Chinese New Year is an important traditional Chinese holiday celebrated at the turn of the Chinese calendar.
Ringing in the Year of the Rooster
Celebrations across London mark the Chinese New Year
Saturday 28th January marks the first day of the 2017 Chinese lunar calendar and the Year of the Red Fire Rooster. The biggest Chinese New Year celebrations outside Asia, Chinese New Year celebrations in London will kick off on Friday 27th January for New Year's eve and culminate on Sunday, 29th January in Trafalgar Square and around London.
Every year, London lights up in celebration of Chinese culture and tradition. Hundreds of thousands of people descend on the West End to wish each other "Xin Nian Kuai Le" (Happy New Year in Mandarin) or "San Nin Faai Lok" (in Cantonese). This year, to ring in the Year the Rooster, events will include parades, activities and shows, fireworks, lanterns and lions.
Mr. Xiang Xiaowei, the Minister Counsellor of Cultural Affairs of the Chinese Embassy, said: "Chinese New Year is the ideal time to share happiness and joy, reinforce friendship and send best wishes and blessing to friends for the coming year. This year, the Rooster is an excellent sign for the UK's and China's strong economic and cultural relationship. The biggest opportunity so far is the "One belt One Road" initiative, which will nurture this relationship, linking the UK to countries in the Asia Pacific. The UK is one of the fastest growing tourist destinations for China and UK retailers will see an influx of Chinese visitors during this year's festive period. Equally, I am touched to see how the Chinese community treasure the tradition and will share these moments with communities across the UK. At a time when the world is facing myriads of uncertainty, the Chinese New Year provides an opportunity for us to share our commitment to mutual growth and celebrating together."
Though the festivities are now a staple of London's yearly festivities, outside of China, the origins of the festival are lesser known. The story typically begins with a mythical lion-like monster that preyed on villagers, called Nian (年), which is also the Chinese word for "year." The Nian was defeated by warding him off with drums and firecrackers, and by hanging red paper cutouts and scrolls on doors, a colour that scared the monster.
Traditional celebrations are rooted in the coming of spring, and the preparations for a new growing season. Customs include:
What's in store for Roosters in 2017
Beginning on January 28, 2017 and ending on February 15, 2018, Chinese New Year in 2017 marks the beginning of the Year of the Red Fire Rooster. Each year is related to an animal sign according to a 12-year cycle and the Rooster is tenth in the Chinese zodiac. Years of the Rooster include 1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017, and 2029.
According to Chinese astrology, rooster years are filled with integrity and efficiency. Hard work is the key to achieving success this year. Predictions suggest that this year can be beneficial to your career and financial investments, but you will need to time your business ventures well if you want to take advantage of the most profitable periods.
A Welsh dragon has emerged in central London today to celebrate that North Wales has been listed on the prestigious Lonely Planet ‘Best in Travel 2017’, which highlights the top 10 cities, countries and regions globally to visit in the year ahead.
Not only has North Wales been recognised as a top region to visit – a huge honour in itself – it is the only destination in the UK to make the cut.
The dragon has been touring Welsh castles since famously breaking the banks at Caerphilly Castle in March, and has attracted a wide range of visitors to experience some of Wales’s most celebrated heritage sites during the 2016 Year of Adventure.
For one day only – perfectly timed for October half term – it has arrived in London outside the City Information Centre, between St Paul's Cathedral and Millennium Bridge. Families and tourists are encouraged to stop and marvel at the size of the dragon, and share selfies with the hashtag #findyourepic.
Measuring four metres in length and two metres wide, the colossal creature has reptile-like black and red scales and an outreached claw ready to capture passers-by.
Wales has enjoyed two record-breaking years with visitor numbers crossing the 10 million mark for the first time in 2014, and record spend from domestic and overseas visitors in 2015. Wales is looking to sustain this performance with the raised profile from international events such as UEFA Euro 2016, and the success of the 2016 Year of Adventure tourism campaign.
Ken Skates, Welsh Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Infrastructure, commented: “This is such fantastic news for Wales as our Year of Adventure draws to a close. Being listed as one of the best in the world by such a well-respected and established publication such as the Lonely Planet is a real coup for North Wales.
“I’m sure it will make people who haven’t visited before think about Wales as a holiday destination and will also entice those who haven’t visited for a while back to Wales.”
Fast becoming known as the adventure capital of Europe, North Wales is a playground for thrill seekers, a haven for foodies, a hideout for stargazers and a goldmine for heritage seekers. With a series of truly world class attractions from high speed zip lining to inland surfing and underground trampolining, the region is home to World Heritage Sites such as Conwy and Caernarfon Castles as well as some of the best walking and cycling in Britain, all set against the spectacular backdrop of the Snowdonia mountains.
The dragon, which was sculpted and moulded before being built out of fibreglass, weighs a whopping one tonne and took a team of 15 six weeks to construct. It was created by Cardiff-based prop design specialists, Wild Creations.
The significance of the dragon in Welsh culture is believed to date back to Arthurian legend when Merlin had a vision of a red dragon – representing native Britons – fighting a white dragon – the Saxon invaders. Today the emblem is recognisable all over the world on the green and white background of the Welsh national flag.
