Celebrating the Lunar New Year
By Billy J. Choi-Gekas
February 10, 2024 is the beginning of the Lunar New Year, a celebration of Spring’s arrival and the beginning of a new year based on the lunisolar calendar. It is one of the most important holidays of the year for East & Southeast Asians, and for all those who share in this tradition across the globe. It commemorates a time of welcoming a new season of life filled with abundance by giving honour and gratitude to all the work and contributions of one鈥檚 ancestors, as well as living family members, and preparing for the year鈥檚 work to come.
Each year of the lunisolar calendar is represented by one of twelve Zodiac Animals included in the twelve constellations along the Sun鈥檚 path through the cosmos. Simultaneously, there is the cycle of the 5 Great Elements that give qualities to the collective animal zodiac that sets the context for the year according to an individual鈥檚 constitution. The year 2024 is the time of the 鈥淲ood-Dragon鈥� and you will see much iconography with dragons and the colours of gold, red, and green to celebrate and welcome in abundance, luck, and life!
Being of Korean descent, I celebrate 靹る偁 Seollal by ceremonially cooking a lot of food for my ancestors, family, and friends (彀 Charye), and celebrating with them through feasting (鞚岆车 Eumbok), to gain blessings and bowing in reverence to Ancestors/Elders (靹鸽鞍 Sebae), playing games, and sharing gifts.
靸堩暣 氤� 毵庫澊 氚涭溂靹胳殧 (Saehae bok mani badeuseyo)!
Wishing everyone good luck, and a powerful, abundant Wood-Dragon Year!
Billy J. Choi-Gekas
Graham Library Circulation Supervisor
Image: Older style Chinese calligraph of 鈥淭ree/Wood鈥� and 鈥淒ragon鈥� by Billy J. Choi-Gekas
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