Chinese New Year's Association

In the Chinese world, two different calendars coexist. One is the universal national calendar introduced from the West, and the other is the traditional Chinese lunar calendar. Therefore, in the Chinese world, there will be two New Year's Eve and New Year's Eve, one is a gorgeous fireworks show and a New Year's Eve party, and the other is a New Year's Eve with the sound of firecrackers and family reunion. In addition, there are two Valentine's Days in the Chinese world. February 14th of the Chinese calendar is called Western Valentine's Day, and July 7th of the lunar calendar is called Qixi Valentine's Day.

Maybe there are other places in the world where two or more calendars are used at the same time, but the situation of celebrating festivals with two calendars at the same time always makes people feel a little unaccustomed to it, especially when it is just around January 1 of the national calendar. When I received the New Year's card, I was wishing everyone a Happy New Year. About a month or so, I have to spend another New Year and say a Happy New Year! I myself jokingly said: It is because I have to celebrate the New Year twice a year that I will age faster! ?

Among the two Chinese New Years, this time on January 1 of the Chinese calendar seems to be recognized as the New Year in the world. As the New Year's Eve party is getting bigger and bigger every year, the atmosphere of this New Year is not lost to the Lunar New Year one month later. The difference is that most of the Chinese New Years are young people who go out to find friends and count down, and then listen to concerts and watch the New Year's Eve fireworks show. There is no family reunion atmosphere, and only one day off.

The Lunar New Year holiday starts from New Year's Eve, usually on the fourth day of the new year. Unless Saturdays and Sundays are encountered, most work starts on the fifth day of the new year. During this five-day holiday, in addition to the sound of firecrackers, we will go around to pay New Year's greetings, and we will go back to our parents' home on the second day of the new year, which will lead to the paralysis of the national road and the large parking lot.

Although I personally think that the meaning of the Chinese New Year is more profound than that of the Chinese New Year, such as family reunion, New Year's greetings, etc., in this era where there is little interaction between relatives and friends, these few days of annual leave are almost what I can see in a year. The only chance for relatives (the other time was Qingming Festival). But in just a month or so, it is still strange to have to celebrate the New Year twice. Now that we have entered the industrial and commercial society, do we really have to stick to the Lunar New Year? The government clearly seems to want to de-sinicize, so why does it still follow the tradition and give red envelopes everywhere for New Year's greetings?

It was later discovered that Japan next door used to celebrate the Lunar New Year just like us, but under the Meiji Restoration, which aimed to "leave Asia and enter Europe", Emperor Meiji issued an edict to change the calendar, requiring the people to switch to the Western calendar, and to change the New Year's Eve. , Chinese New Year and other festivals are moved to December 31st and January 1st of the national calendar. Although the people have been dissatisfied at the moment, after the labor pain period, today's Japanese have become accustomed to making January 1 of the national calendar as wonderful as the Lunar New Year.

It is said that after the Northern Expedition was completed in the 17th year of the Republic of China and the reunification of the Republic of China was completed for the first time, Mr. Jiang also ordered the use of the Gregorian calendar and prohibited the people from celebrating the Lunar New Year. However, no matter how prohibited it was, people still couldn’t let go of this Chinese New Year custom that has lasted for thousands of years. Still secretly celebrating the Lunar New Year. Therefore, in the end, the government chose to compromise. After the government moved to Taiwan, both sides of the strait resumed the custom of celebrating the Lunar New Year.

However, although it seems that only the Chinese world is still celebrating the Lunar New Year, when you see NBA stars or members of AIT (American Association in Taiwan) recording a New Year's message in the news in the past few days, you will I found that there are still many people in the world who are paying attention to the biggest festival in the Chinese world. Although they practiced to speak some Chinese words, such as "Happy New Year", "Gong Xi Fa Cai", etc., it was actually to expand the market in the Chinese world.

In short, when the Chinese New Year becomes clearer, I admire Japan's decision during the Meiji Restoration, because by combining the two festivals into one, at least the people will not be confused. If the customs of family reunion around the fire on December 31, returning to your parents' home on January 2, and starting work on January 5, etc. can be maintained, the merger of the two festivals is not a bad thing.

If the two New Years are merged, there may be fewer holidays, which will make many people sad, but in fact, it should be businessmen who want more holidays! ? Aren't the many festivals today created by businessmen? I heard that the 14th of every month is Valentine's Day of a certain color! Another example is the strange "Singles' Day" on November 11th.

Closer to home, although the lunar new year has become less flavorful, these few days give us the opportunity and reason to visit relatives and friends that we haven’t seen in a year. This is probably because the lunar new year is more humane than the national calendar. place! Therefore, in comparison, I personally prefer the Lunar New Year. How about you?