2017 Year of the Rooster

2017 is the Year of the Red Rooster. Rooster in Chinese culture is a symbol of fertility and wealth: they lay eggs, golden eggs. They are at your back pushing your forward, dutifully announcing the dawning of the day with their beautiful voice to ask you to get ready for the new day.

The Chinese New Year is also known as the Spring Festival. It is the most important festival for the Chinese, and people start preparing for it some two weeks before: tidying and cleaning up, and then visit the Flower Markets which usually open around one week before the Chinese New Year Day to purchase flowers and pot plant to decorate the homes. The legend says there was once a monster which always appear on the first day of the Chinese New Year, and was a threat to the local people. However this monster did not like the colour red, and the sights and sounds of firecrackers can scare them away. Therefore, people during the Chinese New Year will post up red posters (Fai Chun) on the doorways, and distribute red pockets to the kids to celebrate.

Eating is also important, as the Chinese are rich in culinary heritage. There are numerous snacks, puddings and dishes which are created for the festival, and family members will get together to share and enjoy the meals.

In Hong Kong, the Chinese New Year becomes an attraction: there are the flower markets before the Chinese New Year. On the Chinese New Year Eve, we have the big bowl feast or a big dinner. On Chinese New Year Day, there is the evening parade and the the second day, fireworks. On the third day, it is the temple fair where a lot of people go to the temple for blessing for a prosperous year to come. The next Chinese New Year in 2018 falls on 16 February. Mark you diary and visit Hong Kong during Chinese New Year in 2018!