At the heart of many fables, is often a battle between good and evil and
Chinese New Year -
beginning on the
new moon on
February 1st, 2022, and ending on January 31st, 2023, is a rich, colourful, and global celebration, laden
with optimism
and superstition.
The Chinese Zodiac, or Shengxiao depicts 12 symbolic animals over a 12-year
repeating
cycle - Rat, Ox,
Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig – each with its own unique
characteristics and
meanings.
This Chinese New Year, celebrates the year of the Tiger. Known as the king of all beasts,
the
sign
is believed
to symbolise strength, bravery and have the ability to exorcize evil. Much like the ancient Greeks who we
believe first
recorded the twelve signs of the Zodiac, Chinese culture believes that people born in a given year have the
personality
of that year’s animal.
Having lived in Hong Kong for three years as a young woman, Annoushka has
always
found Chinese
culture and tradition inspiring and magical.
Hong Kong holds an incredibly special place in my heart - not only did I meet my husband John there, but so
many
lifelong friends. I love the city’s energy and the feeling that everything is possible – I have wonderful
memories of
Chinese New Year in Hong Kong – when the whole city is emblazoned in red – dressed for the celebration.
There isn’t a
time when you can feel the energy and nature of the Chinese people more than at Chinese New Year - there is
so much
generosity and optimism – time is spent intricately dressing every window and wall, traditional food is
lovingly cooked,
families gather, and gifts are exchanged - all to welcome in the year with good fortune!
“
Hong Kong holds an incredibly special place in my heart - not only did I meet my husband John there, but so
many
lifelong friends. I love the city’s energy and the feeling that everything is possible – I have wonderful
memories of
Chinese New Year in Hong Kong – when the whole city is emblazoned in red – dressed for the celebration.
There isn’t a
time when you can feel the energy and nature of the Chinese people more than at Chinese New Year - there is
so much
generosity and optimism – time is spent intricately dressing every window and wall, traditional food is
lovingly cooked,
families gather, and gifts are exchanged - all to welcome in the year with good fortune!
Synonymous with prosperity, luck, energy and happiness, red is undeniably the colour of Chinese New Year.
According to
folklore, a demon would appear on the eve of the festival - its intention to spread sickness among sleeping
children. To
stay awake and deter the demon, parents would wrap bright copper coins in red paper for their children to
play with. If
a child fell asleep, the sheen of the coins would scare the monster away.
Today, this sentiment is
translated in the
tradition of red packets. Known in Cantonese as Lai See or Hongbao in Mandarin, these red paper envelopes,
sometimes
containing money, are gifted between friends and family as a token of prosperity for the year ahead - but
their
significance lies in their colour, not just the money enclosed.