself in sixth place, and the horse landed in seventh.
Soon after, the monkey, the rooster, and the sheep landed onto shore.
Unlike some of the previous animals, these three actually helped each other to get to the finish line.
The rooster found a raft, and the monkey and sheep hopped on.
Working hard together through the water currents and the weeds, they reached shore: the sheep came in eighth place, the monkey in ninth place, and the rooster in tenth place.
Right when the emperor was about to close the race, an “oink” sound was heard: it was the pig. The expression “lazy little pig” was said to have originated from this story.
The pig felt hungry in the middle of the race, so it stopped, ate something, and then fell asleep. After it awoke, it finished the race in twelfth place and became the last animal to arrive.
Hence, the order of the lunar calendar follows the outcome of this race, where the rat is the first animal to start the sequence, and the pig is the last. After the pig, the sequence starts over again. The lunar calendar has been a significant calendar for Asia and the animal zodiac. Many parts of the world are also familiar with this calendar.
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