The date of Lunar New Year differs every year and in many cultures, each year is also associated with an animal from the zodiac
Chinese New Year celebrations in Liverpool in 2024(Image: Liverpool Echo)
Chinese New Year, also known as the Spring Festival, falls in January in 2025. Lunar New Year is a spectacular festival and for many cultures across Asia it is the most important of the year.
The festival begins on the first day of the first lunar month in the calendar, and ends with the ‘Lantern Festival’ on the 15th day. The festival celebrates the beginning of a new year on the traditional lunisolar Chinese calendar. This year, Wednesday, January 29, 2025, will mark in the beginning of the Year of the Snake.
Last year, the Year of the Dragon, Liverpool’s Chinatown became a festival of sound and confetti with a packed programme of free events for everyone to enjoy. Landmarks throughout the region, such as Sefton Park Palm House, the Royal Liver Building and Liverpool Town Hall, have been known to light up in red to signify good fortune.
While it is a period of huge celebration within the UK, it is not a public holiday like it is in China and other Asian countries. Despite this, Merseyside-based Chinese-owned businesses, along with others across the country, may close temporarily or have different operating hours due to the importance of the holiday.
While a full programme of events is yet to be confirmed, the streets will once again be decorated with beautiful Chinese lanterns in celebration of Chinese New Year. Not only that, but Liverpool’s celebrations will include the traditional parade, live music performances, food stalls with delicious Chinese food, art workshops, and activities.
Wirral Chinese Association New Year celebrations, at Wirral Change, Birkenhead(Image: Andrew Teebay Liverpool Echo)
National Museums Liverpool will be holding special events on February 1, February 8 and February 22 between 11am and 12pm, and 1pm to 4pm at the Museum of Liverpool. As the museum looks forward to its special ‘Lion Dance’ display on Sunday, February 23 this year, there will be a number of creative sessions where guests can enjoy a free craft activity for all ages.
The date of Lunar New Year differs every year and in many cultures, each year is also associated with an animal from the zodiac. Often the animals are the same across different Asian countries, including China, South Korea, North Korea, Singapore and Cambodia.
There are some important differences in some countries, such as Japan, where the boar is represented instead of the pig in their zodiac. The Vietnamese zodiac has the buffalo instead of the ox and the cat instead of the rabbit. And in Thailand, instead of the dragon, people have Naga, a mythical, snake-like monster, which is worshipped to bring fertility and wealth.
Jenny Deng and Chinese Dragon, at the Wirral Chinese Association New Year celebrations, at Wirral Change, Birkenhead(Image: Andrew Teebay Liverpool Echo)
Unlike most other calendars, the Chinese calendar does not count years in an infinite sequence. Instead years have names that are repeated every 60 years, corresponding to five repeats of the Chinese zodiac cycle of 12 animals.
The sequence of animals in the Chinese zodiac is:
- Rat
- Ox
- Tiger
- Hare or rabbit
- Dragon
- Snake
- Horse
- Sheep
- Monkey
- Rooster
- Dog
- Pig
This system for naming years has been in use for about the last 2000 years, but is traditionally extrapolated back to 2637 BCE when the calendar was supposed to have been invented.