The entire house should be cleaned before New Year's Day. On New Year's Eve, all brooms, brushes, dusters, dust pans and other cleaning equipment are put away. Sweeping or dusting should not be done on New Year's Day for fear that good fortune will be swept away. After New Year's Day, the floors may be swept. Beginning at the door, the dust and garbage are swept to the middle of the parlor, then placed in the corners and not taken or thrown out until the fifth day. At no time should the garbage in the corners be trampled upon. In sweeping, there is a superstition that if you sweep the dirt out over the threshold, you will sweep one of the family away. Also, to sweep the dust and dirt out of your house by the front entrance is to sweep away the good fortune of the family; it must always be swept inwards and then carried out, then no harm will follow. All dirt and garbage must be taken out the back door.
Chinese New Year in Hong Kong is always the biggest and most-loved celebration of the lunar calendar! This year, Asia's world city welcomed the Year of the Horse with festive flower markets, incense-filled temples, show-stopping parades and dazzling pyrotechnics!
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Symbols are a huge part of Chinese culture and are especially present in the Chinese New Year. They affect the cuisine of the new year, the traditions and customs of the new year and affect the events and celebrations.
Food is a fairly big part of the new year. Families have different food traditions but a very common one is dumplings of the eve of the new year. Dumplings are said to bring wealth and is a great family activity to kick off the new year. Other foods that are symbols are fish and noodles. Fish symbolize prosperity and plates are often served with a whole fish. Long noodles symbolize longevity and and a long life. The dragon is very present in Chinese New Year and Chinese culture in general. "The Dragon is present in many Chinese cultural celebrations as the Chinese people often think of themselves as descendants of the mythical creature." (source 1). |