Festivities begin for Chinese Year of the Pig
By Stephie Bertholdo bertholdo@theacorn.com

BILL SPARKES/Acorn Newspapers CELEBRATING THE SWINE- From left, Emily Meschke, Laurel Mooney and Tia Johnson of Camarillo are just about to go onstage to perform at the Chinese New Year celebration held at Constitution Park in Camarillo recently. An audience of about 250 people turned out for the festivities. Below, Eric Ingham (inside the lion) welcomes the Chinese Year of the Golden Pig, which occurs every 12 years.

The 15-day Chinese New Year kicks off the "Year of the Pig" on Sunday, and the swine will be celebrated all year long.

The Chinese commemorate the new year with observances of ancient traditions, legends and superstitions, parades, dancing, fireworks and plenty of food.

One of the legends tells of a man-eating, mountain-dwelling beast from ancient China called the nián. The creature is said to silently enter homes to prey on humans. People learned that the beast was afraid of loud noises and sensitive to the color red. These beliefs led to the first Chinese New Year celebration with fireworks displays and ample splashes of red.

In Chinese, "Guò nián" is taken as "to celebrate the New Year," but literally, the phrase denotes the passing of the nián, according to experts on the holiday.

Andi Long, a Calabasas resident who attends Oak Park High School, celebrates with her large extended family in Monterey Park. "We go out to dinner at a Chinese restaurant," Long said. Decorated envelopes with money inside are given to children, she said.

Long's family observances are based on the Chinese tradition of recognizing the presence of ancestors during a New Year's Eve dinner. The living celebrate with the spirits of the dead in a communal feast symbolizing family and unity while honoring past and present generations. The feast is called "weilu," meaning "surrounding the stove."

Chinese New Year festivities, based on the movements of the sun and moon, begin with the new moon and end at the following full moon with the Lantern Festival. The event lights the evening sky with spectacular lantern displays and a parade of children carrying the lamps.

BILL SPARKES/Acorn Newspapers LEAPING INTO THE NEW YEAR- Amanda Sheu, 14, performs a flag dance at the Chinese New Year Celebration held at Constitution Park in Camarillo recently.

The Chinese calendar is based on a combination of lunar and solar movements. The variations explain why Chinese New Year falls on a different date each year. The lunar cycle lasts 29.5 days, so to catch up with the calendar, an extra month is inserted into the calendar every few years (seven years out of a 19-year cycle).

The custom is similar to the Gregorian calendar's leap year, the addition of an extra day every fourth year.

Traditional Chinese families perform special customs on each of the 15 days leading up to the Lantern Festival. On the first day, many people abstain from eating meat, believing that so doing will ensure long and happy lives.

On Day 2 the Chinese pray to their ancestors and the gods. According to legend, people are especially kind to dogs that day since it is believed that the second day of the new year is every dog's birthday.

Sonsinlaw should pay respect to their in-laws on the third and fourth days.

"Po Woo" is acknowledged on Day 5 to welcome the God of Wealth. Families stay home alone on this day because legend tells of bad luck befalling visitors and families alike if the God of Wealth is not properly greeted.

During the period of visiting friends and family, other customs are celebrated. Farmers typically display their produce on the seventh day of the new year, and the day is also considered the birthday of all mankind.

Another family reunion dinner is held on Day 8. Day 9 is reserved for offerings to the Jade Emperor.

More feasting is typical for the 10th through 12th days, but the 13th day is used to cleanse the system. Simple fare such as rice and mustard greens is often served. The day immediately prior to the Lantern Festival is reserved for preparations.

Long's family participates in some of the culture's ancient traditions, including displaying various bright red symbols and cleaning their home before New Year's Day arrives. Legend says that if a home is cleaned on New Year's Day, all good fortune will be swept away.