Happy Chinese New Year!

It is customary at Chinese New Year to buy and wear new clothes, to invite family members to gather in the home (especially those not seen since the previous New Year) and to prepare and eat a very large family meal.Pictured here the Chinese Kitchen God, who must be welcomed back into the home at the New Year. The Chinese legend comes the story of Zao Jun, an unfaithful husband who realizes the error of his ways and asks his wife to be welcomed back into their home.In Chinese culture, peach blossoms a symbol of spring and renewal. After a ritual cleansing, houses are decorated with peach and apricot blossoms to usher in the new year.View the list »
The color costumes and makeup of these Chinese dancers represent spring, renewal, hope and unity.

Community Issues newsletter

Sunday, February 9 is big day, and not just in GreaterJax™.

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It’s New Years Day in China and many parts of southeast Asia, where the beginning and end of the year is calculated by the cycle of the moon and not the sun as in the West.

That’s right – it’s Chinese New Year, and 2013 is the year of the Snake.

Also called the Lunar New Year and Spring Festival, Chinese New Year takes in Buddhist, Taoist and Confucian traditions and religions.

Chinese New Year usually coincides with the Vietnamese New Year (Têt), the Tibetan New Year (Losar), the Mongol New Year (Tsagaan Sar), the Korean New Year (Seollal), the Japanese New Year (Shōgatsu) and New Years celebrations in parts of Indonesia as well.

Yep, those news reports out of San Francicso with the dragon and lion dancers and the long ropes of firecrackers mark celebrations that everyone can join in.

Heh heh.

So what do you do on Chinese New Year?

Ooo, it’s so cool.

You clean and decorate your house with traditional apricot and peach flowers, symbols of purity, renewal and brand-new beginnings.

You buy and wear new clothes.

You stage a special (open-air) ceremony to welcome the Kitchen God back for the new year.

You visit with friends and relatives you haven’t seen in a while, enjoy a big family meal, and wish each other prosperity and good health by giving each other lucky money in bright red envelopes.

It is very common for older people to give the lucky bright-red envelopes to younger people, along with good advice and other words of wisdom, encouraging the recipients to keep up with schoolwork, live harmoniously with others, et cetera.

See?

It’s kind of like all our holidays rolled into one.

2013 North Florida Lunar New Year Gala Celebration

Want to know more about the new year’s second biggest party?

You’re in luck on Sunday.

http://www.usjca.org/~usjca5/

The Jacksonville Chinese Association presents its New Year Gala Celebration from 3 p.m.-5:30 p.m. on Feb. 9 in the Andrew A. Robinson, Jr. Theater at the University of North Florida.

A celebration of homecoming and thanksgiving, the festival showcases Chinese culture in terms of philosophical and religious worldview and language.

2013 North Florida Lunar New Year Gala Celebration

  • Jacksonville Chinese Association
  • Sat., Feb. 9, 3 p.m.-5:30 p.m.
  • Admission: VIP $30, JCA member $10 for adults, $5 for kids; Non-member $15 for adults, $7 for kids; kids under 5 FREE
  • Andrew A. Robinson, Jr. Theater
  • Building 14A
  • University of North Florida
  • 1 UNF Drive
  • Jacksonville, Fla. 32224
  • Contact: Sheng Zhang (张胜)
  • Phone: 646-402-2586
  • Email: shengzhang07@gmail.com

http://www.usjca.org/~usjca5/

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©2013 All rights reserved.

OFFICIAL BIO: K Truitt is a second-generation, native Floridian born in Jacksonville. Truitt worked in public higher education for 25 years, most recently in Texas, is a successful grant writer, knows newspaper publishing, printing and graphic design and wants to work in the public sector. Contact: kt.4examiner@yahoo.com

View the list
  • In Chinese culture, peach blossoms a symbol of spring and renewal. After a ritual cleansing, houses are decorated with peach and apricot blossoms to usher in the new year.
  • Pictured here the Chinese Kitchen God, who must be welcomed back into the home at the New Year. The Chinese legend comes the story of Zao Jun, an unfaithful husband who realizes the error of his ways and asks his wife to be welcomed back into their home.
  • It is customary at Chinese New Year to buy and wear new clothes, to invite family members to gather in the home (especially those not seen since the previous New Year) and to prepare and eat a very large family meal.
  • Like dragons, the wearing and decorating with the color red represents a wish for good luck in the coming year. At Chinese New Year it is traditional for older family members to give money in red envelopes to younger ones.
View the list

, Greater Jacksonville Examiner

K Truitt is a second-generation, native Floridian born in Jacksonville. Truitt worked in public higher education for 25 years, most recently in Texas, is a successful grant writer, knows newspaper publishing, printing and graphic design and wants to work in the public sector. Contact: kt...

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