For the past few days, FIS students have been involved in preparing to celebrate this event.
International Stream students at Jardine’s Lookout celebrated with a range of Chinese crafts followed by a CNY concert, including Chinese songs. They wished each other well and learnt how to make dumplings to welcome in the year of the Rooster.
Some parents and children from RCA enjoyed a very special family yoga class with the theme “Chinese New Year Animal Race”.
Year 8 students made lanterns and red envelopes. The Lantern Festival is an event celebrated in Chinese culture on the 15th day of the first month in the lunar calendar and it is one of the oldest and biggest family celebrations. During the festival, paper lanterns are hung and illuminated at night to symbolize the reunion of families and the beginning of spring.
Teaching a language is most effective when the students understand and live the culture.
Here are 10 superstitions related to Chinese New Year. Which of these does your family follow?
- Clean your home before Chinese New Year
- Don’t clean, especially sweep the floor, on the first day of Chinese New Year
- Don’t owe anyone money
- Don’t lend anyone money either.
- Don’t say bad language on the first day
- Don’t say ‘four’ in Chinese on the first day. It means ‘death’
- Don’t cry on the first day. You’ll cry all year
- Don’t eat meat on the first day
- Don’t visit people on the third day. You’ll argue with them
- Don’t wash your hair until the fifteenth day of New Year