英语课程计划-Chinese New Year's Day（在线收听）

Chinese New Year is the most important of the Chinese holidays. Many people who live outside China call it the Lunar New Year. People celebrate this holiday all across the world. Chinese New Year’s Day begins on the first day of the first lunar month in the Chinese calendar. It ends on the 15th day. This day is called the Lantern Festival and is another time to celebrate and have a party. Chinese New Year’s Day changes every year because of the Chinese zodiac. The exact day depends on if it is the year of the dragon, rat, horse, dog, etc. It is always some time between January the 21st and February the 20th. The Chinese are not in agreement which year it is. This year is one of three possibilities – depending on which scholar you believe.

The first day of the Chinese New Year is when Chinese people welcome the different gods to their homes. There are many superstitions on this day. Many people believe that not eating meat will bring them a long life. Others believe it is bad luck to light fires so many people cook the day before. Other bad luck things to do on New Year’s Day is getting a haircut, sweeping the floor and buying books. The most important thing to do on this day is to visit your family. Children like this day because they get money from their older relatives. It is a very festive time. People hang red lanterns from their houses and cook all kinds of traditional food. It is also very noisy as people let off firecrackers and fireworks in the street to celebrate.