Many have been awaiting the arrival of the dragon, which marks the beginning of a new year on the lunar calendar. However, there have been many controversies about the official name for this special day: Should we refer to it as the Lunar New Year or Chinese New Year?
Chinese media has raised concerns about the term “Lunar New Year,” indicating that the holiday’s roots should be linked, and respected to China’s lunisolar calendar. The debate surrounds the Lunar New Year’s association with Islamic culture, with some suggesting that it typically occurs in July — they raise the argument that celebrating the Lunar New Year in February warrants calling it the Chinese New Year.
On the other hand, advocates of the term “Lunar New Year” point out that it is not just a Chinese holiday; it is celebrated in many other countries as well, each with its own customs, food customs, historical backgrounds, and subtle cultural differences. They assert that referring to it just as “Chinese New Year” erases its rich diversity.
To put it simply, each country celebrates the Lunar New Year differently. According to Anna Kim from Travel Leisure, while many Asian countries celebrate Lunar New Year, they do it in a unique way that differs from Chinese cultural aspects in favor of their own traditions and histories. In Korea, for example, people dress traditionally, children honor elders and receive offerings for the health and wisdom of the coming year, and traditional dishes like rice cakes and dumplings are served at the dinner table. Families in Vietnam frequently don traditional attire, visit temples to pray for good fortune, and enjoy delicacies like candied fruits and pickled scallions. People in the Philippines wear polka dots to represent wealth and put round fruits on the table in the same way to embody the Lunar New Year spirit.
The spirit of celebration and unanimity is unchanging, notwithstanding the current controversy. In the end, it’s important to welcome the new year in a way that is consistent with one’s cultural identity. Happy Year of the Dragon!
