Global Q&A: ‘How is Chinese New Year celebrated in your country?’

Barcelona, Spain: Alicia Crespo Alvarez, 41, Saleswoman: Barcelona is one of the cities where it is celebrated in a big way, because of the number of Chinese citizens living here. At home, they perform their traditions such as cleaning their home or business, throwing out old brushes, cleaning cutlery and glasses, putting away scissors and knives so as not to attract bad luck. They also perform a parade with dragons in the middle of the city. On the Chinese calendar, I would be born in the “Year of the Ox” and the year 2015 is represented as the year of the Goat, yin energy—a symbol of peace, social harmony, and tranquillity. It is the eighth sign of the Chinese calendar, which is a lucky number and of prosperity and peace, according to Chinese beliefs.

Chinese New Year is a very important event and is celebrated in a big way wherever there is a large local Chinese community. However, these celebrations are not so well known in countries where there is a small local Chinese community. This is what Epoch Times reporters from areas such as Spain to Peru discovered when they asked locals,

“How is Chinese New Year celebrated in your country?”

 

Puerto Montt, Chile: Magdalena Silva, 55, Independent Merchant: In my country, [Chinese New Year] is quite unknown. It does not have a connotation to many other festivities that are already part of our customs, such as our religious festivals, which have been introduced; although the Chinese have proliferated in my country and have become famous for their business expansions. For me to find out about their New Year celebrations, I had to visit their websites to get a sense of their festivities, which seemed very rich in traditions and content. It seemed surprising that they are held for so long; we prepare for it in only 24 hours and everything is behind us—a few cabals and that's all. It is understandable that a nation with so much tradition and history performs so much joyous noise.

 

Bogotá, Colombia: Cesar Alberto Cifuentes, 35, Teacher: I do not really celebrate it particularly; it is a unique celebration of China and countries of the world that have a relationship with China. But maybe there is something of an influence in the respect that each year it has an animal, for example, the year of the Dragon, et cetera. Animals are representative of Chinese culture, and then I think it has relevance if one believes in that animal, or in the celebrations such as the Chinese have. It could have some kind of relevance for us too, because Chinese culture is so much older than Western culture.

 

Lima, Perú: Ana Villanueva, 54, Fashion Designer: Here in my country, I have seen that Chinese New Year is a very important event. What I have seen in other years is that they close their businesses and celebrate with much enthusiasm on the day. To me, it has no meaning; I do not know much about it. The horoscopes are defined by animals for the years of birth, for example I am a "Rat," but I have not read about its meaning.

 

Salvador, Bahia, Brazil: Marilene Conceição Nascimento, 57, Administration Assistant: I already hear comments about the Chinese New Year in Brazil, but I have never been curious, nor had the opportunity to delve in and increase my knowledge. I believe it is something interesting and good for the Chinese people, and positive to the country. As for me, I said it is positive, and also an influence on our [people]—anything counts when we add the thought about the nation's progress.

 

Lund, Sweden: Marianne Nilsson, 49, Preschool Teacher: Actually in our country, we don't celebrate the Chinese New Year. But I know that Chinese people—they do celebrate it in Sweden.

 

 

Look for the Global Q&A column every week. Epoch Times correspondents interview people around the world to learn about their lives and perspectives on local and global realities. Next week’s global question, “How can we ensure the world’s wildlife will survive in tandem with modern society?”