Chinese New Year is known as the most important holiday for many Asians around the world.

Also known as the Lunar New Year Festival, the Chinese New Year festivities at OU give students an opportunity to get familiar with Asian culture.

Julia Vo, zoology and biomedical science junior and president of the Vietnamese Student Association, said the Chinese New Year festivities provide an opportunity for students to see how another culture prepares for the New Year.

"Participating in, or attending, an Asian New Years celebration benefits students by expanding their knowledge about different ways to celebrate, meeting the Asian community and new people, learning new games, feeling lucky, and even winning," Vo said.

Where it began

The origin of Chinese New Year can be traced back thousands of years through a series of legends and traditions. One particular legend is about Nien, a ferocious beast who eats people on New Year's Eve.

To keep the beast away, the Chinese paste red couplets onto their doors and set off firecrackers throughout the night. On New Year's, after successfully keeping the beast away, the Chinese will greet each other with "gong xi," which means, "congratulations."

Student experiences

Growing up, Christine Yeo, health and exercise science junior, celebrated Chinese New Year at her home in Malaysia.

"It was a huge celebration to usher in the New Year with prosperity and blessings," Yeo said. "My mom was a Buddhist when I was little so we had rituals at the temple on the kick-off of Chinese New Year and ate foods that were prayed to Buddhist gods. Superstitious Chinese believed that the floor can't be swept for the duration of Chinese New Year because it would be like sweeping away prosperity."

Chinese New Year begins with the New Moon on the first day of the new year. The celebration lasts 15 days and ends with the Lantern Festival. This festival is celebrated at night with singing, dancing and lantern displays.

Personal significance

The New Year is always named after one of the 12 animals from the Chinese Zodiac. This year is the year of the dog. According to the zodiac system, people born in the year of the dog have a deep sense of loyalty and make good leaders.

If it is the year of your zodiac animal, it is believed that you will be lucky throughout the year.

Yeo said for Chinese people, the Chinese New Year is treated much like the way Christmas is in America. Not only does the New Year include gifts and spending time with family, but it also celebrates important Chinese traditions.

"I love Chinese New Year festivities because it's extravagant and unique," Yeo said. "Everything has meaning -- from (the) red packets to (the) lion dances (and) the color red for prosperity. It's also a happy time that unites people of Chinese and Asian culture."

Symbolic cuisine

Food plays an important part in the New Year's celebration. While the Chinese often prepare a variety of dishes, each dish plays a traditional role to the New Year.

"One food that Chinese people eat every year is fish," said Han Wang, electrical engineer graduate student and chairman of the Chinese New Year festivities. "It is a traditional Chinese dish. People eat fish to begin the New Year because they believe that it will bring them good luck."

Chinese New Year Celebrations

The Society of Chinese Students and Scholars will meetSaturday 5:30 p.m. at Trinity Baptist Church.

o Tickets will be on sale for $5 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. today in Oklahoma Memorial Union.

o Activities include a buffet-style dinner, dance and musical performances and games.The Vietnamese Student Association will hold a celebration Tuesday from 7 to 9 p.m.

o Admission is free and there will be a variety of Asian New Year's dishes.

o Activities include games, an auction, karaoke and lottery drawings.

Sources: Yong Ma and Julia Vo

Family tradition

In China, the New Year is celebrated primarily as a family reunion. But in the United States, Chinese New Year has become a celebration with friends and family in the community.

"Chinese New Year in America is a little different than in China," said Yong Ma, electrical engineer graduate student and president of the Society of Chinese Students & Scholars. "In America, the New Year is usually celebrated in a church with many people, but in China, the families stay at home and celebrate with relatives."

Every year OU students from different backgrounds come together to join in the celebration of Chinese New Year. These events include performers, monologues, Chinese folk tunes and dragon dances.

Chinese New Year is on January 29th.
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