|
Return to Top Page |
Among most countries celebrate New Year's Day on January 1st,
China, Taiwan, Vietnam and Korea celebrate January 1st according
to the Chinese calendar. The Chinese calendar is based on exact
astronomical observations of the longitude of the sun and the
phases of the moon. These countries use the Chinese calendar for
festival dates. Japan used to celebrated New Year's Day by the
Chinese calendar but from 1873, they changed to the solar calendar.
In addition to Japan, people of these countries believe that the
Gods visit their home on the New Year's Day so that they have
to treat the God and pray for health, prosperity and good harvests.
Indonesia and Singapore celebrate New Year's Day 4 times in a
year because they have Hindu, Islam, Chinese and Western New Year's
Days. Thailand celebrate New Year's Day on April 13 when the Sun
enter the Aries (The Ram). For Iranian people, Vernal Equinox
Day is their New Year's Day.
|
|
|
| 2007 | Feb 18 |
| 2008 | Feb 7 |
| 2009 | Jan 26 |
| 2010 | Feb 14 |
| 2011 | Feb 3 |
| 2012 | Jan 23 |
| 2013 | Feb 10 |
Stilts Dance Beiging, China |
New Year's Majestic Opera Guizhou, China |
|
|
On New Year's Day, boys and girls of Beijing put 1m long wooden sticks on their legs. They dance on the stilts and visit the houses. They also perform a play on the stilts. They play as a old man and a young lady and a trick man. They do acrobatics as jumping by one leg or making quick turn. |
Row-Kan tribes of Guizhou, China perform the traditional majestic opera on New Year's Day. When the music of drums, flutes, and gongs are played, the opera is started at the center of the village. There are a goddess, a hero and ogres. They install banners on their backs and perform a sword-play. They perform Chinese traditional story of Romance of the three kingdoms. |
|
 |
 |
|
| On New Year's Day, all the China towns of the world celebrate the New Year. In China Town of Singapore, A dragon dance with the drums and gongs. 20 boys support the dragon by sticks and jump around. The dragon dance whirling and rising up. Then open the mouth and blow fire. Around the dragon dance firecracker are set off. Through this way, they drive away evil spirits. | In Singapore, 75% of the population is Chinese. Every January 15th according to the Old Chinese calendar, performing groups come to the festival place not only from outside Singapore city but also from foreign countries. They perform a big celebration of New Year's Day. "Chingay" means the decorated floats and stages or disguises. When the laser lights project onto the sky in the evening, the parade starts. The dragon dances by roller skaters. Acrobatic boys from Taiwan, Katakari dances from India, a giant from France... etc. There are 3000 performers of 23 groups keep dancing at the night. Chingay festival started 1973 and now it is the biggest festival of Singapore. | |
 |
 |
|
| In Vietnam, New Yerar's Day is called as "Tet". Village people set off firecrackers and celebrate the big day. Boys and girls dress like a king and a queen or women servants of the Court and come to the Culture Center of Hanoi. The courtyard of the building is the chess board and boys plays against girls. The king and the queen put on a crown and install banners on their backs. The chess is played at the different place by professional players and these boys and girls move around as the chess pieces. | In Taipei, Taiwan, people celebrate New Year's Day on January 15th by the Lunar calendar. The last events of the New Year's Day is "Lantern Festival". Around the National Theater and Concert Hall, more than 100 floats decorated by lanterns are lined up. On each float, the mechanical puppets of historic heros are installed. In front of the Memorial Hall, 100m long dragon dance and lion dances are performed. Finally, Fukurokuju God of happiness appears and pray for the prosperity of people for this year. | |
 |
 |
|
| In Korea, people wear traditions costumes on the New Year's Day and greet formally with their parents and grand parents. This is the way to unify the family ties. Children received money given as a gift at the New Year from their parents and then they have banquets. In villages, "Nongak", dance of farmers, is performed. Young men dance with drums and gongs. They make quick turns and jumping around. As they turn their heads, white tapes put on the hats are waving. "Nongaku" is performed with the pray of the good harvests in autumn. |
The China town of Yokohama city was born in 1867 as the 1st settlement for Chinese in Japan. Now the population is 5000 for 500 square meters. There are 500 restaurants and shops for the good tourist spots. On New Year's Day, Chinese people have a big celebration. Countdown is started on New Year Eve, during the lion and dragon dances which are performed by high school students. On the New Year's Day, firecrackers are set off. With the lout music of gongs and drams, dragon and lions are acrobatically dance through the China town. There are costume parades by minority Chinese people. On this day, every China town in the world celebrate the New Year's Day. |
|
Return to Top Page |
|