新年好！新年快乐！
Millions prepare to celebrate Chinese Lunar New Year
Millions of people are preparing to
celebrate Lunar New Year, also known as Chinese New Year, the most important
annual holiday in much of Asia.
The new year begins on Sunday, when the new moon is seen in the sky.
In the Chinese zodiac, this year will be the year of the snake, taking over from the dragon of 2012.
In China, an estimated 200 million people are travelling to be with their families in what is considered the biggest mass human migration on Earth.
The holiday will continue throughout the week, with government offices and businesses shut down.
The snake has a mixed reputation in China. It is associated with wisdom, beauty and intelligence but also pride and anger.
Pollution concerns
Residents of Beijing braved freezing temperatures on Saturday night to let off fireworks, which are believed to ward off evil spirits.
However, the displays in the capital were reportedly more muted than in previous years, starting later at night than usual and ending earlier on Sunday morning.
The city authorities had asked people to set off fewer fireworks because of dangerous levels of air pollution and a high number of smoggy days during the past month.
There was a sharp reduction in the sale of fireworks in the city, with 260,000 boxes purchased in the five days leading up to the new year, a 37% drop compared with last year, according to the official Xinhua news agency.
City environmental bureau readings showed 2.5 microgram pollution levels well above the 200 mark in most parts of the city at midday on Sunday, but these were well below the readings of 700 seen in January. Last year's fireworks sent pollution levels as high as 1,500.
Saturday evening also saw an anticipated 700 million people watch state television's annual TV gala, a variety performance show in which Celine Dion sang her theme tune from the movie Titanic.
Our correspondent says that, according to one well-known Chinese songwriter, My Heart Will Go On is one of two English songs that are well known in China. The other is Happy Birthday.
The gala's producers were ordered to make the show a more low-key affair, in the wake of the new leadership's recent crackdown on corruption and official extravagance.
Before Saturday's celebrations began, Communist Party chief Xi Jinping, who will become president in March, paid a visit to subway construction workers in Beijing to thank them for their service.
"Migrant workers have been the labour force behind China's reform and opening up... so we must look after you properly," he said. "I hope the construction firm has organised some new year entertainment for you so you can have a happy holiday."
Premier Wen Jiabao, who steps down in March, meanwhile celebrated the evening with victims of earthquakes and landslides in western China, state TV reported.
In Taiwan, President Ma Ying-jeou handed out traditional red envelopes containing money - in this case one Taiwanese dollar ($0.03; £0.02) - to people at a temple in Taipei.
Fireworks were also let off in Sydney.
Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard wished the 900,000 Australians of Chinese descent a "healthy and prosperous Year of the Snake" on Twitter.
Vocabulary:
to take over from -
far-flung (adj) -
a spike in -
to tune in -
a theme tune -
a low key affair -
in the wake of sth -
a crackdown -
to set off (fireworks) -
wisdom (n) -
pride (n) / proud (adj) -
vast (adj) -
a crowd / crowded (adj) -
to last -
to be on the move -
to bear messages -
to slice (v,n) -
noodles (n) -
throughout (prep) -
to take over from -
far-flung (adj) -
a spike in -
to tune in -
a theme tune -
a low key affair -
in the wake of sth -
a crackdown -
to set off (fireworks) -
wisdom (n) -
pride (n) / proud (adj) -
vast (adj) -
a crowd / crowded (adj) -
to last -
to be on the move -
to bear messages -
to slice (v,n) -
noodles (n) -
throughout (prep) -
Video Comprehension Questions:
- How do they call the Chinese New Year in China?
- How long have they been celebrating "the New Year"?
- What 3 things did villagers use to scare the wild beast away?
- What 3 things "took many lives" during the year?
- What change did China make in 1911?
- What things do they buy for the New Year celebrations?
- What is the significance of the colour red?
- What is the significance of the fish and chicken, and their heads and tails?
- What do they do after the New Year meal?
- How do they begin and end the festivities?
Austerity for Chinese New Year Source: BBC Words in the News (Listening with transcript)
Comments
I leave my comment about Chinese Lunar New Year. I did it with your help, as you know, because video questions are a bit of difficulty and thank you. My responses are:
1.- The spring festival.
2.- 2.000 b. C.
3.- Red colour, loud noise and bright light.
4.- Flood, famine and sickness.
5.- The beginning at the first day of January.
6.- Food, clothes and shoes.
7.- Happiness and abundances.
8.- Fish means abundance, chicken means good luck and heads and tails mean the beginning and the end of the year.
9.- Firecrackers and fireworks.
10.- The beginning with a parade with signal of lanterns, colours, costumes and noises. The end of holiday, switching off light.
The beast that scares to villagers must be the big dragon as it appears in the video, but the year 2012 is the year of the snake, as you say in the previous comment. I’m not sure. On the other hand, Spanish Christmas last four or five days only, while holidays of the Chinese New Year last fifteen days, it’s unbelievable.
See you.
Here's the transcript:
Bright colors, spirited parades and the pop of firecrackers, they’re the unforgettable sights and sounds of the Spring Festival commonly known in the west as Chinese New Year. It's a celebration that last 15 days - the most colourful and important holiday of the Chinese calander.
The Chinese have been celebrating the New Year since 2000 BC, but the origins of this now joyous holiday were born of fear and myth, not festivity.
An ancient Chinese legend tells the story of the wild beast "Nian" who appeared each year at the end of winter, attacking and killing villagers.
To scare the beast away, they use the color “red”, loud noise and bright light. The customs of Chinese New Year were born.
“Nian” is also the Chinese word for “year”. And much like a wild beast, the year was something to be feared as flood, famine and sickness took many lives. On the New Year, families gathered for a reunion to see who had survived and to wish the best for the year to come. Today the tradition continues as families celebrate the New Year together.
Throughout the centuries, Chinese New Year celebrations have been held at different times under different emperors. In 1911, the republic of China was established under Sun Yat-sen. Soon after the country adopted the foreign solar-based Gregorian calendar, establishing New Year celebrations for January 1st.
During the political turmoil of early 20th century, the Chinese government returned to its roots and reestablished the traditional lunar calendar to set the dates for holidays.
Chinese New Year is celebrated at the beginning of the 1st month of the lunar calendar around late January, early February on the Western calendar. People crowd city streets buying new clothes and shoes. They shop for the best firecrackers and choose special ingredients for the festive meal.
Red is the color of happiness and abundance. Auspicious symbols written on red paper hang in every store window and home to bring good fortune.
Families enjoy the New Year’s Eve feast with plate after plate of elaborate food, the most symbolic meal of the year. A whole fish stands for abundance, a chicken for good luck, both served with head and tail, symbolizing a good beginning and end for the coming year.
After the meal, elders pass out small red envelopes called “Hongbao”. Each has New Year greeting on the outside and lucky money on the inside.
On the 1st day of the New Year, people take to the streets, filling the day with the explosion of firecrackers. The celebration continues for two weeks with traditional ceremonies and days of rest.
On the 15th day, the lantern festival arrives, signalling the end of the holiday. It is a tradition that can be traced back to 200 BC, when the emperors of the Han Density lit their palace with lanterns to pay tribute to the universe.
The beast that scares the villagers must be the big dragon which appears in the video, but the year 2012 is the year of the snake, as you say in a previous comment. I’m not sure. On the other hand, Spanish Christmas lasts four or five days only, while holidays of the Chinese New Year last fifteen days, it’s unbelievable.