Fu 福 ("luck") turned upside-down
Sticking it this way means in the chinese language "fu dao 福倒" (luck turning upside down), but the "dao 倒" (upside down) also sounds the same as "dao 到" (arrive)
Thus such representation also generally means "fu dao 福到＂(luck arrives or comes).
Chinese New Year, explained in 11 festive images
1. It's the year of the sheepgoat
2. This is the biggest transportation clusterf*ck on Earth
3. Chinese New Year extends far beyond China
4. A dancing lion for good fortune
5. Not to be confused with the dancing dragon
6. Food isn't just food
7. Homophones are a big part of the celebration
8. People decorate with poetry
9. All red everything
10. State TV broadcasts a four-hour variety show on New Year's Eve
11. The celebration ends with the Lantern Festival
Chinese New Year: where to eat and celebrate in Chinatowns around the world
London, UK
New York, US
Boston, US
Toronto, Canada
Vancouver, Canada
Bangkok, Thailand
Paris, France
Singapore
Manchester, UK
Los Angeles, US
Chinese New Year 2015: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know
It’s the Chinese New Year, and it’s one of the most ancient calendars still in existence in modern times. The calendar also marks a new zodiac year, ending the 2014 year or the horse and bringing on the year of another quadrupedal vegetarian. But there’s some confusion whether it’s the year of the sheep, ram, or goat.
Read on to find out 5 fast facts about this once Sinosphere celebration that has entered into worldwide domain.
3. So What Year are They Celebrating?
4. What do Dragons Have to Do With It?
5. It’s a Public Holiday in Many Countries
Is It the Year of the Sheep, Goat, or Ram?
Actually, Chinese people are also not quite sure about that. In Chinese the word 羊 (yáng) is a generic term, and can refer to a sheep (绵羊), goat (山羊), ram/buck (公羊 male sheep or goat), 羚羊 (antelope), etc. There is a lack of clear definition on the zodiac “Goat” in Chinese history.
However, most Chinese people and experts on folklore believe that the Chinese zodiac animal is the Goat, not the Sheep, and they have some evidence to support their idea:
- Firstly, the Chinese zodiac is an invention of the Han Nationality, and goats were widely raised by the Han people (unlike sheep), so the zodiac animal is more likely to refer to a goat.
- Secondly, a Goat image often appears on Chinese zodiac stamps, New Year paper cuttings, and New Year paintings (not a sheep).
- Thirdly, the Goat was one of the 12 bronze statues of the Chinese zodiac at the Old Summer Palace. Although its head was lost, its present reproduction according to historical records is the image of a goat.
