Chinese New Year celebrations are about to start. As we live in an interconnected world, where the cultures spread and mix in different places, you do not have to be in Asia to become a part of the festivities.

In spite of the COVID-19 pandemic and the exceptional situation we are going through, we marked the start of the New Lunar Year by a lovely private guzheng concert. The guzheng is a Chinese plucked zither. It is ancestral to several other Asian zithers such as the Japanese koto, the Korean gayageum and ajaeng, Mongolian yatga, the Vietnamese đàn tranh, the Sundanese kacapi and the Kazakhstan jetigen. The guzheng has a large, resonant soundboard made from Paulownia wood. Other components are often made from other woods for structural or decorative reasons. The guzheng became prominent during the Qin dynasty (221–206 BC). By the Tang Dynasty (618–907 AD) the guzheng may have been the most commonly played instrument in China. It has a beautiful timbre, broad range, rich performance skills, strong expressive power, and has been deeply loved by Chinese. We, Monasia Association and our President Mikhail Nefedov wish to express our gratitude to Zheng XIA who was guiding us through an unforgettable journey with this time-honored musical instrument of China. Indeed, Confucius was right, « Music produces a kind of pleasure which human nature cannot do without» MONASIA team is eager to share with you our memorable moments about Chinese New Year Celebrations. Last year MONASIA organized a small Chinese calligraphy workshop, which turned out to be a great Chinese New Year activity. Chinese calligraphy is the art of writing Chinese characters with a brush. Calligraphers have to follow strict rules. Each character requires a certain number of brush strokes written in a specific order. Afterwards, we gathered around a festive and beautifully decorated table, to celebrate the Chinese New Year. Chinese New Year is also known as the Spring Festival or Lunar New Year. It has long been the main and longest holiday in the Middle Empire and other countries of East Asia, with a 7-day long public holiday. And it is rich with tradition, superstition and history. Actually, the date of the Chinese New Year is determined by the lunar calendar: the holiday falls on the second new moon after the winter solstice on December 21. Thus, each time the New Year in China falls on different dates of the usual Gregorian calendar, between January 21 and February 20. This year, the date falls on Friday, February 12. According to historical data on the day when Shun – the mythological emperor of ancient China, came to the throne more than 4000 years ago, he led his ministers to worship heaven and earth. Since that time, this day is considered the first day of the first lunar month of the Chinese calendar. During the Shang Dynasty (17th - 11th century BC), it used to be a ceremony at the beginning of a year to honor ancestors and heavenly deities. 'Year' has been called 'Nian' in Chinese since the Zhou Dynasty (1046 - 256 BC). In 1911, the country adopted the Gregorian calendar we use in everyday life, according to which the New Year was renamed the Spring Festival. It is widely believed the word Nian (the Chinese word for year), is the name of a dragon that preyed on humans at the beginning of each new year. According to the Legend of Nian The Dragon, an old man offered to subdue Nian by asking him to swallow other beasts, telling him “people are by no means your worthy opponents.” Nian agreed, thus protecting the people from harm. According to legend, red is the color Nian fears most. The custom of decorating with red paper and firecrackers to scare away Nian is an enduring part of the celebration. In China, each year is represented by one of the 12 zodiac animals: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig. Starting on February 12 2021, the Year of the Ox, according to the Chinese zodiac, features a 12-year cycle with each year represented by a different animal. People born in the Years of the Ox including 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, and 2009 will experience their Zodiac Year of Birth (Ben Ming Nian). Unlike the Western astrology zodiac, where the specific signs are assigned to months, Chinese Zodiac has signs assigned to whole years. This means a different animal is associated with each Chinese year. Therefore, in 2022, a year of the Tiger will start on February 1st. Zodiac animals carry astrological and social significance. Each sign represents certain characteristics and people are said to have the personality of their zodiac animal sign, as it is believed to dominate the year and influence the character and destiny of people born in the year. An Ox is honest, patient and conservative. The Ox is most happy when left alone to their devices. They are also great parents because the Ox is regarded as a dependable creature. However, they are also stubborn creatures. Because of their dependable character, you can trust that an Ox will always finish the task laid out to them despite having a slow start. Traditionally, each year in China is symbolized by a combination that is repeated only once every 60 years. This combination represents one of the 12 zodiac animals of a certain color, corresponding to one of the five elements (water, earth, metal, fire and wood). Chinese New Year 2021 will symbolize the animal Ox and the elements of Metal, and the main color of the year will be white. An Ox is hardworking and honest, and Ox year is hopeful and fruitful. By the way, every 60-year circle begins with a wooden Rat and ends with a water Pig. Another such circle started on February 2, 1984, and it will end on January 29, 2044. As the most colorful annual event, the traditional Chinese New Year celebration lasts longer, up to two weeks and during this period, China is dominated by iconic red lanterns, loud fireworks, massive banquets and parades, and the festival celebrations across the globe. However, the 2021 Chinese New Year is an abnormal one due to disruptions caused by the COVID-19 outbreaks and restriction measures. Like Christmas in Western countries, Chinese New Year is a time to be home with family, chatting, drinking, cooking, and enjoying a hearty meal together. Therefore, on New Year's Eve, Chinese families gather around the table. In the Middle Empire it is customary to richly set the table for a festive dinner. Housewives, as a rule, prepare the most favorite dishes in the family. Traditionally, meat and fish must be on the table - a steamed or braised whole fish is representing a surplus every year. Various kinds of meat, vegetable, and seafood are made into dishes with auspicious meanings. Dumplings are indispensable for northerners, while rice cakes for southerners. By the way, the dumplings (jiaozi) are the figurative embodiment of one of the main wishes - the birth of sons. The lunar new year is shaped by tradition and luck is a central theme throughout the celebration. It is most often depicted in the form of a calligraphy character, which means good luck. It proclaims the family’s wishes for prosperity, good fortune and health. The main Chinese New Year activities include giving red envelopes and other gifts, beating drums or shock gongs, and dragon dancing street parades, as performing the dragon dance is believed to chase away the bad spirits and bring luck to the community. Red envelopes or red packets containing money are given as gifts, traditionally to transfer wealth from the older to younger generations. But they can also be given to friends and employees. The red envelope is believed to bring luck to the person who receives it and to the one who gives it. It is well known that red color symbolizes good fortune in Chinese lore. The festival has a history of over 3800 years and the celebrations on lunar New Year's Day can be dated back to the ancient worship of heaven and earth. Of course, over the centuries, new traditions were added and celebrations became more entertainment-orientated. For example, in 1967 food was rationed, and there was no money, so the greetings were full of Communist fervor. Nowadays, similarly to other things going digital, the red envelopes now also exist in an electronic version and people can send e-money, and greet with instant messages on WeChat (the most popular app in China). At the end of the festive night, fireworks and firecrackers are being used, and are believed to scare away evil spirits and attract the spirit of peace and happiness. When meeting someone during the Chinese New Year period, people wish each other luck, health and good fortune, so MONASIA wishes you all a happy, prosperous and healthy New Year of Ox! PS: thank you Carl Dahl for this wonderful work of art, sculpture of a Bull which is sure to bring us luck in the coming Lunar Year!