January 1 marks the solar new year, the “western world” new year, the calendar new year. But, here we are in China, where the main New Year is the Lunar new year, this year falling on January 23. The people involved in teaching and learning English celebrate both, after all, any reason for a party is good enough. One of the aspects of calendars that fascinates me is that the Hebrew calendar and the Chinese calendar, both lunar, show roughly the same amount of time from “the beginning” with the Hebrew one counting about 1000 more years than the Chinese. However, we have to consider the question, what is a “year”?
The Chinese translate the New Year for us in English as “Spring Festival.” On the lunar calendar, winter is winding down, while on the solar one, it is just gathering strength. Here in the middle of China, I observed a bare branch with tiny flowers just opening. I have not observed any signs of freezing through the whole winter, but it has been uncomfortably cold, because of that rule in Southern China about no central heat in the buildings. Room heaters are allowed, but you can imagine how effective they are. Chinese people don’t distinguish between indoors and outdoors, leaving their windows open, and wearing their jackets and scarves indoors.
Our first term is complete, we have turned in our grades, and now our holiday begins. We wanted to spend some time in preparation for next term, but the classes haven’t been decided yet. We’ll be traveling, like all the rest of the Chinese world, to visit family, in our case friends who regard us as family. Then, when we return we’ll receive some American friends as guests for a few days. We regard them as family, so we look forward to their visit to finish up the break time. Then the new term will start.
The celebration of Spring Festival is all about a new start, good luck, good fortune. It is especially wonderful for children, I am told, because they receive gifts of money in red envelopes—hong bao. It is such a simple system,no agonizing over what exact gift to give each child, just the pretty decorated envelope, and the amount for each child in your family. My students instructed me in the proper form for the family we will visit. We should put at least 100 quai (rmb) in the envelope, and no more than 200. We should offer it to the child, who will be instructed to refuse. Her parents will vigorously protest our gift, but we should just as vigorously insist that we want to give it. This will happen three times at least, and then we should give it to the child anyway. Since this child is about one year old, I think it will be difficult to follow the protocol. Children will also get new clothes, as a symbol of a new start in the new year. Many people will wear red, the favorite color of China. It stands for passion, love, joy, good luck.
Particular foods will have particular meanings–some according to local folklore. The staple foods of China are pork, chicken, noodles, dumplings and rice. In some families, one dumpling will contain a coin for good luck, so everyone must eat and eat until that coin is found. I’ve learned that the style of folding the dumpling varies according to the region. I’ve practiced the Fuling fold, and the Beijing fold. The flour is high gluten flour, and mixed with water and kneaded it becomes the dumpling dough. It is formed into a roll, and then cut in thin round slices. This slice is rolled out with a rolling pin, filled with the meat and vegetable mixture, then folded over to seal. Then the dumplings are boiled in broth. It is an artistic process.
We consider it an honor to be invited to Chinese homes for this most important of all celebrations. If you have Chinese friends, wish them “Gong xi fa cai” “wishing you prosperity” for the new year. And, remember, regardless of any calendar, each new day is a new personal start.