Date of Chinese New Year 2008

Chinese New Year 2008 is the date of Feb 7th, 2008.


Greetings of Chinese New Year 2008

At Chinese New Year, just saying Happy New Year to your Chinese friends is not enough, you should share the following good wishes:

　新年快乐 (xīn nián kuài lè) Happy New Year!
　过年好！ (guò nián hǎo) Happy New Year!
　恭喜发财！ (gōnɡ xǐ fā cái) I wish You Great Prosperity!
　鼠年吉祥！ (shǔ nián jí xián) Good Luck in the Year of the Rat!


Traditions of Chinese New Year 2008

It is said that there was a monster called 年 (nián) in ancient time of China. The 年 monster was huge-sized and with antenna coming out of his head. Usually, it lived at the deep bottom of ocean, but in the New Year’s Eve, it comes out to devour the livestock and people living in the villages. However, after many years and many losses people discovered that the 年 monster was afraid of the color red, bright lights and slam-bang noises. So on the New Year's Eve 除夕 (chú xī), Chinese people put couplets written on red paper up on their gate, hung red lanterns across gate beams, set off fireworks and stayed up all night, which was called 守岁 (shǒu suì) in China and people still follow this tradition today. The 守岁 tradition shares the deep lingering feelings from the passing year and a nice longing for the coming new year.

If you are living in China or going to spend the New Year 2008 with your Chinese friends, you can experience Chinese New Year yourself.


2008, Year of the Rat!

　本命年 (běn mìng nián) one's year of birth considered in relation to the 12 Terrestrial Branches
　生肖 (shēng xiào) Chinese zodiac, 12 animals symbolic of the Terrestrial Branches

本命年 refers to the year you were born. It matches with one of 12 animals of Chinese Zodiac called 生肖. In the coming of one's 本命年, according to Chinese tradition, one should wear a red belt and red socks and stitch a red cloth stripe on one’s coat. Because 本命年 is also called a threshold year which it is believed is hard to get through. Chinese people believe that red is a lucky color, which can help people rid themselves of any misfortunes coming from their 本命年.

Chinese New Year 2008 is the Year of the Rat!
If you were born in 1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008, you belong to the Rat, so New Year’s 2008 is your 本命年.


Source: chinesenewyear2008.wordpress.com