By Fr. Vaclav Klement, SDB

EAO, 7 February 2016 - In many countries of East Asia the Lunar New Year (February 8, 2016) is a major traditional Feast-Day, celebrated mainly in family-centered manner in China, Korea, Vietnam and in some other South East Asian countries (Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines and Thailand) and within the Chinese cultural zone among the migrants also in Europe, USA or Australia.

Tet festival in Vietnam, Seolnal holiday in Korea, Spring festival in China - different names, but all this lunar Year of the Monkey according the Chinese 12 animals zodiac.

Early in the morning on Lunar New Year’s Day, families will dress in traditional cloth for the ancestral rite, during which they will pay respect to their late ancestors. Dozens of dishes will be laid out on the table for the rite, prepared by female family members over several days ahead of the New Year. There will be a big family breakfast, and of course the requisite deep bows offered to the family elders wishing them a happy, healthy new year. The elders, in return, offer some wise words, and the younger ones get red envelope or cash gift as well.

Next Lunar New Year will be celebrated in 2017 – Rooster Year (January 28), 2018 – Dog Year (February 16), 2019 – Pig Year (February 5), 2020 – Rat Year (January 25) etc.

For the Salesians in the Chinese cultural zone it means usually one full week of holiday and family centered time.

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