Happy Chinese New Year to all who celebrate!
About Chinese New Year
Chinese New Year, often called the Spring Festival or Lunar New Year, is the most important holiday in China and Chinese communities around the world. This year, Chinese New Year falls on February 1, although celebrations will typically last 16 days, starting from Chinese New Year's Eve (January 31) until February 15.
Chinese New Year Traditions
Prior to the Chinese New Year, households are thoroughly cleaned to rid the house of the bad luck from the previous year and to make the house a welcoming place for good luck. In addition, houses are decorated with fresh red paint, red cut-out decorations, and red lanterns, as red symbolizes joy and good fortune.
The Chinese New Year’s Eve meal is the most important dinner of the year. Families may gather at a relative’s house or at a restaurant. The celebration continues throughout the 16 days, often rotating between relatives' households. Traditional dishes include:
- Eight Treasures Rice - rice, walnuts, different colored dry fruit, raisins, sweet red bean paste, jujube dates, and almonds
- Tang Yuan - black sesame rice ball soup; or a won ton soup
- Song Gao - coarsely ground rice formed into a small, sweet round cake
- Jiu Niang Tang - sweet wine-rice soup which contains small rice balls
- Chicken, duck, fish and pork dishes
Each day of the 16-day long festival has a name, and usually an assigned purpose or meaning (see the “Lunar New Year Calendar and Schedule: Key Dates” section in the China Highlights Chinese New Year 2022: Tiger Year, Food, Traditions, Greetings article for an overview). The final day is known as the Festival of Lanterns and marks the end of the Chinese New Year celebrations. All types of lanterns are lit throughout the streets and often poems and riddles are written for entertainment.
The Year of the Tiger
2022 is the Year of the Tiger. The Tiger is known as the king of all beasts in China. The zodiac sign is a symbol of strength, exorcising evils, and braveness. You are considered a tiger if you were born after the Chinese New Year in 2022, 2010, 1998, 1986, 1974, 1962, 1950, or 1938. Additionally, if you were born before the Chinese New Year in one of the years immediately following those above (2011, 1999, 1987, 1978, etc.), then you are a Tiger as well.
The element associated with the tiger this year is water, so it’s known as the Water Tiger year, which comes around every sixty years.
Celebrate Chinese New Year in Boston
Lunar New Year at the MFA
Saturday, February 5, 2022
10:00 am–5:00 pm
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
Ring in the Year of the Tiger at the MFA! Stop by on Saturday, February 5, and celebrate the Lunar New Year by exploring Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese art from the MFA collection—including works on view in the exhibition “Weng Family Collection of Chinese Painting: Travel and Home.” The MFA will also have Take-Home Art Kits and three chances to see a traditional lion dance parade. Check out the MFA event page for more details.
Chinatown's Annual Lion Dance Parade
Sunday, February 13, 2022
10:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.
Philips Square (corner of Harrison Ave and Beach Street)
On Sunday, February 13, Chinatown will hold its annual Lion Dance Parade (date subject to change based on the weather – check The Boston Calendar for any updates). The parade kicks off at the main stage in Philips Square (corner of Harrison Ave and Beach Street), continues on Essex Street, winds its way through other nearby Chinatown streets, and then each of the dozen or so groups of performers spread out through the neighborhood to continue their performances for the rest of the afternoon