CNY – The Year Of The Dragon
This weekend sees the start of the new Chinese New Year – The Year Of The Dragon – Therefore, it’s time to share some facts and information about this annual celebration.
When
This year’s national holiday in China starts on Saturday 10th February and finishes on Sunday 25th February. The celebrations last for two weeks and close with the Lantern Festival, which is the 15th Lunar day of the new year.
Chinese New Year’s Day marks the beginning of a new year on the traditional lunisolar Chinese calendar, it is also known as Lunar New Year or Spring Festival.
Travel
The holiday period focuses very much around visiting family members. People often go to extraordinary lengths to be with their family during this period and travel back home from all corners of the globe. The days preceding Chinese New Year sees the the largest migration of people on the planet.
Travel around CNY has been hindered for a few years by restrictions during and following Coronavirus pandemic, but following China’s lengthy zero tolerance approach, things returned to normal last year.
Traditions
One tradition is for individuals to thoroughly clean their houses prior to the event to ward off bad spirits and bad luck. During the Lantern Festival people decorate their homes and businesses with red lanterns, and parades line streets, where dancers create long, brightly coloured dragons that are believed to bring good luck.
Zodiac Animals
Every Chinese Lunar Year is represented by one of 12 zodiac animals. According to folklore, your animal year determines your personality traits and characteristics.
2024 is the Year Of The Dragon, which symbolises power, nobility, honor, luck, and success. People who are born in the year of the dragon posses natural courage, tenacity, and intelligence, often displaying enthusiasm and confidence.
Ideal partners for dragons are people born in the year of the Rat, Monkey and Rooster.
Your Animal
Your animal is determined by the lunar year you were born. However, those born in the calendar months January to March will need closer inspection, as they may fall in the previous lunar year.
Rat – 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008, 2020
Ox – 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009, 2021
Tiger – 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010, 2022
Rabbit – 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011, 2023
Dragon – 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012, 2024
Snake – 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013
Horse – 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014
Sheep – 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015
Monkey – 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016
Rooster – 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017
Dog – 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006, 2018
Pig – 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007, 2019
Supply Chain
Chinese export production during the holiday season usually suffers from a 2/3 week lag and exporters are traditionally clamouring to get urgent orders completed in factories prior to the break.
Ordinarily, there would be a drop in demand immediately following the Chinese New Year holiday. However, we know that the situation in the Red Sea has led to an increase in demand and a shortage of equipment, so the market outlook is a bit more uncertain this time around.
