WRITER: CONFUCIUS INSTITUTE OF ASSUMPTION UNIVERSITY

On January 19, 2023, Confucius Institute at Assumption University (CIAU) organized 2023 Chinese New Year celebration, at AU Library, 4th Floor, CL Building, Suvarnabhumi Campus, Assumption University of Thailand, to celebrate the upcoming Chinese New Year, which falls on Sunday, January 22, 2023, staring a year of the Rabbit.

It is our honor to have Rev. Bro. Dr. Bancha Saenghiran, President of Assumption University of Thailand (AU), Rev. Bro. Dr. Amnuay Yoonprayong, Vice Rector for Moral Development Education, The University Campus Minister, Rev. Bro. Dr. Verayuth Boonpram, Vice President for Student Affairs, to unveil the Chinese New Year blessings couplets together.

These blessing couplets are:

 新年快乐：Happy Chinese New Year.

恭喜发财：Wish you prosperity and wealth.

万事如意：Wish you all the best.

大吉大利：May you have great luck and great profit.

学业进步：May your studies improve.

心想事成：May all your wishes come true.

CIAU has prepared five Chinese cultural experience booths, which are making Bingtang Hulu, a candied fruit on a stick, writing Chinese blessings, guessing riddles, Fortune Telling Games, trying on traditional Chinese costumes.

 
 
 

AU Members wore Chinese traditional costumes, ate sweet candied Bingtang Hulu, took group photos with friends, and wrote Chinese characters on red paper with black ink. Everyone can have fun at the event.

 
 

Chinese New Year is the first day of the year of lunar calendar, also called Lunar New Year. It is the most ceremonious and most bustling holiday in China. CIAU celebrates the Chinese New Year with all AU members and hopes to bring good wishes to everyone. In 2023, CIAU will continue to provide free Chinese language courses and Chinese cultural activities for all AU members. People who are interested in Chinese culture are welcome to visit CIAU.

Chinese New Year

Photo/ZHOU XIUYUCHUN/XINHUA

The Spring Festival is the first day of the lunar calendar, also called Lunar New Year, and commonly referred to as the Chinese New Year. It is among China’s most ceremonious and most bustling holiday.

Chinese New Year customs:

  1. Bringing in the New Year

New Year’s Eve Reunion Dinner/China Highlights Photo

On New Year's Eve, everybody reunites with his or her family, when the meal is finished, everyone sits in a circle under a lantern of beside a stove, sharing stories of the passing old year and discussing the new one forthcoming. The New Year's Eve overnight vigil signifies the driving away of evil, plague, sickness, and epidemic, and also express good fortune in the New Year.

  1. Dust Sweep

Sweep the dust for the house. /CGTN Photo

According to an ancient Chinese idiom, “On the 24th day of the 12th lunar month, brush off the dust and sweep the house.”  In Mandarin, the words “dust” and “old” are homophones, meaning the Spring Festival’s Dust Sweep attempts to rid the old and bring in the new by sweeping everything unlucky out the door. Therefore, as the Spring Festival approaches, every family thoroughly cleans the house.

  1. Write couplets and “Fu” character

Write couplet and Fu character. /CGTN Photo

Every Spring Festival Chinese have a big red scroll pasted to their door, in efforts to heighten the festive atmosphere. Some family members also paste on the gates, walls, the character “fu” in various sizes. “fu” refer to good fortune, good fate, protection, and look forward to a happy future and granted wishes. Some people will bluntly tear down “fu”, expressing they have already achieved happiness and good forutne.

  1. Lighting Firecrackers

Setting Off Firecrackers and Fireworks//China Highlights Photo

Chinese people have a saying, “open the door and light a firecracker”. This indicates as the first day of the New Year arrives, the first thing every household commonly does is open its door and lights a firecracker, hoping the explosions removing the old and welcoming the new.

  1. New Year Greetings

On New Year's day, everyone gets up early, puts on new clothes and a new hat, and decorates him or herself beautifully. They then go out and visit friends and relatives to wishing them happiness and good fortune in the new year. When expressing New Year's wishes, the younger generation must first pay their respects to the older generation by bidding them longevity and good health. In advance, the elders may prepare New Year's money by wrapping it in red paper and giving it to the children, receiving the money allows the younger generation to pass safely through another year.