“You met me in a very Chinese time in my life” – a phrase now quoted by thousands of non-Chinese users on TikTok, joining the recent trend of filming themselves drinking hot water, wearing slippers indoors, buying Chinese-inspired jackets, or simply cooking rice at home. On the surface, it seems like a lighthearted trend, cultural aesthetics, and traditional elements are being celebrated by people all over the globe. Yet Chinese culture is more than just a fleeting social media aesthetic to try on and discard. As I scroll through endless videos of people on my feed proclaiming they’re “in a very Chinese time” of their lives, memories of microaggressions, racism, and sinophobia – especially during COVID-19 – flood my mind. To truly appreciate a culture, you must understand the community, the identity, and the history that shapes it. Its beauty lies deeper than stereotypical Chinese habits – beyond drinking warm water and making congee in your kitchen.
There is no better time to dive deep into this rich and complex culture than now, as the Chinese New Year (also known as Lunar New Year) starts tomorrow, on the 17th of February.
Navigating the Year of the Fire Horse
Chinese Lunar New Year, commonly referred to as the Spring Festival, marks the beginning of a new year following the lunisolar calendar. The 12-year Chinese Zodiac cycle is well known to most people, with each year represented by an animal: the rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, ram (or sheep), monkey, rooster, dog, and pig. A 60-year cycle is created with the addition of five elements: wood, fire, earth, metal, and water. Traditional Chinese astrologers use these zodiac signs to create complex charts that predict the compatibility, personalities, and life paths of individuals. Rather than getting lost in the intricate details here, let’s turn our attention to what this year – the year of the Fire Horse – represents and why it matters.
People born in the year of the Horse are optimistic and generally like to push themselves. They enjoy being social, active, and unrestricted. These individuals are often ambitious and can be found basking in the limelight at social events, parties, and gatherings. The Horse is free, energetic, and driven with intensity. Paired with Fire, this year is spurred on by passion, confidence, and motivation. Chinese astrology isn’t simply about predicting the future; instead, it offers a framework for understanding the energies and themes of the time we’re living in – and how we might respond to them thoughtfully.
With this whirlwind vivacity brought by the Fire Horse, it’s crucial to remain grounded and clear-minded. This year, we are encouraged to pause before making rash and speedy decisions – use that extra second for clarity and discernment. With increased productivity and drive, it’s important to avoid burnout. Chronic stress and worries can amplify Fire in excess, leading to agitation, restlessness, and anxiety. You don’t need to stop your activities; keep up the academics, gym, pilates, your side hustles, whatever it is that you need to do, but with an air of steadiness and consistency.
How to Celebrate Chinese New Year
Glimmering gold lettering and designs swirled on a background of scarlet paper decorations and crimson silk. Thick red envelopes stuffed with crisp notes of money gifted from the elders. Siblings, cousins, uncles, aunts, and grandparents from both sides of the family sit around a crowded dinner table with flushed faces and full bellies. The plates of glistening braised pork belly, aromatic roast duck, and steamed fish are now memories of the past. Empty rice bowls and satisfied clinks of chopsticks serve as evidence of a successful feast. Outside, lanterns sway gently in the breeze, contrasted by the thunderous blooming of distant fireworks raining multicoloured stars across the inky skyline.
Chinese New Year’s Eve is reserved for the family reunion dinner. A special meal featuring dishes that symbolize prosperity, longevity, and unity, each plate carrying a wish for the year ahead. In Chinese, the word “fish” is a homophone for “yú”, a word meaning “surplus”. A popular greeting, “nián nián yǒu yú” translates into wishing abundance year after year, and as an auspicious tradition, families steam and eat a whole fish to ensure prosperity. Popular in southern China, prawns are cooked with chillies, garlic, or soy sauce to symbolize happiness. Translated as “ha” in Cantonese, when said repeatedly, mimics the sound of laughter. Wrapping dumplings for the Chinese New Year is also a must. These pillowy, meat-filled crescents of dough resemble ancient Chinese gold and silver ingots; dumplings are eaten at midnight before the Chinese New Year, a customary tradition in northern China. Other traditional dishes include braised oysters with sea moss to symbolise good fortune, or deliberately lengthy strands of biang biang or yi mein noodles for a longer life.
There is nothing better than tāng yuán or tong jyun as a sweet treat after dinner. These glutinous rice balls oozing with black sesame paste are traditionally served in a hot, clear broth, sweetened with rock sugar and spiced with ginger. The name itself is a homophone of the Chinese word “reunion,” while the round shape represents completeness and unity. You’ll also find an abundant number of mandarin oranges, tangerines, and kumquat trees decorating many houses as tokens of gold, wealth, and good luck. Although kumquats can be quite sour and tart to eat on their own, these ‘golden oranges’ can be candied, pickled, turned into chutney, or made into a fruit tea.
The exchange of red envelopes “hóngbāo” traditionally occurs on Chinese New Year’s Day. When visiting family and friends, it’s customary to give red pockets of money to younger generations, exchange greetings, and bring baskets of fruit and sticky rice cakes known as “niángāo”. Families drop in to their local temples for spiritual blessings, visit both paternal and maternal sides in succession, and are all dressed in red – often in new clothes bought in preparation for the celebrations.
Timelines of customs may vary by region in China, but the Lantern Festival always falls on the fifteenth day of the first month in the lunisolar calendar, with this year’s climactic occasion falling on the 3rd of March. The deep vibrations of the drums and gongs, paired with the metallic hiss of cymbals, can be felt rattling between your chest wall before the head of the dragon parading down the street is visible. A team of skillful dancers hidden beneath the giant puppet weaves its way through a bustling crowd, mimicking the twirling motions of the mythical serpentine deity. Later in the evening, words of good fortune, wishes for loved ones, and playful riddles are inscribed down the sides of lanterns hanging from doorways and pergolas, or released into the moonlit sky.
Although I’ve barely scraped the surface of our traditions, I hope this has offered an insight into what the Chinese New Year truly means and how to engage with its rituals thoughtfully and respectfully. Chinese culture is more than a short-lived aesthetic on social media this month, and subsequently swept away in the next. It is not a trend. This heritage is beautiful and intricate, shaped by centuries of history. It is our life.
Happy Chinese New Year. May the Fire Horse bring you positivity, joy, and a spark of passion in the days to come.