Chinese New Year represents an important part of Chinese culture and tradition. It begins on the first day of the first lunar month of the calendar and ends with the Lantern Festival. Find out when Chinese New Year 2024 is and what animal will be the patron saint of the year.
When is Chinese New Year 2024?
Chinese New Year, also known as the Spring Festival or Lunar New Year, is one of the most important and widely celebrated holidays in Chinese culture. It marks the beginning of the lunar new year and falls on a different date each year according to the lunar calendar. In 2024, Chinese New Year will begin on Saturday, February 10, and the celebration will culminate with the Lantern Festival. The celebrations last 16 days, each with its own name and specific purpose or meaning. Chinese New Year begins on the second New Moon after the winter solstice, which always falls at the end of December. This means that the first day of the Lunar New Year can occur any time between January 21 and February 20.
Key Chinese New Year traditions include decorating homes with red lanterns and paper pictures, dining with family and friends, and exchanging red envelopes containing monetary gifts. The color red symbolizes good luck and joy, which is why it predominates in decorations and outfits during the holiday.
Why is 2024 called the Year of the Wooden Dragon?
The Chinese zodiac is a 12-year cycle that associates each year with an animal sign: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig. The order of the signs is fixed: the Dragon is the fifth in the cycle, hence the Year of the Dragon in 2024. Last year, 2023, was the year of the Rabbit, and 2025 will be the year of the Snake.
The Dragon is powerful, energetic and full of vitality, purposeful but idealistic and romantic. He has the keenest sense of self-worth among the 12 zodiac signs of Chinese astrology. People born in the Year of the Dragon are said to be ambitious, energetic and charismatic, inspiring others with their passion and enthusiasm. They are considered natural leaders, self-confident and not afraid to take risks, which makes them magnetic personalities in social and professional circles.
Each year also corresponds to one of the five basic elements in Chinese cosmology: Metal, Wood, Water, Fire or Earth. The Universe is believed to be composed of five elements that interact with each other in a cyclical manner. These five elements are the fundamental building blocks of everything around us.
The Chinese lunar calendar identifies the specific animal and element associated with a specific year. The Year of the Dragon in 2024 is associated with the element of Wood. The combination of an animal sign (Dragon) and an element (Wood) designates 2024 as the Year of the Wood Dragon.
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