Reverend Norman Fong at the 2020 San Francisco Chinese New Year Fair
The alleys are cleared, ruby-red lanterns hang overhead, and Reverend Norman Fong asks for a microphone.
The 71-year-old resident of San Francisco’s Chinatown has been leading the city’s annual Chinese New Year parade for two decades – but this year is different.
For the first time anywhere in the US, the Lunar New Year will be an official state holiday in California.
This Sunday marks the start of two weeks of festivities marking the Lunar New Year, which is celebrated by millions of people in China, East Asia and around the world.
“It’s about rebuilding relationships, debt forgiveness and it’s almost religious because it’s a new beginning in your life,” Mr Fong said.
“You wish everyone – even your enemies – peace, love and restoration.”
Although the holiday has long been celebrated in Chinatowns across the US, this year marks the first time it has been recognized by a state government.
Civil servants will not get a paid day off, but the new appointment is seen as a gesture of solidarity amid a wave of anti-Asian sentiment and violence fueled by the pandemic.
Between March 2020 and 2022, the nonprofit organization Stop AAPI Hate recorded nearly 11,500 hate incidents against Asian Americans, ranging from verbal harassment to violent beatings.
Home to more than six million residents of Asian descent, California has become an epicenter of bigotry, with more than a third (4,333) of documented incidents, according to the Stop AAPI HATE report.
Although hate incidents no longer dominate the news, Asian Americans, especially older adults and women, still “don’t feel safe and many have lost a sense of belonging,” said Manjusha Kulkarni, co-founder of the organization.
“The California Declaration really tells us that our communities deserve to be seen and heard, and we deserve to celebrate,” she added.
“Normalizing the Asian American experience as part of the broader American experience and moving away from excluding and minimizing our community is so important.”
San Francisco’s Chinatown celebrations are a great example of this merging of cultures.
The parade attracts three million spectators and television viewers annually, according to its website. Filled with floats, firecrackers and marching bands, it is considered the largest gathering of its kind outside of Asia. The calendar of events also includes a Miss Chinatown beauty pageant, a basketball tournament and a YMCA run.
There are also plenty of celebrations elsewhere in the country. San Jose’s Tet Festival will feature calligraphy, karaoke and martial arts. Monterey Park will transform its downtown into a carnival fun zone filled with food stands and fun rides.
In the southern city of Pasadena, Lok Man Fan will miss the chatter and hubbub of her native Hong Kong – but she makes up for it with festive hospitality.
The 36-year-old recipe blogger prepared lo bak go (beetroot cake) and lok tang ci (sesame rice dumplings), and decorated her home with traditional red banners and orchids for good luck.
Her family may be far away, she says, but “when I participate in New Year’s traditions, I feel like I’m closer to them.”
Lok Man Fan (right) celebrates the New Year at home in Pasadena with his wife (center)
She argued that the rise of anti-Asian bigotry during Covid has galvanized the community, prompting many to seek greater visibility and openly embrace their roots and proclaim their heritage.
“We can be American and also embrace our culture, and we can both coexist,” she asserted.
But if mutual understanding between Asian and non-Asian communities is improving, it hasn’t been easy, says Reverend Fong.
When his father immigrated to the U.S. in 1919, the Chinese Exclusion Act — a federal law that barred most Chinese workers from entering the country — was in effect, and the reverend says his father faced frequent racial abuse.
Rev. Fong himself recalled being beaten and “tortured” in high school by a gang of Italian teenagers, who called him “Chinese” and believed that Chinatown was encroaching on their neighboring neighborhood.
But he poured himself into the community that raised him. He is the longtime pastor of the Presbyterian Church in the Heart of Chinatown, the oldest Asian church in the US.
In three decades at the helm of the Chinatown Community Development Center, he helped keep Asian residents and businesses afloat through affordable housing projects, zoning restrictions and eviction protection. And decades after his Italian beating, he opened a “noodle fest” so residents of Chinatown and the neighboring Italian-American neighborhood of North Beach could have what he calls a “fair fight” — chow mein versus spaghetti.
“It’s [about] inviting people to love our history and our neighborhood,” he said, “and that will help all Americans get our true history and also participate [in our culture] in a positive way.”
Lanterns are erected in San Francisco’s Chinatown
And as the year of the tiger turns into the year of the rabbit, Reverend Fong enters the new year with renewed hope.
“There have always been two Americas – America the ugly and America the beautiful – and I’m fighting for the beautiful,” he said.
“It was the tiger in the year we just went through, but the rabbit is seen as sweet and peaceful, so I hope the year will be more peaceful.”
When and where is the Lunar New Year celebrated?
The Lunar New Year is a celebration of the arrival of spring and the beginning of a new year according to the lunisolar calendar. It is the most important holiday in China, and is also widely celebrated in South Korea, Vietnam and countries with significant overseas Chinese populations.
Where is the Lunar New Year celebrated? Celebrated in China, South Korea, Vietnam, Indonesia and other parts of Asia influenced by Chinese culture, the Lunar New Year is a cultural holiday based on the cycles of the moon and is celebrated for 15 days. In Minnesota, Asians make up 5.4 percent of the population, according to the latest data from the US Census Bureau.
Is Lunar New Year Chinese or Japanese?
The Lunar New Year is a multi-day public holiday in China, North and South Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Indonesia, Singapore, Brunei and Vietnam. Filial bonds usually take center stage during this period as people return to their hometowns to observe the holiday with their families.
Is Lunar New Year only for Chinese?
The Chinese community and its diaspora are not the only ones who follow the celebrations according to the lunar calendar. The Lunar New Year is celebrated in many other Asian countries, including Vietnam, Korea, Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysia.
Is Japanese New Year the same as Chinese New Year?
Although the Japanese New Year no longer coincides with the Chinese Spring Festival, Japan still uses a 12-year zodiac that is very similar to the Chinese, and many nengaiÅ depict the New Year’s zodiac animal.
Do you celebrate Lunar New Year on the eve or day?
Chinese New Year is the most important time. Wherever they are, people are expected to be at home to celebrate the festival with their families. The Chinese New Year dinner is called “reunion dinner”.
Do you celebrate Chinese New Year the night before?
January 14, 2023: New Year Shopping Before Chinese New Year, people buy New Year food and snacks, New Year decorations and New Year clothes, fireworks, etc.
What time is Chinese New Year Eve?
Over a billion people in China and millions around the world celebrate the Lunar New Year, which will fall on January 22 in 2023. The start of the holiday coincides with the date of the new moon in Asia, which will fall at 20:53 UTC on January 21, 2023. So it will be 4:53 AM in Beijing on January 22.
When was Lunar New Year first celebrated?
Chinese New Year has a history of about 3,500 years. Its exact start date is not recorded. Some people believe that the Chinese New Year originated in the Shang Dynasty (1600-1046 BC), when people held sacrificial ceremonies to honor the gods and ancestors at the beginning or end of each year.
How long has Chinese New Year been celebrated Who started it?
The Chinese New Year is thought to date back to the Shang Dynasty in the 14th century BC. During the reign of Emperor Wu of Han (140-87 BC), the tradition of performing rituals on the first day of the Chinese calendar year began.
Is Lunar New Year invented by Chinese?
China (mainland) The celebration is believed to be one of the prototypes of the Chinese New Year. The first dated Chinese New Year celebration can be traced back to the Warring States period (475 BC to 221 AD).
What happens if you shower on Chinese New Year?
How many days after Chinese New Year can you wash your hair? “On the first two days of the New Year, we do not wash our hair because it will wash away our luck. In the first 15 days, you can wash your hair once with pomelo leaves, then washing your hair becomes normal.
What you should not do on Chinese New Year?
Chinese New Year Taboos and Superstitions: 18 Things You Shouldn’t Do
- Avoid taking medication. …
- It does not sweep or take out the trash. …
- No unfortunate words. …
- Don’t eat porridge and meat for breakfast. …
- Avoid hair washing and cutting. …
- Do not wash clothes. …
- Manual work should not be done. …
- Do not use scissors or knives.
What not to eat on Chinese New Year’s?
In Chinese tradition, white is an unlucky color because it symbolizes death, so all white food is served in celebration. Tofu, eggs, rice, cauliflower, white cheeses – say goodbye to them for the night. Instead, fill your New Year’s table with other colorful foods.
What you Cannot do on Chinese New Year?
On the first day of the lunar year: No washing, hair or bathing. The first and second day of the lunar year is the birthday of the “Water God”, so you should not use water to show respect to the Water God. No sweeping the floor or taking out the trash. If you do, you carry your wealth.
Can you shower during Chinese New Year?
Wash or cut your hair This means that washing or cutting your hair is considered a wash of your wealth and dramatically reduces the chances of prosperity in the coming year. In fact, LNY fundamentalists will tell you that showers are also prohibited on the first day for the same reason.
Can you wash your hair on Chinese New Year?
On the first day of Chinese New Year, you must not wash or cut your hair. In Cantonese, hair is pronounced as faat (é«®), which is the same as the word for âbogatitiâ (ç¼). If you wash your hair, it means you are washing your wealth for the next 364 days.
Can I wet my hair on Chinese New Year?
DO NOT wash or cut your hair On the first day of Chinese New Year you must not wash or cut your hair. In Cantonese, hair is pronounced as faat (é«®), which is the same as the word for âbogatitiâ (ç¼). If you wash your hair, it means you are washing your wealth for the next 364 days.
Which is forbidden during the Chinese New Year?
There are many taboos on this day. No washing clothes, hair or bathing. The first and second day of the lunar year is the birthday of the “Water God”, so you should not use water to show respect to the Water God. No sweeping the floor or taking out the trash.
Is it bad luck to wash your hair on New Year’s Eve?
Doing laundry during the holidays can also mean washing your luck down the drain with the wash water. For similar reasons, many cultures believe that washing your hair on New Year’s is also bad luck, so you might want to skip washing anything on the holiday to be safe.
What are 5 Chinese New Year traditions?
Start the Year of the Rabbit off on a happy note….
- 1. Make a Lunar New Year centerpiece with Lucky Money. “The first thing everyone does is make a centerpiece out of oranges and tangerines,” says Young. …
- Decorate with flowers. …
- Tidy up. …
- 4. Make a Lunar New Year feast. …
- Eat sweets for the Lunar New Year.
What is the most important tradition for Chinese New Year? The Chinese New Year meal is the most important dinner of the year. Families usually gather at the house of certain relatives for dinner, but these days many families often celebrate New Year’s dinner in a restaurant.
What is traditional for Chinese New Year?
Celebrations that usher in the old year and bring good luck and prosperity in the new year often include firecrackers, fireworks and red clothing and decorations. Young people are given money in colorful red envelopes. In addition, Chinese New Year is a time for feasting and visiting family members.
What are traditions for Chinese New Year?
Today, it is also celebrated by Chinese communities outside the country. Lion dance, dragon dance, temple fairs, flower market shopping and so on are just some of these rich and colorful activities. Before the New Year, people will clean their houses to get rid of dirt, garbage and other unwanted things.
What brings good luck for Chinese New Year?
Oranges and Other Citrus Oranges, kumquats, tangerines and pomelo are common food gifts for Chinese New Year because they are believed to bring good luck and fortune. The Chinese words for orange and tangerine are very similar to the words for luck and wealth. The color gold also symbolizes prosperity.
What countries celebrate Chinese New Year 2023?
It is widely celebrated in most East Asian countries, including China, South Korea, Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Japan, the Philippines, and Indonesia.
Who is celebrating Lunar New Year 2023 Lunar New Year, also known as the Spring Festival, is the most famous and longest of all Asian festivals, and is followed by millions of people around the world. A number of other East Asian countries, including Vietnam, Korea, Japan and the Philippines, hold their own New Year’s celebrations at this time.
Do all countries celebrate Chinese New Year?
The Lunar New Year is a national holiday in China that lasts for several days. It is also a public holiday in countries such as Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, North Korea, Singapore, South Korea and Vietnam. It is not a public holiday in countries such as Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom or the United States.
Which countries don’t celebrate Chinese New Year?
Japan is one of the few countries in East Asia that does not celebrate the Lunar New Year, one of the world’s biggest celebrations.
Do Japanese celebrate Chinese New Year?
Because the Japanese do not celebrate the Lunar New Year and because Korea was a Japanese colony from 1910 to 1945, the celebration was suppressed during this period, and was silenced during the subsequent period of military dictatorship in the South.
What countries recognize Chinese New Year?
Today, the Lunar New Year is a special time to gather friends and family for feasts and celebrations in China, Korea, Vietnam, Japan, Mongolia and other countries around the world.
How many countries celebrate Chinese New Year’s?
Along with Han Chinese in and outside of Greater China, as many as 29 of China’s 55 ethnic minority groups also celebrate Chinese New Year. Korea, Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines celebrate it as an official festival.
Does Japan recognize Chinese New Year?
Furthermore, the Lunar New Year is still celebrated in Japan due to the large number of Chinese migrants and their descendants who keep this important holiday alive, both for themselves and for the tens of thousands of festival-goers.
Which nationalities celebrate Lunar New Year?
China, Vietnam and South Korea celebrate the Lunar New Year in addition to the Solar New Year. Mongolians and Tibetans celebrate the New Year in February or early March, based on the closely related Mongolian and Tibetan lunisolar calendars.
Which countries use lunar calendar?
Today’s lunisolar calendars include the Chinese, Vietnamese, Hindu, Hebrew, and Thai calendars. Synodic months are 29 or 30 days long, making the 12-month lunar year approximately 11 to 12 days shorter than the solar year.
What country celebrates the Lunar New Year?
The Lunar New Year is a multi-day public holiday in China, North and South Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Indonesia, Singapore, Brunei and Vietnam. Filial bonds usually take center stage during this period as people return to their hometowns to observe the holiday with their families.