5 Fun Facts About Lunar New Year 2019 and Chinese Year of the Pig

The Lunar New Year starts on Feb 5th and goes on until Feb15th when it commences with the stunning lantern festival. It is a time of great celebration, fun, food and family traditions in China, Korea, Vietnam along with many other eastern countries. The Lunar New Year is also referred to as the spring festival, lantern festival and dragon festival. Some facts about one of the most famous and well celebrated events anywhere:

1. In Chinese mythology there are 5 basic elements, which govern all existence and universe – fire, earth, air, wood and metal. As well there are Every 2 years, the ruling element changes into the next element.
2. The Chinese Zodiac, is based on a twelve-year cycle, each year in that cycle is related to an animal sign. These signs in order are the rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog and pig. It’s your Chinese year of birth that determines your Chinese animal sign as well as your Chinese cosmic element.
3. Originally spring festival was ceremonial day for praying to the Gods, thanking them for a good planting and harvest season. This is a time when many people worship their deities as well as their ancestors. They clean out their houses to steer away ill fortune and bring in good luck, make paper cut outs and hang them around the house to bring in good fortune. Giving money out to friends and family red envelopes is considered especially auspicious.
4. Chinese new year is one of the longest holidays and millions of people leave work in bigger cities to reunite with families for the holiday. It is known as a cause of the largest human migrations in the world with nearly 100 million people slated to be travelling during the first two weeks of February this year.
5. 2019 ushers in the “Year of the Pig” as per Chinese Astrology and it brings wealth and good fortune your way. Last of the twelve animals on Chinese calendar, pig’s natural element is water so this year will have a high impact on your emotions and intuitions. This is great year for entrepreneurs to make money and for creatives to shine in their field.