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| Color of the day: White
Incense of the day: Sandalwood All that has been said about New Year's celebrations in general applies to the Chinese New Year. We find the world falling into chaos, even as it is reborn. Here chaos takes the form of demons that threaten the well-being of the community. The first duty, then, of celebrants on this day is to expel demons by lighting fireworks and making as much noise as possible. Another weapon in the arsenal against evil is the color red. On this day in China, streets and homes are draped with endless red decorations. This may seem like innocent fun, but at its heart these acts are a magical necessity to protect oneself from chaos. The ritual aspect of this activity is brought to light by the street performance of the dragon with numerous human legs. Once the community is purified, good fortune throughout the year is assured by making offerings to the gods of health and wealth. Offerings can also be given to your ancestors and to monks and priests. The Chinese ginger jar, a ceramic pot with a lid, was originally created for holding gifts of ginger, candy, or tea. Once the contents were used, the jar was returned to the person who gave the gift. Unlike the astrology of the West, which proceeds through all twelve signs of the zodiac each year, the Chinese system aligns each year in a twelve-year cycle with one of the signs. This is the year 4702 on the Chinese calendar, and it is the year of the monkey. All those born in this year will share certain traits. These include cleverness, skillfulness, and success in financial matters. Monkeys are intelligent and good learners with much common sense, but they discourage too easily and may suffer from undue pride. |
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