Chinese New Year is the first day of the lunar year
which occurs on the New Moon near Ground Hog Day. Because the first day of
each lunar month starts with the New Moon, the Chinese New Year always occurs on
a new moon in late January or early February. Festivities usually
starts on this
first day of the new year and ends on the full moon 15 days later. The 15th day
of the new year is called the Lantern Festival, which is celebrated at night
with lantern displays and children carrying lanterns in a parade. The Chinese calendar is based on a combination
of lunar and solar movements. The lunar cycle is about 29.5 days.
The solar cycle is 365 and 1/4 days. In order to
"catch up" with the solar calendar the Chinese insert an extra month once every
few years (usually seven years out of every 19 years). This is the same as adding an
extra day on leap year. This is why, according to the solar calendar, the
Chinese New Year falls on a different date each year.
Chinese greet each other with well wishes, including good fortune and blessings
during Chinese New Year. Several of these greeting involves numbers.
Below are ten Chinese New Year Greetings
involving numbers one thru ten:
一帆风顺
二龙鹰飞
三羊开泰
四季平安
五福临门
六六大顺
七星高照
八方来财
九九同心
十全十美
More Mathematical Recreations |