When is Chinese New Year 2023?

Chinese New Year, also known as Spring Festival or Lunar New Year, is a traditional holiday in China that marks the beginning of a new lunar year. The date of Chinese New Year is determined by the Chinese lunar calendar, which is based on the cycles of the moon.

Also Read: –Chinese New Year in Malaysia 2023

In 2023, Chinese New Year will start on February 10th, 2023 and it will be the Year of the Pig according to the Chinese zodiac. The Chinese New Year celebration will last for 15 days, ending on February 25th, 2023.

Chinese New Year is a major holiday in China and is celebrated by Chinese communities around the world. The celebration is characterized by traditional customs such as family reunions, giving red envelopes filled with money to children, and eating special foods. There are also parades and dragon and lion dances, fireworks and other cultural events. It’s a time for family, friends and loved ones to come together and celebrate, wishing each other good luck and prosperity for the coming year.

The Chinese New Year is a time for family celebrations and ancestor worship. Numerous businesses close throughout the seven-day vacation so that individuals can spend time with their families at home. Up to the Lantern Festival, which will be on February 5, 2023 for the Year of the Rabbit, celebrations can go up to 15 days. There are a number of customs that are observed not just in China but also in a number of other nations where the Chinese New Year is observed.

The legend of villages being terrorised by the supernatural creature Nian () is thought to be the origin of Chinese New Year celebrations. Families’ versions of the events differ, but generally speaking, the story involves the villagers frightening Nian away with firecrackers, bright red flags, and loud drumming. Putting up red decorations and lighting rockets and firecrackers to welcome the new year have now become customs for Chinese New Year. Other festivities include taking in dragon and lion dances, dining with family, making sacrifices for the dead, and giving gifts like red envelopes containing money.

The Lunar New Year or the Spring Festival are other names for the Chinese New Year. These titles refer to the celebration of warmer weather and fresh growth, as well as the use of the lunisolar calendar to predict the date of the upcoming Chinese New Year. The week just before the Chinese New Year is frequently referred to as the Spring Migration because many Chinese people will travel considerable distances to return home and enjoy the occasion with their family.

Cleaning during the first five days of the festivities is frowned upon since it is believed to sweep the good fortune from the year. Cleaning is therefore frequently done in the days preceding the first day of the Chinese New Year. It’s a time to gather as a family to celebrate and look forward to the pleasant things the new year will bring.

What is the Chinese New Year 2023 Animal? 

Beginning on January 22nd, 2023, and lasting through February 9th, 2024, the Chinese New Year of 2023 is a Water Rabbit Year.

The Rabbit’s most recent and prospective years are 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011, 2023, and 2035. You are a Rabbit if you were born in one of the years. In 2023, the year of your zodiac sign (benmingnian), which is considered unlucky, will occur.

Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig are the 12 animals that make up the Chinese zodiac.

The Chinese Zodiac is a 12-year cycle, with each year represented by a different animal. The animals in the Chinese zodiac are rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog, and pig.

To determine your Chinese zodiac animal, you will need to know your birth year according to the Chinese lunar calendar.

• Rat: 1912, 1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008, 2020
• Ox: 1913, 1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009, 2021
• Tiger: 1914, 1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010, 2022
• Rabbit: 1915, 1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011, 2023
• Dragon: 1916, 1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012, 2024
• Snake: 1917, 1929, 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013, 2025
• Horse: 1918, 1930, 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014, 2026
• Sheep: 1919, 1931, 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015, 2027
• Monkey: 1920, 1932, 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016, 2028
• Rooster: 1921, 1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017, 2029
• Dog: 1922, 1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006, 2018, 2030
• Pig: 1923, 1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007, 2019, 2031

Why Does Chinese New Year Date Change Every Year?

The Chinese Lunar Calendar, which is based on the cycles of the moon and sun and is typically 21–51 days behind the Gregorian (the calendar used internationally), determines the date.

Chinese New Year is celebrated on a different date each year, but it always occurs between January 21 and February 20. Chinese New Year falls on a new moon day, which typically occurs two weeks after the winter solstice.

How Long is the Chinese New Year Holiday?

From Chinese New Year’s Eve through the sixth day of the lunar calendar new year, China observes a seven-day public holiday for the Lunar New Year.

Most non-essential services, including offices, banks, factories, shops, and other establishments, will be closed for a week. Hotels and big-box stores remain open and may even experience more traffic! Migrant labourers forgo weeks of work in factories and construction during the four-week long school breaks in order to go home.

Holidays last one to three days in Hong Kong, Macao, and other Asian nations including Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, and Korea.

How Long is Chinese New Year 2023?

• Chinese New Year’s Eve on January 21st, 2023
• Chinese New Year’s Day on January 22nd, 2023
• The Lantern Festival on February 5th, 2023

Chinese New Year Dates in 2023, 2024, 2025