The 2020 Chinese New Year starts on January 25 and will last until Lunar New Year’s Eve on February 11, 2021.What should we need to know about Chinese Lunar New Year?

Zodiac
Every year has an animal assigned to it as a zodiac symbol. Just like in the Western zodiac, the Chinese zodiac also has 12 symbols. 2019 was the Year of the Pig and when the Chinese New Year begins in 2020, it will be the Year of the Metal Rat. Your zodiac year is usually considered to be unlucky in Chinese tradition. As such, if you were born in any of the “rat years,” this year may prove to be the toughest among the past 11 years.

“People born in the Year of the Rat are instinctive, acute, and alert in nature which makes them… brilliant businessmen. They can always react properly before the worst circumstances take place. They are also sophisticated and popular in social interaction. They are sanguine and very adaptable, being popular with others,” according to Travel China Guide.


The ‘breaking’ taboo
Breaking objects made of ceramic or glass is thought to cut your connection from fortune and prosperity. As such, if something like a bowl or plate is dropped, people usually wrap up the pieces quickly with a red paper or cloth while chanting auspicious phrases. Once the New Year celebrations are over, the wrapped-up shards are thrown into a river or a lake.


Money for kids
It is a tradition for elders to gift children with money in red envelopes during the New Year. It is believed that this symbolizes the transfer of fortune from the elders to the younger ones. The trend of giving red envelopes to kids has an interesting story behind it. There apparently used to be an evil spirit named Sui who would pat the heads of children three times on New Year’s Eve. This would give the kids a fever. Even if the child recovered, they would never be the same as before.

“One couple entertained their child with some coins at night. When he fell asleep, they placed the coins on red paper and left it by the pillow. When Sui came, the coins flashed and frightened it away,” according to Chinese New Year.

In the modern world, some people send money online through digital red pockets. In a few cases, people send a digital red envelope in group chats and watch other people fight to claim it, a custom that is called qiang hongbao or “snatching red pockets.”


Cleanliness
Chinese do not wash their hair on New Year’s Day since it is seen as washing one’s fortune away at the start of the year. Almost all hair salons in the country remain closed during the New Year holiday. Even sweeping or taking out garbage from the home is not done, as such activities are believed to remove good luck from the premises.


No medicines
People also do not take any medicine on New Year’s Day since it is believed that doing so would make one sick for the entire year. Patients who require surgery avoid scheduling it during the New Year holiday. Visits to doctors and hospitals are also avoided.


2020中国新年小知识
2020中国新年将从公元1月25日开始，一直到来年2月11日除夕为止。即将到来的新年有哪些人们需要了解的小知识呢？


属相
中国文化中，每一年都会用一个动物来标记。与西方的星象学相似，中国的属相也有12个。以2019年为例，这一年是猪年，按照属相推算，即将到来的一年则为鼠年。这一年出生的人称之为本命年。传统的说法，本命年意味著运气不佳，比如：属鼠的人在明年的运势会是过去11年以来最差的。

按照《中国旅行手册》的说法，鼠年出生的人天生直觉很强、敏锐而且充满警觉，这让特点会让他们成为出色的生意人。鼠年出生的人通常会对形势作出恰当的反应，从而避免最坏的情况发生。在社交中，他们会表现出复杂，同时却受欢迎的一面。自信、适应力强会让他们很容易与人相处。


禁忌
打碎瓷器或玻璃被认为是切断了财运。因此，在过年时，中国人要是摔碎了碗或盘子，都会很快将碎片用红纸或红布包起来，同时会念诵吉祥话。当新年庆祝结束后，这些包好的碎片将会被扔到河流或湖泊里。


压岁钱
过年时，长辈们会用红信封包好压岁钱送给孩子，这是中国的古老习俗。中国人相信这个举动象征财富将会从老一辈人传到下一辈人手上。

给孩子红信封包好的压岁钱还有一个有趣的故事。传说中，“岁”是个恶灵。它会在除夕夜拍三次孩子们的头，这会让孩子们发烧。即使康复，也无法恢复原样。

因此，一对夫妇在除夕夜用硬币逗孩子玩。当小孩子睡著后，这对夫妻便把硬币装进红色的信封中放到孩子的枕边。当岁来的时候，硬币会闪光，从而把“岁”吓跑。

在现代社会，人们会在网上发送电子红包。有时，有人会在群中发出红包，群里的很多人会相互争抢，这成为一个新的习俗。


扫除
中国人通常不会在大年初一洗头，因为传统上认为，这会把一年的财运都冲走。全中国的发廊通常都会在这一天关门。大年初一这一天，中国人甚至不会在家中打扫卫生，或是清理垃圾。这被认为会扫走来年的好运。


禁药
在新年的第一天，中国人会禁食任何一种药物，因为传统的观念认为，这一天使用药物会让人在一年中遭受病痛。一些需要手术的病患也会回避大年初一这个时段。人们通常也不会选择在这一天寻医就诊。