East Asia celebrates Year of the Horse with parades and festivities • FRANCE 24 English

Key Concepts

• Lunar New Year/Spring Festival: The most important traditional holiday in many Asian countries, marking the beginning of a new year based on the lunar calendar.
• Year of the Horse (specifically, Fire Horse): A zodiac year in the Chinese calendar, believed to influence events and personalities. The Fire Horse is considered particularly auspicious.
• Tet: The Vietnamese name for the Lunar New Year.
• Auspicious: Considered likely to bring good luck or success.
• Sticky Rice Cake (Banh Chung/Tet Cake): A traditional food prepared and consumed during Tet in Vietnam.
• Red Envelopes (Hongbao/Li Xi): Traditional gifts of money given during Lunar New Year, symbolizing good luck and prosperity.

Lunar New Year Celebrations Across Asia

The Lunar New Year, commencing Tuesday and marking the Year of the Horse, is being widely celebrated across Asia and globally. Preparations are in full swing, evidenced by bustling activity in traditional markets like one shown in Taiwan, where shoppers are stocking up for the holidays. This period represents the most significant holiday of the year for many cultures.

Regional Celebrations: China, Malaysia, and Vietnam

Celebrations vary by country. In China, the Spring Festival is characterized by large-scale events including grand parades, performances, elaborate light shows, and the display of lanterns. Banquets are central to the festivities. Malaysia features vibrant street performances, notably giant horse puppets. In Vietnam, known as Tet, people are actively purchasing red envelopes (Li Xi) for gifting money and horse-themed decorations, particularly in Hanoi’s Old Quarter.

Significance of the Year of the Fire Horse

The Year of the Horse, and specifically the Fire Horse, holds particular significance. Chinese astrology views the horse as a symbol of growth and momentum. The addition of the “fire” element is believed to amplify this, representing energy and transformation, making the year especially auspicious.

The Importance of Family Reunion

A central theme across all celebrations is the importance of family reunion. A Vietnamese shopper interviewed stated, “It means a lot to me because I get to return to my hometown to visit my grandparents and make the traditional sticky rice cake. Tet is a time of reunion. I’m really looking forward to it.” This sentiment is echoed by a Chinese traveler who emphasized the necessity of returning home to fully experience the “festival atmosphere” and spend time with family – children, grandchildren, and spouses.

Mass Travel and Logistics

The Lunar New Year is the world’s largest annual human migration. In China alone, hundreds of millions of people are traveling across the country, with celebrations even occurring on trains. This highlights the logistical scale of the holiday and the commitment people make to return home.

Symbolic Gestures and Animal Involvement

The celebrations extend beyond human participation. Dozens of baby pandas in Sichuan province participated by sending New Year’s greetings via video. Furthermore, twin pandas made their public debut at the Shanghai Wild Animal Park, anticipating increased visitor numbers during the holiday period. This inclusion of animals adds a unique cultural dimension to the festivities.

Conclusion

The Lunar New Year, particularly the Year of the Fire Horse, is a period of profound cultural significance, emphasizing family reunion, tradition, and optimism for the future. The scale of the celebrations, from bustling markets to mass travel and even animal participation, underscores its importance as the world’s largest and most widely observed annual holiday.