Happy Chinese New Year 2015! | Human World | EarthSky
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Over a billion people in China and millions around the world are celebrating the first day of the Chinese New Year today.
It starts on February 18, 2015 according to calendars in the Western Hemisphere, and February 19 in Asia.
It’s the most important of Chinese holidays, kicking off a celebration that lasts for 15 days and culminates with the . Each year is associated with one of 12 animals in the Chinese zodiac. For 2015, it’s the Year of the Sheep (or Goat or Ram … the Chinese character is the same).
The BBC reports that, in China, hundreds of millions of people have been in the process of traveling home in what is considered “the world’s biggest annual human migration.”
State media says about three billion passenger trips will be made by plane, train and car over the 40-day period.
It is a public holiday in many places with ethnic Chinese populations such as Taiwan, Singapore and Malaysia.
The festival is known as Tet in Vietnam and Seollal in South Korea, and is traditionally a time to be with family.
Many countries in Southeast Asia celebrate the Chinese New Year, including China, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines.
It’s also celebrated in Chinatowns and Asian homes around the world. It’s considered a time to honor deities and ancestors.
There are several variations on the mythology behind Chinese New Year celebrations. Most are based on a ugly bloodthirsty monster named Nian that would emerge on the last night of each year to destroy villages and eat people. A wise elder advised villagers to scare the monster away with loud noises. That night, they set fire to bamboo, lit fireworks, and banged their drums. The monster, afraid of the loud noises and lights, ran away to hide in its cave. In another version of the myth, an old man persuaded Nian to turn its wrath on other monsters, not the villagers. Before he was seen riding away on Nian, the old man, actually a god, advised the people to hang red paper decorations in their homes and set off firecrackers on the last night of the year to keep Nian away.
On the first day of the new year, the villagers celebrated, greeting each other with the words Guo Nian, which mean “survive the Nian.”
That tradition that has continued to this day, with Guo Nian now meaning “celebrate the new year.”
A woman poses with a sheep display in Hong Kong, which like many cities has put up colorful lunar New Year’s decorations.
Traditional Chinese New Year Decoration. Image via Fanghong via Wikimedia Commons.
Chinese New Year fireworks in Hong Kong. Image via Kroot via Wikimedia Commons.
In China, the familiar Gregorian calendar is used for day-to-day life. But
dates continue to be used to mark traditional holidays such as the new year and the fall moon festival. It’s also used astrologically to select favorable dates for weddings and other special events.
The Chinese calendar is a lunisolar calendar, in other words, a combination of solar and lunar calendars. It has a long history spanning several Chinese dynastic rules from as far back as the Shang Dynasty around fourteenth century B.C.. There are several different symbolic cycles within the calendar, used in Chinese astrology, that make it an intricate and complex measure of time.
A month in the Chinese calendar spans a single lunar cycle. The first day of the month begins during the new moon, when no sunlight falls on the lunar hemisphere that faces the Earth. A lunar cycle, on average, lasts 29.5 days, so a lunar month can last 29 or 30 days. Usually, there are 12 lunar months in a Chinese calendar year. In order to catch up with the solar calendar, which averages 365.25 days in a year, an extra month is added to the Chinese calendar every two or three years. As a result, Chinese New Year falls on different dates each year (in the Gregorian calendar) between January 21 and February 21.
Chinese New Year red envelopes, used for giving money to children, at Dihua Market, Taipei, Taiwan. Image via BCody80 via Wikimedia Commons.
Each year of the Chinese lunar calendar is represented by one of 12 animal symbols of the Chinese zodiac: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep (Goat), Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Boar. For 2015, it’s the Sheep’s turn.
says of the year of the Sheep:
The sheep (goat, or ram) is among the animals that people like most. It is gentle and calm. Since ancient times, people have learned to use its fleece to make writing brushes and skin to keep warm. As it is white, people describe delicate and precious white jade to be ‘suet jade’. Thus it is close to the meaning of good things.
Celebrities born in the year of the Sheep (Goat, Ram):
Michelangelo, Mark Twain, Thomas Alva Edison, Rudolph Valentino, Rachel Carson, Pierre Trudeau, Barbara Walters, Orville Wright, Nicole Kidman, Julia Roberts, Amy Lee, Bruce Willis, Benicio Del Toro, Claire Danes, Jamie Lynn Spears, Matt LeBlanc, Chow Yun-Fat, Zhang Ziyi, Li Shimin (Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty 618 – 907), Cao Cao (King of Wei in China’s Three Kingdoms Period 220 &#), Yue Fei (a patriotic general in China’s South Song Dynasty 1127 &#), Empress Dowager Cixi.
Chinese New Year celebrations traditionally lasts 15 days, from the first day (during a ) to the 15th day (). Each day holds a special significance that varies according to local traditions. But first, before the arrival of the new year, homes are thoroughly cleaned to sweep away ill fortune, and to welcome good luck. On new year’s eve, there are family gatherings to celebrate and enjoy sumptuous traditional feasts, and to greet the new year with fireworks at midnight.
Lantern Festival night in front of the
Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall in Taipei, Taiwan. Image via Philo Vivero via Wikimedia Commons.
In the days that follow, festive dance parades are held featuring colorful dragons or lions, ceremonies are held to pay homage to deities and ancestors, children receive money in red envelopes, gifts are exchanged, extended family members visit each other, and there’s more traditional feasting.
The celebration culminates on the 15th day with the L on this night of the full moon, families mingle in the streets carrying lighted lanterns, often creating a beautiful light display.
Bottom line:
The Chinese New Year for 2015 is celebrated on February 18-19. It’s the most important of Chinese holidays, celebrated by billions of people across the world. Festivities traditionally last for 15 days to culminate with the Lantern Festival. This calendar is based on a complex lunisolar calendar system that uses both lunar and solar cycles to mark time. As a result, Chinese New Year falls on different dates each year, between January 21 and February 21 of the conventional Gregorian calendar. Each Chinese lunar year is associated with one of twelve animals in the Chinese zodiac. For 2015, it’s the Year of the Sheep (Goat).
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Sun moves in front of Gemini on June 22Dream Analysis: What Does Your Dream Mean?Updated on July 3, 2012
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Source: Google Images
Why Do We Dream?Everyone dreams. Sometimes our dreams are silly and far-fetched. Other dreams are fearful or disturbing. Maybe you dream the same dream over and over again. Some people claim they can't remember their dreams.
Dreaming is important. We need to dream. Dreams come from our subconscious mind. We can learn a lot about ourselves in our dreams. Dreams force us to see things that we do not want to deal with. Dreams can help us remember something we couldn't remember when awake. There is meaning to every dream.
Even the most preposturous of dreams have meaning.
Some famous writers were inspired by dreams. Frankenstein came to author Mary Shelley in a dream. Robert Louis Stevenson
of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde before ever writing it on paper.
Dreams can be psychic in nature. These type of dreams are known as .
...But I Don't Dream and I've Never Had OneYou dream every night. People who say they don't just can't remember them. As the day goes on, you remember less and less too. If you want to remember your dreams, tell yourself that before you fall asleep. Your subconscious mind will listen to you. Be sure to keep a pad of paper and a pen on your night stand. The minute you wake up write your dream down. Even if you don't remember the first time, don't give up. You will eventually start remembering.
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Why Do I Keep Having The Same Dream Over and Over Again?Recurring dreams can be disturbing. A
is a type of dream that keeps coming back to you. You may have it a few times a month or more frequently. There may be a sense of urgency or a negative feeling that comes out when you have these dreams. Think about what is going on in your life. Have you had a trauma or are you in a transitional period in your life? Maybe there is something too big and too upsetting that you cannot bring yourself to think about it during your waking hours.
A recurring dream will not stop until you face whatever it is that is happening in your life. You know deep down that whatever is happening to cause these repetitive dreams need to be addressed. If you don't know why you are having these dreams, start keeping a journal.
Before going to bed, write down events that happened during the day.
When you wake up the next morning, record your dream.
You will start seeing a pattern with the recurring dream.
Once you know what it is that is causing these dreams and deal with the problems when you are awake, you will no longer have the recurring dream.
Can Dreams Really Predict the Future?Throughout history, people have claimed to have seen a vision or a prophecy in a dream. There is no scientific evidence to back this up, however a lot of people have experienced déjà vu at one time or another. Déjà vu is the experience of being absolutely sure that one has experienced or witnessed a situation that they are currently in. It's likely the person had dreamed of the event before it took place.
Dreams that are prophetic usually lack symbols and seem very real to the dreamer. If the dream is regarding a tragedy that is about to take place the dreamer may feel a sense of dread or panic that goes along with the dream.
Some famous prophetic dreams might surprise you.
Albert Einstein's theory of relativity was predicted in a dream.
Abraham Lincoln dreamed of his assassination hours before it happened.
Julius Caesar’s wife Calpurnia had a dream the night before he died that he would get stabbed by a friend.
Joan of Arc had a prophetic dream about her death.
In the early 20th century people dreamed of the Titanic sinking and cancelled their trips.
Many people dreamed of the 9/11 terrorist attacks before they happened. Some Common Dream SymbolsHere are some common dream symbols. Meanings may slightly vary from person to person. When interpreting your dream, keep in mind of all the other symbols in your dreams. This will help you get a better understanding of what your dream may mean. If I've missed some, please feel free to comment and add more dream symbols.
*These meanings are very general. A good hint is to use this guide and also take note of the feelings you are experiencing during your dream and when you wake up. You should also take into consideration what is going on in your life. Example, the dream meaning of being pregnant would not apply if you are pregnant or trying to get pregnant.
Aging: Could be fear of change or getting older. Could also symbolize forgiveness, letting go, wisdom, being at peace.
Babies: Something new, good news, a new project, happiness, responsibilities.
Being Chased: Fear, paranoia, running away from your problems.
Birth: A new project, the start of something new.
Cats: Aloofness, independence, vanity, beauty or could mean 'a catty person'.
Childhood home: Old beliefs, parent's ideas and beliefs. Out dated or old fashioned ideas about family.
Children: Innocence, happiness, being carefree and playful.
Could also mean immaturity or that you are being naive about something.
Death: An end of one phase and a beginning to another.
Dogs: Loyalty, friendship, trust and companionship.
Driving: Are you at the wheel? If you are then this dream is positive and means you are in control of your life. If someone else is driving it could mean that you are being controlled by another person. Pay attention to who is driving.
Falling: This has to be one of the most common dreams on this list. Some meanings are insecurities, fear, loss and worry.
Finding Valuables / Money:
Success and prosperity within reach.
Flying: Freedom and liberation.
Hair: Cutting hair symbolizes a loss of power. Bleaching hair may be a symbol for vanity. Losing hair can mean fear of aging, self consciousness, worried about how you appear to others.
Ladders and Stairs: Walking upstairs means success. Walking downstairs means failure. A spiraling stair case can mean your life is 'spiraling out of control'.
Lost: Not feeling in control, feelings of helplessness. Losing valuables /money could be a dream of contrary and mean unexpected gain.
New house: New phase in life, new beginnings, happy endings.
Nudity: Dreaming of being naked in public is very common. Usually in this dream, nobody notices you are nude. These types of dream can mean that you are feeling vulnerable. It could also mean you are unprepared for a project or in making a decsion. You could also be hiding something and are afraid of being 'exposed'. The fact that people in your dream do not notice you may mean your fears are unfounded and you may be overreacting to what people think of you.
School: A common dream for adults is being back in school, missing a class, being late or failing a test and then not being able to graduate. If you have had this dream you may be feeling like you are failing at something or are living below your potential.
Snakes: Watch out for back stabbers and false friends.
Strangers: Strangers in our dreams represent ourselves. Could be a part of our personalities we are not consciously aware of, or could be a hidden talent that we haven't yet discovered.
Teeth falling out: Another dream that is extremely common. There are many different theories to what this could mean so it's important to pay attention to other symbols in your dream. Teeth falling out could mean poor health, feelings of unattractiveness, fear of aging, general anxiety or a fear of rejection.
Water: Seeing clear water is a positive omen of good things to come. Dark, polluted or murky water may be a warning of bad things to come due to poor choices.
Once you start understanding your dreams things in life will begin to make more sense. You will begin to gain more self knowledge and start confronting your feelings. As you tap into your subconscious mind you may discover talents, fears and desires you never knew you had.
Dreams say what they mean, but they don't say it in daytime language. ~Gail GodwinMore About Dreams:Psychic dreams are common.
Do you believe you had a psychic dream?
There are different types of psychic dreams and clues to look for.
Read this hub to learn more.As you drift away into your dreams, you may find yourself in strange or unusual places. Perhaps you are in your childhood home or a house that is unfamilar to you. Maybe you are in a forest, surrounded by trees or near a dark, murky lake.Dreams are the means the unconscious uses to tell us something. You have to go very deep within you, and often with the help of a specialized professional, to find out the keys to solving what they mean. They...You may also like...Do you believe in an afterlife?
Science is coming closer to solving the mystery of what happens when we die.What is intuition and can it really improve our lives? Find out how intuition works and how you can sharpen your sixth sense.
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