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Today, 19 February, marks Chinese New Year, the longest and most important holiday in the Chinese calendar.
Millions of people will travel across China during the Chun Yun.
The world’s largest annual human migration is now well underway as 2.8 billion trips are made across China in what is known as chun yun, when students, migrant workers and office employees living away from home will make the journey back to celebrate with their families.
Although China has used the Gregorian calendar since 1912, Chinese New Year is based on the ancient Chinese lunar calendar, and it falls on the second new moon after winter solstice - somewhere between 21 January and 19 February, meaning it changes from year to year.
Goat or sheep?
2015 is the year of the goat, but you may see it referred to as the “Year of the Sheep” too.
The confusion stems from the Chinese character “yang”, which can translate in colloquial Chinese as either sheep or goat.
Those born in 1919, 1931, 1943, 1967, 1979, 1991 or 2003 are goats, who can count their lucky colours as brown, red and purple.
Their characters are supposedly kind and peaceable, while their best months are supposedly August and November and their lucky flowers are primroses and carnations.
Children will sleep with money under their pillow
Children will be given red envelopes filled with money to bring happiness and good fortune.
The envelopes themselves are good luck, as well as the contents, and some children will sleep with their envelopes under their pillow for up to seven days to increase their luck.
How to wish Happy New Year in Chinese
Wish people a happy new year by saying “Xin Nian Kuai Le” in Mandarin or “San Nin Faai Lok” in Cantonese.
HAPPY NEW YEAR + Xin Nian Kuai Le + San Nin Faai Lok + to CHINA
Source: The Independent