Our China and Singapore Recruitment Specialist, Amanda Gregory, has been discovering more about the upcoming Chinese New Year...
Chinese New Year is the biggest event in the Asian calendar, and Chinese people all over the world will be coming together to celebrate this wonderful festival with celebrations taking place all across the world.
The 2017 Chinese New Year begins on January 28th, with celebrations starting on the 27th. Festivities will continue for a fortnight, making it the longest national holiday in the Chinese calendar.
This year is the Year of the Rooster (as it was in 2005, 1993, 1981, and so on). It is said that people born in the Year of the Rooster are honest, energetic, intelligent, flexible and confident. However, if you believe the predictions of Chinese astrologists, the year of your sign is believed to be one of diminished fortune.
We've discovered 7 interesting facts about Chinese New Year. How many did you already know?
1. The date for Chinese New Year changes each year, always falling between January 21st and February 20th as determined by the lunar calendar.
2. In China the New Year Holidays are referred to as the 'Spring Festival', as they take place at the 'Beginning of Spring' (the first of the twenty-four terms in conjunction with the changes of the seasons).
3. Billions of red envelopes are exchanged. These are gifts presented at social and family gatherings such as Chinese New Year, with the colour of the envelope signifying good luck and acting as a deterrent to evil spirits. In southern China, red envelopes are usually given by the married to the unmarried, while in northern China the envelopes are typically given by elders to youngsters.
4. Perhaps the most well known custom is the naming of the years after one of twelve animals in the zodiac cycle. The animals are Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig.
5. Schools in China get about a month off during the holidays, and university students even longer. Numerous other Asian countries also have public holidays, and it is estimated that around one-fifth of the world's population take part in the celebrations.
6. Hundreds of millions of people travel to visit family over the New Year, with an estimated 3 billion (yes, billion!) trips being made over a 40-day period. This represents the largest migration of human beings in the world.
7. Midnight on the eve of New Year sees more fireworks during the hour than any other celebration on Earth (China is responsible for the production of 90% of the worlds fireworks!). Many believe that the flash and bang of fireworks help scare away demons and evil ghosts.
If you are interested in finding out more about living and working in China, Singapore or any other parts of Asia, call Amanda on +44 (0)131 240 5281 or email amanda@headmedical.com for a confidential chat.