Year of the monkey
Now that our New Year celebrations are over, it’s time to look forward to our next lot of celebrations. WHAT? Oh, hang on; New Year celebrations aren’t over, Chinese New Year is just around the corner – February 8.
It is not clear when the exact beginning of the New Year celebration in China is, but according to tales and legends, the beginning of the celebration started as far back as 2300BC with a fight against a mythical beast called the ‘Year’.
The ‘Year’ is said to look like an ox with a lion head and inhabits in the sea and on the night of New Year’s Eve, it will come out to harm people, animals, and properties.
Later, people found that the ‘Year’ feared the colour red, fire, and loud sounds. Therefore, at the New Year’s Eve night, people will launch fireworks, light fires, and stay awake the whole night to fend off the ‘Year’.
The New Year’s Eve dinner is the most important dinner for the Chinese. Normally, this is the family reunion dinner, especially for those with family members away from home. In the New Year’s Eve dinner, customarily, fish will be served. Dumplings are the most important dish in Northern China. These two dishes signify prosperity. Other dishes are served depending on personal preference. To follow this tradition in Melbourne, head to New Shanghai at Level Three, Emporium Melbourne for some of the best dumplings you will ever taste. Fortune cookies will be handed out at Emporium Melbourne between 11am to 2pm on 8 February. The inspirational quotes might swipe away that post-holiday blues.
Fireworks are used to drive away the evil in China. Right after 12:00PM on New Year’s Eve, fireworks will be launched to celebrate the coming of the New Year as well as to drive away the evil. It is believed that the person who launched the first firework of the New Year will obtain good luck.
Another tradition is to watch lanterns. Traditionally, the 15th day of the first lunar month marks the first full moon after the Spring Festival? The day is also known as The Lantern Festival day. The lantern symbolises good fortune, people letting go of their past selves and getting new ones. Watching lanterns is an act that celebrates positive relationships especially with the higher beings as they are believed for bringing the light each year. The lanterns are already lit at Emporium Melbourne on the lower ground floor near Urban Kitchen.
One of the biggest Chinese New Year traditions is to head to the temples. People burn incense sticks and pray to Gods of Prosperity for blessings, longevity and health for themselves and their loved ones. Don’t know any temples in Melbourne? Visit Emporium Melbourne between 11:30am to 3pm during 2 February – 4 February and Gods of Prosperity will be roaming around and spreading some New Year charm. A perfect lunchtime activity for the city workers!
Another very important Chinese tradition is to purchase new clothes. The Chinese people believe that purchasing new items symbolizes welcoming new things and getting ready for a new start. Head to Marimekko at Emporium Melbourne for some inspiring prints, but with red being regarded as the most auspicious hue, make sure you get something red.
Make sure you keep with Chinese tradition and celebrate the beginning of the New Year in style.
The coming Chinese New Year is the year of the Monkey – which animal signifies the year of your birth?
| Year | Chinese New Year Date | Animal Sign |
| 1930 | 1930-01-29 | Horse (1930-01-29—1931-02-16) |
| 1931 | 1931-02-17 | Sheep (1931-02-17—1932-02-05) |
| 1932 | 1932-02-06 | Monkey (1932-02-06—1933-01-25) |
| 1933 | 1933-01-26 | Rooster (1933-01-26—1934-02-13) |
| 1934 | 1934-02-14 | Dog (1934-02-14—1935-02-03) |
| 1935 | 1935-02-04 | Pig (1935-02-04—1936-01-23) |
| 1936 | 1936-01-24 | Rat (1936-01-24—1937-02-10) |
| 1937 | 1937-02-11 | Ox (1937-02-11—1938-01-30) |
| 1938 | 1938-01-31 | Tiger (1938-01-31—1939-02-18) |
| 1939 | 1939-02-19 | Rabbit (1939-02-19—1940-02-07) |
| 1940 | 1940-02-08 | Dragon (1940-02-08—1941-01-26) |
| 1941 | 1941-01-27 | Snake (1941-01-27—1942-02-14) |
| 1942 | 1942-02-15 | Horse (1942-02-15—1943-02-03) |
| 1943 | 1943-02-04 | Sheep (1943-02-04—1944-01-24) |
| 1944 | 1944-01-25 | Monkey (1944-01-25—1945-02-12) |
| 1945 | 1945-02-13 | Rooster (1945-02-13—1946-01-31) |
| 1946 | 1946-02-01 | Dog (1946-02-01—1947-01-21) |
| 1947 | 1947-01-22 | Pig (1947-01-22—1948-02-09) |
| 1948 | 1948-02-10 | Rat (1948-02-10—1949-01-28) |
| 1949 | 1949-01-29 | Ox (1949-01-29—1950-02-16) |
| 1950 | 1950-02-17 | Tiger (1950-02-17—1951-02-05) |
| 1951 | 1951-02-06 | Rabbit (1951-02-06—1952-01-26) |
| 1952 | 1952-01-27 | Dragon (1952-01-27—1953-02-13) |
| 1953 | 1953-02-14 | Snake (1953-02-14—1954-02-02) |
| 1954 | 1954-02-03 | Horse (1954-02-03—1955-01-23) |
| 1955 | 1955-01-24 | Sheep (1955-01-24—1956-02-11) |
| 1956 | 1956-02-12 | Monkey (1956-02-12—1957-01-30) |
| 1957 | 1957-01-31 | Rooster (1957-01-31—1958-02-17) |
| 1958 | 1958-02-18 | Dog (1958-02-18—1959-02-07) |
| 1959 | 1959-02-08 | Pig (1959-02-08—1960-01-27) |
| 1960 | 1960-01-28 | Rat (1960-01-28—1961-02-14) |
| 1961 | 1961-02-15 | Ox (1961-02-15—1962-02-04) |
| 1962 | 1962-02-05 | Tiger (1962-02-05—1963-01-24) |
| 1963 | 1963-01-25 | Rabbit (1963-01-25—1964-02-12) |
| 1964 | 1964-02-13 | Dragon (1964-02-13—1965-02-01) |
| 1965 | 1965-02-02 | Snake (1965-02-02—1966-01-20) |
| 1966 | 1966-01-21 | Horse (1966-01-21—1967-02-08) |
| 1967 | 1967-02-09 | Sheep (1967-02-09—1968-01-29) |
| 1968 | 1968-01-30 | Monkey (1968-01-30—1969-02-16) |
| 1969 | 1969-02-17 | Rooster (1969-02-17—1970-02-05) |
| 1970 | 1970-02-06 | Dog (1970-02-06—1971-01-26) |
| 1971 | 1971-01-27 | Pig (1971-01-27—1972-02-14) |
| 1972 | 1972-02-15 | Rat (1972-02-15—1973-02-02) |
| 1973 | 1973-02-03 | Ox (1973-02-03—1974-01-22) |
| 1974 | 1974-01-23 | Tiger (1974-01-23—1975-02-10) |
| 1975 | 1975-02-11 | Rabbit (1975-02-11—1976-01-30) |
| 1976 | 1976-01-31 | Dragon (1976-01-31—1977-02-17) |
| 1977 | 1977-02-18 | Snake (1977-02-18—1978-02-06) |
| 1978 | 1978-02-07 | Horse (1978-02-07—1979-01-27) |
| 1979 | 1979-01-28 | Sheep (1979-01-28—1980-02-15) |
| 1980 | 1980-02-16 | Monkey (1980-02-16—1981-02-04) |
| 1981 | 1981-02-05 | Rooster (1981-02-05—1982-01-24) |
| 1982 | 1982-01-25 | Dog (1982-01-25—1983-02-12) |
| 1983 | 1983-02-13 | Pig (1983-02-13—1984-02-01) |
| 1984 | 1984-02-02 | Rat (1984-02-02—1985-02-19) |
| 1985 | 1985-02-20 | Ox (1985-02-20—1986-02-08) |
| 1986 | 1986-02-09 | Tiger (1986-02-09—1987-01-28) |
| 1987 | 1987-01-29 | Rabbit (1987-01-29—1988-02-16) |
| 1988 | 1988-02-17 | Dragon (1988-02-17—1989-02-05) |
| 1989 | 1989-02-06 | Snake (1989-02-06—1990-01-26) |
| 1990 | 1990-01-27 | Horse (1990-01-27—1991-02-14) |
| 1991 | 1991-02-15 | Sheep (1991-02-15—1992-02-03) |
| 1992 | 1992-02-04 | Monkey (1992-02-04—1993-01-22) |
| 1993 | 1993-01-23 | Rooster (1993-01-23—1994-02-09) |
| 1994 | 1994-02-10 | Dog (1994-02-10—1995-01-30) |
| 1995 | 1995-01-31 | Pig (1995-01-31—1996-02-18) |
| 1996 | 1996-02-19 | Rat (1996-02-19—1997-02-06) |
| 1997 | 1997-02-07 | Ox (1997-02-07—1998-01-27) |
| 1998 | 1998-01-28 | Tiger (1998-01-28—1999-02-15) |
| 1999 | 1999-02-16 | Rabbit (1999-02-16—2000-02-04) |
| 2000 | 2000-02-05 | Dragon (2000-02-05—2001-01-23) |
| 2001 | 2001-01-24 | Snake (2001-01-24—2002-02-11) |
| 2002 | 2002-02-12 | Horse (2002-02-12—2003-01-31) |
| 2003 | 2003-02-01 | Sheep (2003-02-01—2004-01-21) |
| 2004 | 2004-01-22 | Monkey (2004-01-22—2005-02-08) |
| 2005 | 2005-02-09 | Rooster (2005-02-09—2006-01-28) |
| 2006 | 2006-01-29 | Dog (2006-01-29—2007-02-17) |
| 2007 | 2007-02-18 | Pig (2007-02-18—2008-02-06) |
| 2008 | 2008-02-07 | Rat (2008-02-07—2009-01-25) |
| 2009 | 2009-01-26 | Ox (2009-01-26—2010-02-13) |
| 2010 | 2010-02-14 | Tiger (2010-02-14—2011-02-02) |
| 2011 | 2011-02-03 | Rabbit (2011-02-03—2012-01-22) |
| 2012 | 2012-01-23 | Dragon (2012-01-23—2013-02-09) |
| 2013 | 2013-02-10 | Snake (2013-02-10—2014-01-30) |
| 2014 | 2014-01-31 | Horse (2014-01-31—2015-02-18) |
| 2015 | 2015-02-19 | Sheep (2015-02-19—2016-02-07) |
| 2016 | 2016-02-08 | Monkey (2016-02-08—2017-01-27) |
| 2017 | 2017-01-28 | Rooster (2017-01-28—2018-02-15) |
| 2018 | 2018-02-16 | Dog (2018-02-16—2019-02-04) |
| 2019 | 2019-02-05 | Pig (2019-02-05—2020-01-24) |
| 2020 | 2020-01-25 | Rat (2020-01-25—2021-02-11) |
| 2021 | 2021-02-12 | Ox (2021-02-12—2022-01-31) |
| 2022 | 2022-02-01 | Tiger (2022-02-01—2023-01-21) |
| 2023 | 2023-01-22 | Rabbit (2023-01-22—2024-02-09) |
| 2024 | 2024-02-10 | Dragon (2024-02-10—2025-01-28) |
| 2025 | 2025-01-29 | Snake (2025-01-29—2026-02-16) |
| 2026 | 2026-02-17 | Horse (2026-02-17—2027-02-05) |
| 2027 | 2027-02-06 | Sheep (2027-02-06—2028-01-25) |
| 2028 | 2028-01-26 | Monkey (2028-01-26—2029-02-12) |
| 2029 | 2029-02-13 | Rooster (2029-02-13—2030-02-02) |
| 2030 | 2030-02-03 | Dog (2030-02-03—2031-01-22) |
