Xīn Nián Kuài Lè 新年快乐 - Fú Dào Le 福到了
Those Chinese Characters on the Door
It's a homophone, a play on words. The character that is hung upside down is Fú - 福, pronounced “foo”. It means fortune or luck.
The pun - In Mandarin, saying Fú Dào Le means "luck or fortune has arrived". But the word "Dào" can also imply to fall down or turn upside-down. So, literally turning the character 福, Fú, upside-down is a play on words implying fortune has arrived.
On the door - You'll see the character, usually written in gold on a red background, hung on doors across the country by Chinese hoping for good fortune for the new year. The decorations are often left up all year so you may see it at any time. And why not? Everyone needs a little fortune heading their way.
Rabbit Horoscope 2023 – Luck and Feng Shui Predictions!
Based on the Rabbit Horoscope 2023, this year promises to be an excellent year for Rabbit natives when it comes to your professional life. You will get all the encouragement, inspiration, motivation, guidance, and assistance you need from your loved ones and friends. It is upon you to surround yourself with positive energies and be happy with your progress.
2023 Chinese year of the Black Water Rabbit will see you celebrate many achievements though you will have some issues with your health as the year begins. You need to be careful about the foods and drinks you allow into your body. Be honest with yourself when handling business deals with people. Do not involve yourself in dishonest deals because you will end up regretting your decisions and choices.
Chinese Astrology Forecast for 2023 calls on you to appreciate the love you receive in your life. You are surrounded by people who care for you dearly. Always be honest with your loved ones. If something is not working out in your romantic relationship, you should not force things.
Chinese New Year History
Chinese New Year, also known as the Lunar New Year or Spring Festival, is the most important traditional festival. Falling on the first day of the lunar calendar, the Chinese New Year has a history of over 4000 years. Chinese New Year can be traced back to 4000 years ago. Since there was no written record in Ancient Times (before 2000 BC), the exact beginning year is still uncertain. Some people believe that the Chinese New Year originated in Yushun Time (虞 舜 时 代 yú shùn shí daì). In Ancient Times, people believed astrology, they also thought ancestors and gods could control the fortune of people. So ancient people would go hunting and kill animals in winter, offering sacrifices to ancestors and gods at the beginning of the lunar year.
In Ancient Times, people didn't have the concept of a "year". They usually celebrated the "New Year" at the beginning of spring. In the Zhou Dynasty, the 11th lunar month was considered the beginning of the year (called 岁 首 suì shǒu or 正 月 zhēng yuè in Chinese) according to the Chinese sexagenary cycle. Though the leading custom was still offering sacrifices to ancestors and gods, some people started to worship nature and bless harvests at the turn of the year. From this time, the festival began to have names, such as 元 日 (yuán rì), 改 岁 (gǎi suì), or 献 岁 (xiàn suì). Chinese New Year Date Was Fixed 2000 Years Ago. In ancient times, the Chinese New Year celebration date varied from mid-winter to early spring. The date was fixed on the first of the first lunar month in the Han Dynasty. Besides offering sacrifices to ancestors and gods, some other celebrating activities appeared, such as burning bamboo and drinking Tusu wine (屠 苏 酒 tú sū jiǔ). In this time, Chinese New Year has different names as 正 日 (zhèng rì), 正 旦 (zhèng dàn), 岁 旦 (suì dàn). Chinese New Year Became a Popular Festival1000 Years Ago. Before the Tang Dynasty, Chinese New Year is only celebrated by the upper-class such as the royal family and rich people. With the development of the social economy, the celebrations of the Chinese New Year became popular among ordinary people. The function of the Chinese New Year is not only worshiping but also entertaining. More and more activities appeared, such as putting up Spring Festival couplets and staying up late on New Year's Eve. At this time, Chinese New Year has different names as 岁 日 (suì rì), 新 正 (xīn zhèng), 新 元 (xīn yuán).
From the Song Dynasty, more celebrating activities appeared, such as setting off firecrackers, guessing lantern riddles, and visiting relatives. People got a 7-day holiday during the festival. The customs were similar to those in modern times. Chinese New Year was an important festival in the Qing Dynasty. The royal family would hold huge celebrations and grand banquets. It was very extravagant. At this time, Chinese New Year has different names as 元 旦 (yuán dàn), and 元 日 (yuán rì). During the Beiyang government period (1912-1928), President Yuan Shikai decreed that the Chinese New Year would fall on the first day of the lunar month, and named it 春 节chūn jié (Spring Festival) in Chinese. While 元 旦 (yuán dàn) would fall on January 1 of the Gregorian calendar, it is considered the official start of the new year. Nowadays, Chinese people will have a 7-day holiday from Chinese New Year's Eve (除 夕 chú xí) to the sixth day of Chinese New Year. In 2023, the Chinese New Year holiday is from January 21st to January 27th. Besides traditional customs, some new celebrations appear. Watching the CCTV (China Central Television) Spring Festival Gala on Chinese New Year's Eve, giving digital red envelopes via Wechat, and going on a short trip become new trends in the New Year celebration.
