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Chinese New Year in Singapore |
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The Chinese New Year, Singapore's one of the most renowned and gorgeous festivals is celebrated in the very first day of the Chinese Lunar month and continues for a fortnight. The last day is usually celebrated as the Lantern festival. The Chinese New Year Eve is known as Chuxi, "chu" meaning change in Chinese and "xi" meaning eve. The Chinese New Year is the highlight event of the year with the Chinese districts all beaming and splendidly ablaze with lights. The Chinese New Year is marked by the famous Chingay parade originating from the Orchard Road grounds.
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The Chinese New Year falls on the 18th of February in the year 2007, considered as the "year of the pig".
History of the Chinese New Year
The origin of the Chinese New year before the Qin Dynasty is still not very clear to us. It is supposed that the Chinese New Year began with the first month at the time of the Xia Dynasty ,in the 11th month during Zhou Dynasty's reign, in the 12th month during the reign of the Shang Dynasty .In the year 221 B.C., Qin Shi Huang ,the first monarch of China made the starting of the New Year in the 10th month. Emperor Wu (who belonged to the Han Dynasty) in the year 104 B.C. made the first month as the beginning of the year which remains so till date.
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Myths Related to The Chinese New Year
Legend has it that there was a man-eating monster named Nian in ancient China who used to feast on human flesh. It came out from its hiding once in every twelve months to catch its prey. The people realizing that it was afraid of the red color and loud sounds developed an ingenious method of scaring away the demon by lighting fireworks, bursting crackers and generously using the red color. This is how the New Year celebrations came about also signifying the departure of the monster Nian.
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The Chinese New Year Celebration in Chinatown,2007
This year the Chinese New Year celebration in Singapore's Chinatown began in the 27th of January and will continue up till the 4th of March. The Chinatown is brilliantly decked up with color and lights transforming the town altogether into a fantasy dreamland. The streets are wonderfully lined up with awesome decorations. The street market buzzing with people has different sorts of gifts and goodies in its line-up- offering sweetmeats, various types of cookies, waxed toys and other new year presents making it the most happening place in Singapore at this time of the year .The Chinese expatriates gather here every year to cash in on the wonderful moments in Chinatown during the Chinese New year.
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