Happy Lunar New Year!
February 2015 :
Note: This article may contain outdated information
This article was published in the February 2015 issue of The Skyscraper and likely contains some information that was pertinent only for that month. It is being provided here for historical reference only.
Don’t we all love celebrations? In fact, there always seem to be wonderful things that we can raise a glass to, or cheer for. Most recently, we celebrated the turn of the calendar to begin the New Year, 2015. But, for many varied cultures, the new year also comes at different times, and can, in fact, rely on the positions of our neighboring Moon.
Lunar New Year refers to the first day of a year in which the months are coordinated with the lunar cycle. As an example, the Chinese New Year for this year is celebrated Thursday, February 19th. This year, the celebratory animal is the Goat, the group of persons believed to be honest, intimate, and easily moved by the misfortune of others. As there are 12 animals in the Chinese zodiacal circle, these attributes are for those born every twelve years beginning with 1919. Don’t feel too bad if you belong to the year of the Goat; I happen to be a member of the Ox cycle.
Fifteen days after the first month of this traditional Chinese calendar is the Lantern Festival. This comes from over 2,000 year ago, when monks lit lanterns in temples to show respect to Buddha. However, it was also said to be a way for persons in rural areas to light torches to scare away beasts and insects to assure a good harvest. Nowadays, though, the festival is just a great time for revelry, where participants light torches, and sing and dance from morning till the following dawn. A true celebration, indeed, and all because of our Moon.
