Everything You Need to Know About the Lunar New Year 2022

A Lunar New Year, also known as Chinese New Year, is arguably the most important holiday among

Southeast and East Asian cultures, as it is a festival to celebrate the new year. On the Chinese traditional

lunar calendar this year, this date falls on February 1st.

This holidate is notoriously seen as a time of rebirth and reunion since it is at the end of winter, and

celebrates the arrival of spring. Fun fact: it is also known as the Spring Festival. The several different

names for this holiday certainly make it more interesting.

According to History.com, “the New Year typically begins with the first new moon that occurs between

the end of January and spans the first 15 days of the first month of the lunar calendar - until the full moon

arrives.” This year is the year of the tiger.

There are zodiac animals that represent each year in the Lunar calendar – the rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon,

snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog, and pig – as well as elements that are tied to the Lunar

calendar.

As stated earlier, 2022 is the year of the tiger, specifically the water tiger if we are including the elemental

aspect of the name. Another fun fact: the water tiger appears every 60 years and represents bravery,

strength, and repels evil, so if you wanted a bit of good luck today, say thanks to the water tiger.

This holiday, most importantly, is about family. There are numerous traditions and foods that emulate the

symbolism of values, including prosperity, surplus, and a community. Houses are deliberately cleaned to

cleanse spirits that could have appeared within the old year, and is also representative of good will and

luck. Perhaps this is where the term spring cleaning stemmed from.

Houses also can offer paper icons and food to ancestors to honor and appreciate them. Certain foods that

are eaten can represent community, while others can represent good luck, or prosperity, or abundance.

There are a lot of versatile meanings with the holiday – the more the merrier.

Being aware of the Lunar New Year can bring more appreciation towards those you love and those who

you want to succeed. Spend some time with friends or family, tell them you appreciate them on this

holiday, and believe that there is good coming your way.

Syracuse University had a Chinese New Year/Spring Gala Festival on the Lunar New Year, February 1st,

from 2:00pm to 10:00pm at the Barnes Center. During this social activity, individuals joined esports as

the room it was hosted in was decorated while enjoying the Spring Gala performance. Though it passed

already, it is nice to know SU is hosting a celebration to honor the Lunar New Year!