6 Chinese Symbols You Didn't Know About Chinese New Year

Chinese New Year is just around the corner (February 19 for 2015) and children in China are gearing up for a month-long vacation to celebrate it. You may not be aware that Chinese New Year is traditionally celebrated over 15 days, which makes it the longest holiday of the year in China. Actually, it is probably the longest holiday anywhere!

Chinese New Year is obviously an important occasion for the Chinese, and it is a time for the whole family to get together. Predictably, they observe quite a few traditions that reek with symbolisms. There are a few traditions that are universally understood such as wearing polka dots and having round fruits at home because the circle is a symbol of prosperity. However, here are 6 symbols that you will often see during the Chinese New Year celebrations that you didn’t know and should probably take to heart. Gong Hey Fat Choy!

Fishy decorations

The Chinese word for “fish” is a homonym (sounds the same) as the word for “abundance.” Having fish decorations at every nook and cranny of the home is a way of telling a higher power that you would really like to have a lot of money in the coming year. However, fish may not only mean financial bounty. The character for carp, for example, sounds the same as the character for profit, so having carp capering during Chinese New Year may also refer to success in business. It could also mean “an abundance of children.” Well, if you get a lot of children, you will definitely need wealth and prosperity!

Image by Dyla Rosli

Oranges and tangerines in the house!

Aside from being round, which is universal for prosperity, oranges and tangerines are especially powerful symbols of abundant happiness. This is due again to homonyms. The Chinese character for tangerine sounds the same as luck, and the one for orange sounds like wealth. The fact that they are orange also suggests gold so it is pretty much shouting we want to be rich! If you bring a bag of oranges or tangerines when visiting a Chinese home, you will be welcomed with open arms!

Image by teewallpapers.net

Peach and plum blossoms: Love is in the air

Peach and plum blossoms are popular decorations as well because fruit blossoms in general indicate the start of what will hopefully be a plentiful harvest later on. Peach blossoms in particular are preferred by single people looking for love because they symbolize romance, prosperity, and long life, hopefully in that order. Plum blossoms, on the other hand, represents nobility and perseverance in the face of adversity, which you will need if romance turns sour or a long life is more a curse than a blessing.

Image by merleonline.com

Sycee: Whatever floats your boat

You might have seen those weird-looking boat-like decorations made of silver or gold (or plastic painted to look like it’s made of silver and gold). This is a yuanbao, and that is what the money in ancient China looked like. There must have been a lot of saggy pants back in the day! Obviously, the yuanbao represents wealth that you want to come into your business or house.

Image by up-your-toot

Firecrackers

We know that firecrackers are set off during Chinese New Year to scare away evil spirits, but did you know that they used fake firecrackers to hang outside the homes? They serve as a sort of rope of garlic to ward off vampires, but in Chinese lore it is to keep away Nian, a legendary sea-living monster dude that likes to snack on people, especially children. Nian is said to be particularly sensitive to noise, maybe because it lives underwater. If you don’t have firecracker hangings handy, have your mother-in-law stay over.

Image by freegreatdesign.com

Red lanterns

Round red paper lanterns are easily recognizable as Chinese, and the gaudy things can be found in most Chinese restaurants and establishments year-round. This is because it symbolizes prosperity and good luck, yes, but it is found everywhere during Chinese New Year because it lights the way of the home’s Kitchen God (Zao Jun or Zao Shen ) for his annual visit to the Jade Emperor and back. A successful roundtrip means a bountiful harvest for that year for that home.

Image by publicwallpapers.org