Lunar New Year General
What does the Lunar New Year represent?
The start of the lunar calendar
What are noodles a symbol of?
Long uncut noodles symbolise a long life ahead. Sharing a dish can symbolize wishing them well.
2026 was the year of this animal on the Lunar Calendar.
What is a horse?
True of False: They have winter house cleaning before Lunar New Year
Extra Credit: What day is the lantern festival
True: They are sweeping away the dust of the old year to say goodbye and welcome the new year
- The Lantern Festival is the last day of the festival, Day fifteen
What is the traditional food eaten by Koreans during Seollal?
Extra Credit: What does it symbolize, and what did it use to represent in terms of age?
Tteokguk (Rice Cake Soup).
It symbolizes a fresh start to the new year, and the white oval-shaped rice cakes symbolize prosperity and wealth because they resemble old coins.
It meant that the person eating it would grow one year older.
When was 2026 Lunar New Year?
February 17, 2026.
What do oranges, rice, and springrolls represent? Get at least one, the other two are extra credit.
Oranges: Exchanged as a gift only in pairs and represent luck (sounds like "ju"). Stems and leaves are the best because it signifies growth and fortune. Roundness represents wealth, completeness, and gold.
Rice: Nian gao (meaning rice) sounds like year tall, so it symbolizes growth and progress. Sticky is for lasting good luck.
Springroll: Gold color and cylindrical shape are like gold bars, so it represents wealth. Inside ingredients (carrots, cabbage, and mushrooms) represent growth, abundance, and wealth. Vermicelli noodles symbolize longevity.
In general, how many types of calendars are there?
Three: Pure lunar (Islamic - Ramadan), Lunisolar (Chinese calendar, Rosh Hashanash), Solar Calendar (U.S., etc.)
What colors and types of decorations do they put up?
Red decorations. This includes red lanterns, spring couplets, paper cuttings, and New Year's blessings to keep evil spirits away, and to pray for blessings, longevity, health, and peace. There is also decor to match the year of the animal (horse this year!)
How old is Seollal?
2,000 years old.
- Earliest mentions were by ancient agricultural societies, and it became more formal in the Joseon dynasty. It signifies filial piety (Confucian virtue) of respecting elders, ancestors, and parents.
When does Lunar New Year begin each year?
Second new moon after the winter solstice
What does a fish dish represent?
A whole steamed fish is a wish for surplus. It shows completeness and unity.
- You point the head to the most respected guest or elder. and eat it the day after the New Year
- It is bad luck to flip the fish over, like overturning a boat.
- Fish "yu" sounds like surplus in Mandarin.
How is the order of the Lunar New Year calendar, and who won and how did they win?
It is determined by the order of who crossed the finish line first. That Rat won by riding on the Ox's back and then jumping off at the end to win!
Who is the monster that the Chinese used red to scare away on New Years?
Nian
How do you play Gonggi?
It is a traditional Korean game, where you toss and/or catch five playing pieces in various orders to try and score the most points.
- There are five levels. If you become an expert, then there are even extra levels!
What are three traditions of Lunar New Year
Cleaning out the old, welcoming new luck, reuniting with family
What foods to avoid?
Bitter, white (associated with death), crab or shrimp (regressive movements), porridge (poverty), broken dishes, and unlucky homophones (ex. Pear sounds like the word for separation)
What are the five main elements and two rotating elements of the heavenly branches?
Two Rotating: Yin and Yang
What is the must do family tradition and what do they give to children?
A huge dinner with a large extended family who travel large distances, and they give Red Envelopes to children
- Many also watch lion dances and set glowing lanterns to the sky!
What is the difference between Charye and Sebae?
Charye is an ancestor-honoring ritual where you light incense, pour rice wine, and bow to ancestral photos before sharing food.
Sebae is a formal bowing of the youth to the elders. Most elders then give blessings and gifts (sebaedon) to the youth.
SO, Charye is honoring ancestors, Sebae is honoring elders.
How long is Lunar New Year in China?
Fifteen day festival
What do the hidden coins and peantus in dumpling represent?
The coins represent luck, and peanuts are for sweetness and long life.
List all 12 zodiac animals. Does not have to be in order. Extra credit if so.
1. Rat, 2. Ox, 3. Tiger, 4. Rabbit, 5. Dragon, 6. Snake, 7. Horse, 8. Goat (or Sheep), 9. Monkey, 10. Rooster, 11. Dog, and 12. Pig
What is the Luckiest day of Lunar New Year?
Eight is the luckiest number in China, so Day 8 of the Lunar New Year is when most businesses reopen, too!
How do you play Yut Nori?
Extra Credit:
How do you play Jegichagi and Ddakji? Hint: They were played in Squid Games.
What are the other two traditional games of Seollal?
1. Yut Nori is a game where two teams (or individuals) race to move four tokens ("mal") around a board and back home. You can also capture opponents' pieces to send them back to the beginning, and you can stack your own pieces. It is played with four sticks that have two faces. It is similar to a game of Sorry!
- The spaces that you can move based on your sticks result after tossing include pig, dog, sheep, cow, and horse.
2. Jegichagi: Similar to hacky sack/you kick the shuttlecock/jegi. The goal is to have the highest number of consecutive kicks.
Ddakji: Played with two folded paper tiles. The goal is to flip the opponent's tile by throwing your own on top of it.
3. Tuho: Arrow-tossing game from 10 paces (1.5-5 meters) away. The goal is to land the most targets in the narrow-necked pot.
Hwatu: Playing cards (50-54 cards: 48 standard cards and 2-6 joker cards) similar to the West's 52-card deck. Popular games include Go-Stop and Minhwatu.