Spring Festival - Tumblr Posts
Spring Festival Alfonse!
檀仁TANRENCAT：🐂年有🐟
Artist 檀仁TANRENCAT: Ox/cow year have fish (extra).
Others
Click here to go to Main Walkthrough.
Play the Puzzle Game during the Spring Festival. 300 coins per game.
You will win an image if you complete the game.
Thanks teenanime for this information !
Chinese Solar Calendar: 小暑 Minor Heat
You may have heard about the Chinese Lunar calendar, but what's the solar calendar?
The Lunar Calendar is based on the phases of the moon, divided into 12 months. It's used for determining festivals e.g. Spring Festival/Chinese New Year.
The Solar Calendar however, is based on the Earth's orbit around the Sun, and it's divided into 24 phases, each lasting around 15 days.
Historically, this has been used for agriculture and specific seasonal activities, as each new season would be an indicator of a change in the weather and allow farmers to plan and prepare accordingly.
Currently we're about to enter 小暑 (Xiǎoshǔ) Minor Heat, so here are some customs and interesting information about this upcoming time period!
小暑 Minor Heat is the 11th solar phase and it starts approximately from July 6-8. Minor Heat, like its' name, has relatively hot and humid weather, with thunderstorms and monsoons being quite common. The weather and rainfall may vary, as northern regions in China tend to be colder with their rainy seasons starting later.
Food:
Eel, Mung bean soup, lotus roots and lotus leaf porridge, watermelon rind dew.
Customs:
"Eating New Food Custom" 食新习俗 (Shíxīn xísú). This is an old custom where some regions would use newly harvested rice and wheat to make flour, from which they would make various breads and noodles and share them with friends and family for good fortune and a good harvest.
"Eating Dumplings" 吃饺子 (Chī jiǎozi). Relatively self-explanatory. This period of time is quite hot and people tend to be not as hungry, which is why dumplings are considered to be the best food to stimulate hunger. I for one can't think of an occasion where I would refuse dumplings, so this may indeed be true.
Drying things on the 6th day of the 6th lunar month. Drying paintings and clothes is believed to prevent them from being by insects
Proverbs:
雨打小暑头，四十五天不用牛 (Yǔ dǎ xiǎoshǔ tóu, sìshíwǔ tiān bùyòng niú): If it rains at the start of Minnor Heat, no cattle will be needed for 45 days.
小暑交大暑，热得无处躲 (Xiǎoshǔ jiāodà shǔ, rè dé wú chù duǒ): From Lesser Heat to Greater Heat, it's so hot that there's no place to hide.
The Lunar New Year: A Celebration of Tradition and Renewal Shaina Tranquilino February 10, 2024
The start of a new year is always an exciting time. It brings with it a sense of hope, possibility, and the opportunity for a fresh start. For billions of people around the world, this renewal takes place during the Lunar New Year. Also known as Chinese New Year or Spring Festival, the Lunar New Year is celebrated by various Asian communities worldwide. It follows the lunar calendar and typically falls between late January and mid-February. This vibrant festival lasts for 15 days and is marked by colourful decorations, delicious food, family gatherings, and age-old traditions.
One of the most iconic symbols associated with the Lunar New Year is the zodiac animal. Each year in the lunar cycle corresponds to one of twelve animals – rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep/goat/ram, monkey, rooster, dog, and pig. These animals are believed to influence personality traits and predict fortunes for individuals born in their respective years. In 2024, we will bid farewell to the hopeful Year of the Rabbit and welcome the strong Year of the Dragon.
Preparations for Lunar New Year begin weeks in advance as families clean their homes from top to bottom to sweep away any misfortune from the previous year. This cleaning ritual symbolizes a fresh start and invites good luck into their lives. Decorations play a significant role too; red lanterns are hung outside houses to ward off evil spirits while paper cutouts featuring auspicious phrases adorn windows and doors.
Food plays an integral part in Lunar New Year celebrations. Families gather around tables filled with sumptuous dishes that hold both symbolic meaning and cultural significance. Some popular culinary delights include dumplings (symbolizing wealth), fish (representing abundance), rice cakes (for prosperity), and oranges (a symbol of good luck). The reunion dinner on Lunar New Year's Eve is a cherished tradition where family members come together to share a meal and exchange blessings for the upcoming year.
One of the highlights of Lunar New Year is undoubtedly the lion and dragon dances. Colourful lion costumes are donned, accompanied by the thundering beats of drums and cymbals, as performers mimic the movements of these mythical creatures. The dance is believed to bring good fortune and scare away evil spirits. Fireworks also illuminate the night sky during this festive period, symbolizing warding off bad luck and welcoming prosperity.
Another cherished tradition during Lunar New Year is giving red envelopes or "hongbao." These small, red packets contain money and are gifted to children, unmarried adults, and employees as a symbol of good luck and blessings for a prosperous year ahead. It's an act of generosity that fosters joy and excitement among recipients.
Beyond the festivities itself, Lunar New Year holds deep cultural significance. It serves as an occasion for families to honour their ancestors through prayers and offerings at ancestral altars. This reverence for one's heritage strengthens familial bonds, instills values, and preserves traditions across generations.
While celebrations may differ slightly from country to country or region to region, the spirit of unity, hopefulness, and renewal remains constant throughout Asia during this auspicious time. Regardless of nationality or ethnicity, Lunar New Year has become increasingly embraced globally as people recognize its universal appeal in bringing communities together.
Lunar New Year is a vibrant festival that encapsulates centuries-old traditions while embracing new beginnings. It is a time when families come together, wishes are made for prosperity and happiness abound. As we enter another lunar cycle with the arrival of the Year of the Dragon in 2024, let us celebrate diversity and cherish our shared humanity through this beautiful celebration that unites us all. Happy Lunar New Year!
Who: @elliemulligan
Where: The Spring Festival
Neena wasn’t as mobile as she had hoped to be by now, but even she had to admit it was a vast improvement over where she started. The cast was off now and she had a large boot instead that went up to her knee. Having only gotten the cast off yesterday she had wanted to celebrate? And what better way than with the Spring Festival? Sitting at a bench with her crutches leaning by her, she waited for Stevie to return with the kids. They’d all go get some food from one of the booths and Neena had agreed to spend some time with her nieces and nephew. Time to let cool Aunt Neena shine through. Glancing up from her phone she noticed a familiar head of blonde hair. “Ellie!” She called out, waving at her friend from high school. Yet another person she hadn’t seen recently with her horrible time locked up in her apartment.
Neena was still stuck to the first floor of her condo. Jeremy had been a good neighbor to have, because she felt like she was bothering him at all hours of the day to slowly take all her belongings from upstairs down for her. After the first couple nights, he did even move her mattress downstairs for her since the pull out in her office wasn't the best. Still, she was glad she'd been determined to come out today. Even if this was a challenge with the uneven ground, she was too cooped up and suffering from cabin fever to stay inside. "Like I could ever go after your brand." Neena laughed and motioned for Ellie to join her on the bench. "I've been better, but I am slowly healing. Just wish it'd go faster." Neena was impatient after all.
Ellie's enthusiasm for the Spring Festival was beginning to wear off but then she heard a very familiar voice. Her face lit up as she turned to see Neena. "Nee!" she pretty much squealed as she bounded toward the other. "Are you coming for my brand?" she jokingly asked, gesturing to the boot and then her own prosthetic foot, which was covered by her jeans and boots. She sat herself down, relieved that there was space on Neena's left side so that her good ear could be towards the other. "I've missed you, how are you doing?" she asked.
