The Year of the Dragon has arrived
How should Chinese New Year be translated?
It's "Lunar New Year".
Or "Chinese new year"?
So how should the Chinese New Year be translated?
Is the Chinese lunar calendar a "lunar calendar"?
First, explain the meaning of the word. The adjective "lunar" means "associated with the moon" and is etymology from the Latin word "luna", the goddess of the moon in Roman mythology.
"Lunar New Year" is actually short for "Lunar Calendar New Year"., literally translated into Chinese as "lunar calendar new year" or "lunar new year".
Calendar
Name implies. It is a calendar made with reference to the moon phase cycle.
Since the waxing and waning of the moon is clear at night.
It is easier to observe the moon than the sun.
Therefore, many ancient calendars were monthly calendars.
Due to the traditional Chinese calendar(also known as lunar or summer calendar).
Observations of the Sun and Moon were also referenced.
It belongs to a kind of "lunisolar calendar".
Translated into English should be:
“lunisolar calendar”
In modern times, some people refer to the traditional calendar as the "lunar calendar".
Mainly relative to the pure solar calendar from the west
This nomenclature is actually inaccurate.
The inheritance of New Year's customs
Vietnamese and North Koreans.
In addition to the use of the lunar calendar from China
Naturally, the customs of the Chinese New Year also come from China
Vietnam
In Vietnam, the Lunar New Year is called"Festival New Year's Day" (t t nguyên án).or"section" (t t).。Many of the customs around the New Year are similar to those of the Central Plains, such as sending the king of the stove on the twenty-third day of the lunar month, to pasting Spring Festival couplets, pasting blessing characters, hanging New Year's paintings, and setting off firecrackers during the New Year. Vietnamese, like Chinese, try to rush back to their hometowns before Chinese New Year's Eve to celebrate the New Year with their families and eat Chinese New Year's Eve. On the first day of the Lunar New Year, the younger generation pays New Year's greetings to the elders, and the elders give the younger generations New Year's money. In addition, Vietnamese people also have the habit of eating zongzi on the first day of the Lunar New Year.
New Year's ornaments sold in Vietnamese stores.
North Korea
Koreans call the Lunar New Year "New Year in Korean", "New Year's Day" or "Nian Shou"). North Koreans also pay attention to returning home before Chinese New Year's Eve, and celebrate the New Year with their families on Chinese New Year's Eve. Chinese New Year's Eve rice is usually a traditional meal prepared by the daughter-in-law herself, such as five-grain rice, steamed buns and grilled meat. Like us, on the first day of the Lunar New Year, the younger generations perform a big prostrations ("New Year's Prayers") to the elderly, and the elders give the younger ones New Year's money. On this day, people also worship their ancestors and offer food to the deceased ("Shochao Tea Ceremony"). After the festival is over, people can enjoy the first meal of the new year, "New Year's Cuisine", which consists of rice cakes and soup. Outdoor activities during the Spring Festival usually include shuttlecock kicking, pot throwing and kite flying.
South Koreans' New Year's Ancestral Offering Table (ABC).
The origin of "Lunar New Year".
In recent years, with the rise of China's economy.
and the substantial improvement of the consumption power of the Chinese people.
More and more Westerners are starting to notice.
Lunar New Yearthis festival.
Many overseas Vietnamese and Koreans are reluctant to admit that they are celebrating the "Chinese New Year".（chinese new year）, and is not accustomed to the name "Spring Festival" invented by Yuan Shikai in modern China（spring festival）Therefore, out of the so-called "political correctness" of "cultural tolerance", a de-sinicization term was coined - "Moon New Year".（lunar new year）
Chinese new year" (red) and "lunar new year" (blue) are searched by Americans, with the latter surpassing the former (Google Trend) in the past two years
Lunar New Year
It's a bit of a nodoxy.
First of allThe traditional Chinese calendar is not a pure lunar or lunar calendar, but a lunisolar calendar, and the 24 solar terms determined by the observation of the sun are an indispensable part of the traditional Chinese calendar.
AgainChina is not the only country in the world that uses the phases of the moon to determine dates, so the international use of the term "lunar New Year" can lead to the problem of unclear references.
“chinese new year”
Traditional Chinese calendar.
It is a great ideological achievement of the ancient Chinese.
Celebration of the Lunar New Year.
It is an important component of Chinese culture.
This is an irrefutable fact.
We naturally have to be bold with the outside world.
Translate this festival as:
“traditional chinese calendar new year”
(Chinese new year).
Or, more confidently, use Hanyu Pinyin directly.
"xinnian" or "chunjie".