Chinese New Year 2022 - The year of the Tiger

中国的十二生肖代表了十二种动物，他们的顺序是：鼠、牛、兔、龙、蛇、马、羊、猴、鸡、狗和猪。今年是虎年，虎年是根据中国传统历法来确定的。 The Chinese zodiac represents twelve animals in the following orders: Rat, Ox, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig. This year is the Year of the Tiger, which is determined by the traditional Chinese lunar calendar.

虎在中国象征着威严和权势，西方虽然把“狮子”视为百兽之王，但是在中国古代，百兽之王却是老虎。中国自古以来就把老虎看作为一种神秘而不可侵犯的动物，虎前额上的花纹构成中国的“王”字，事实上，中国的“王”字就是因为老虎而来的。虎是森林之王，因此中国人巧妙地以它前额上的花纹作为一个汉字，意为统治者，“王”也成为了百家姓中的一个了。老虎生性威猛，在中国历史文化中，认为生肖属虎的人有些性格特征也和虎的特点很相似，属虎的人天性乐观，热情如火，爱自由。

The tiger symbolizes majesty and power in China. Although the "lion" is regarded as the king of the beasts in the West, the king of the jungle was actually associated with the tiger in ancient China. China regards the tiger as a mysterious and inviolable animal since ancient times. The pattern on the tiger's forehead forms the Chinese character “Wang” (王) (which means “King”). The Chinese people cleverly took the pattern on its forehead and used it as a Chinese character. "Wang", meaning ruler also became one of the hundreds of Chinese surnames. Tigers are powerful by nature. In Chinese history and culture, people who are born in the year of the tiger are believed to possess similar characteristics that they are optimistic, enthusiastic, and love freedom.

在中国的传说中，人们相信虎是极其有力的动物，能驱除家庭的三大灾难：火灾、失窃和邪恶。带有老虎的壁画常被挂在墙上正对着大门来驱除恶魔。乃至在当代中国，也有小孩带着虎头帽，穿着虎头鞋以驱邪。

In Chinese legends, it is believed that the tiger is an extremely powerful animal that can ward off three major disasters in the family: fire, theft and evil. Murals with design elements of tigers were often hung on the walls facing the gates to ward off demons. Even in modern China, there are children wearing hats and shoes with tiger-head to ward off evil spirits.

这个虎年始于2022年2月1日，结束于2023年1月23日，人们从2021年1月31日到2月15日期间庆祝春节。春节的传统习俗有很多，例如贴春联、守岁、吃团年饭、拜年、祭祖等。

The Year of the Tiger falls between the 1^st February 2022 and 23^rd January 2023 and is celebrated by the “Spring Festival” from 31 January to 15 February 2022. There are many traditional customs during the Festival such as displaying couplets of well wishes, staying up late to celebrate the New Year, having a family reunion dinner, paying family visits and sending New Year's greetings, and offering sacrifices to ancestors.

贴春联posting spring festival couplets with well wishes

除夕这天，全家人欢聚一堂享受团年饭，长辈会给孩子们发包着压岁钱的红包，。在农历正月初一和初二，人们都会早早的起来，穿上漂亮的衣服出门，给亲朋好友送上新年祝福。

On New Year's Eve, the whole family will gather together to enjoy a reunion dinner. The elders will give out red pockets with money to the children. On the first two day of the first lunar month, people will get up early, put on beautiful clothes, go out to visit and send New Year wishes to relatives and friends.

享受团年饭Enjoying Spring Festival’s family reunion dinner

作为春节庆祝的重要部分，每年的正月十五是“灯节“（又称元宵节），人们会赏花灯、猜灯谜、吃汤圆（象征着家庭团圆的糯米球），过了元宵节，人们的春节假期就差不多结束了。

As an important part of the Spring Festival’s celebration, the “Lantern Festival” falls on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month every year. People will enjoy the display of lanterns, solving lantern riddles, and eating “Tangyuan” (glutinous rice balls symbolizes family reunion). The completion of the Lantern Festival will mark the end of the Spring Festival.

发红包 Giving lucky money in red pocket                                     拜年Paying lunar New Year’s visits

Images sourced from https://gimg2.baidu.com/.