Chinese New Year

Traditions

100

These are filled with money and given out to symbolize good wishes and luck for the new year ahead.

Red envelopes (known as hóngbāo in Mandarin or lai see in Cantonese).

200

This is the last event held during the Chinese New Year, during which people hang glowing lanterns in temples or carry them during a nighttime parade.

Lantern Festival.

300

This traditional dance, which is performed on big occasions like Chinese New Year, is meant to bring good fortune and chase away evil spirits.

Lion Dance

400

There are multiple actions that people are encouraged to avoid during Chinese New Year. Name two of these actions.

- Hanging your clothes to dry

- Washing your hair and clothes

- Doing laundry

- Sweeping the floor

- Eating meat

- Taking medicine

- Arguing

- Buying new books or shoes

- Wearing black and white clothing

- Cutting your hair

- Opening red envelopes early

500

This item, which is prepared for entertaining guests during Chinese New Year, symbolizes "togetherness" and "perfection." There are eight types of traditional sweets you will find in it, which symbolize different things. 

Chuen hap

Zodiac Animals

100

2024 is slated to be the year of which zodiac animal?

Dragon

200

How many zodiac animals are there?

12

300

Name five of the zodiac animals.

Rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog, and pig.

400

What are the Zodiac animals representative of?

Each animal represents one year in the Chinese lunar calendar. It is believed that a person takes on the characteristics of the zodiac animal for the year they were born.

500

In addition to the animals, what else is mapped onto the traditional lunar calendar?

Five elements: Earth, water, fire, wood and metal. Each year is associated with an animal that corresponds to an element.

General Trivia

100

This U.S. city claims that its Chinese New Year parade is the biggest celebration of its kind outside of Asia. It has hosted a Chinese New Year celebration since the Gold Rush era of the 1860s, a period of large-scale Chinese immigration to the region.

San Francisco

200

How long is the Chinese New Year festival?

15 days

300

In one legend, the origins of Chinese New Year are rooted in chasing away this monster who would attack on the eve of a new year.

Nian ("year")

400

Chinese New Year is thought to date back to which Dynasty?

Shang Dynasty in the 14th century B.C.

500

In what year did China institute a weeklong vacation during the holiday giving people the opportunity to travel home and celebrate the new year?

1996

Decorations

100

These are hung on trees in the streets, office buildings, and the doors of houses. They are believed to drive off bad luck.

Lanterns

200

These are hung around interior and exterior doors. On them are good wishes and statements. They are usually posted in pairs, as even numbers are associated with good luck and prosperity in Chinese culture. 

Paper banners

300

These trees are a very popular plant displayed during the Chinese New Year holidays, especially in South China’s Cantonese-speaking regions. Having one at home symbolizes a wish for both wealth and good luck.

Kumquat trees

400

Chinese New Year, also called Spring Festival, marks the beginning of spring. It is not uncommon for people who celebrate to decorate with blooming flowers, which symbolize the coming of spring and wishes for a prosperous new year. Name one of the four most popular blooming plants traditionally used during this period.

Branches of plum blossoms, orchids, peonies, and peach blossoms.

500

During the time of Spring festival, almost every family in China would hang this character upside down, believing that doing so would cause good fortune to literally descend down on their house or pour out onto it.

福 [fú] character