CNY – The Year Of The Rabbit
Next weekend sees the start of the new Chinese New Year – The Year Of The Rabbit – Therefore, it’s time to share some facts and information about this annual celebration.
When
This year’s national holiday in China starts on Sunday 22nd January and finishes on Sunday 5th 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, this year that comes particularly early against the Western calendar. Chinese New Year 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 partly hindered by restrictions since the outbreak of the pandemic, but China’s recent move away from their ‘zero tolerance approach’ should help things return towards normal.
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.
2022 is the Year Of The Rabbit, which symbolises mercy, elegance, and beauty, the rabbit is known to be the luckiest of the twelve zodiac animals.
People who are born in the year of the rabbit are calm and peaceful. They avoid fighting and arguing at all times, but are artistic and have good taste in life.
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
Dragon – 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012
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.
However, with demand dipping during recent months, last minute congestion has not been quite as significant this year.
