One of the many celebrated days in ancient China is the Chinese New Year, the first day of the first moon. The celebration would begin early, upon rising, with each member of the family enjoying sweet rice cakes. The intuitive meaning of these rice cakes focused on the pleasant things in life, and the round or oval shape of the rice cake symbolized the complete family circle, that things can come and pass easily without friction.
Early rising was custom, as early as 3 to 5 am, to meet the God of Good Luck. Each year the court astrologer would determine which point on the compass to seek. Early in the morning of the Chinese New Year talk a walk in that direction, having first observed worship in the temple. The first person who is of fortune to meet the God of Good Luck would supposedly enjoy good luck all through the year.
During the Chinese New Year season it was thought that it was unlucky to do any kind of unnecessary labor. All business would stop, and even basic domestic duties, even cooking, was suspended.
The list of legends, superstitions, and intuitive meanings goes on:
- Do not use scissors or needles on New Years Day
- Do not throw dirty water out the door or window
- What you do on the Chinese New Year day you will do the whole year, so if you work the year will be filled with labor; if you throw dirty water out the window you will be throwing away your money that you should be receiving that year.
- Dress in new clothing on the New Year Day, and speak respectfully
- Food that was prepared in the old year should be eaten on the New Year Day, for this suggests abundance
- This last one may be the least likely to be put into practice: suspending a fish in the home is potent in bringing about a “year of plenty”, symbolizing the cornucopia.
The next Chinese New Year will be February 3, 2011, in the Year of the Rabbit, The Chinese New Year is the most important of events, and the custom has crossed over, in one form or another, to many other countries and cultures over time.
Ava Saadi shares her enjoyment of ancient cultures and traditions in her writings. Following along with the intuitive meaning of actions on the New Year carrying on throughtout the day, it is suggested that each of us give thought to our next New Year, whether it is January 1st or the 1st moon.
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