British Online Archives would like to wish all our customers a Happy Lunar New Year. From midnight on 10 February 2024 (10/02/2024), until the festival ends on the 24 February, China’s population and its worldwide diaspora will celebrate the Year of the Dragon. Unlike the Western Gregorian calendar, based on the Earth’s orbit around the sun, Chinese New Year is determined by the moon’s orbit around the Earth. Thus, it is also known as the Lunar New Year.
It was over 2,000 years ago, during the Han dynasty, that the date for New Year celebrations was fixed to the first day of the first lunar month. Since then, customs and traditions to celebrate the coming of the New Year have sprouted up organically, encompassing fifteen days of festivities. Spending time with family and friends, sharing a feast, setting off firecrackers, and partaking in dragon dances are just some of the manifestations of the Lunar New Year in China and across East Asia.
The dragon is the luckiest and most powerful animals in the Chinese zodiac. In Chinese tradition, each zodiac sign is associated with a lucky colour. The auspicious colour for the Year of the Dragon is considered to be gold. The colour is thought to signify success, wealth, and honour, as well as possess positive energy. Yellow is also an auspicious colour for the Dragon. It is believed that if you wear yellow or include yellow décor in your home your luck for the year would be increased.
Happy Lunar New Year!