Right this moment, January 22, 2023, greater than a billion folks globally will welcome the Yr of the Rabbit – or the Yr of Cat, relying on which cultural traditions they comply with – as the beginning of the Lunar New Yr. Within the New York Metropolis public faculty district, Lunar New Yr has been observed as a school holiday since 2015.

The Lunar New Yr is typically known as the Chinese language New Yr, as a result of it follows a calendar that was developed in China; however it’s also celebrated in numerous elements of Asia, reminiscent of Korea and Vietnam. Tibetan and Mongolian cultures comply with an analogous calendar that may begin the Yr of the Rabbit a few month later, on Feb. 20.

Whereas this calendar is typically simply known as “lunar,” it provides an additional month each few years to remain in sync with the photo voltaic cycle, so it’s technically lunar and photo voltaic, or lunisolar. Because of this the date of the Lunar New Yr within the Gregorian calendar modifications from 12 months to 12 months however at all times falls in January or February. The Gregorian calendar is the photo voltaic calendar used as we speak in most elements of the world, together with the US.

As a scholar of East Asian religions, I’m conversant in the wide selection of lunar and lunisolar calendars utilized in totally different religions and cultures, and particularly with the spiritual significance of the East Asian lunisolar calendar.

The lunisolar calendar that developed in China combines two categories: 12 earthly branches, every of which corresponds to an animal, and 10 heavenly stems, every of which corresponds to one of many 5 parts – hearth, water, wooden, steel and earth – and both the female yin or masculine yang drive.

Whereas this lunisolar calendar brings folks collectively, totally different nations and cultures have their very own legends and customs surrounding the New Yr. Even the animal related to the 12 months can fluctuate.

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Yr of the Rabbit or Yr of the Cat?

In most elements of East Asia, the brand new 12 months that begins on Jan. 22 corresponds to the rabbit, and likewise to the aspect of water and the female yin drive. The cycle takes 60 years to finish, so sixtieth birthdays throughout East Asia are instances for particular celebrations.

Nonetheless, the animal associations of the zodiac can fluctuate: In Vietnam, Jan. 22 will usher within the Yr of the Cat as an alternative. The newest Yr of the Cat, in 2011, noticed a child growth in Vietnam due to the good luck associated with that zodiac sign.

One clarification amongst students for why Vietnamese tradition celebrates it because the Yr of the Cat is that the earthly department comparable to “rabbit” is pronounced mao in Mandarin and meo in Vietnamese, which sounds just like the Vietnamese phrase for “cat.”

Yr of the Cat in 2011, Ho Chi Minh Metropolis, Vietnam. (Dragfyre / CC BY-SA 3.0)

One other clarification comes from two variations of a preferred legend about how the 12 zodiac animals had been chosen. Based on that legend, both the Buddha or the Jade Emperor, head of the Chinese language pantheon, organized a race throughout a river to decide on the zodiac animals and their order.

Within the Chinese language model, the cat and rat had been using throughout a river on an ox when the rat, in its drive to be first, pushed the cat into the water in order that the cat arrived final and was disqualified. The rabbit was crossing the river by hopping on stones protruding of the water, however with one fortunate leap it landed on a floating log that swiftly carried it to shore, in order that the rabbit completed fourth. Nonetheless, within the Vietnamese model – which lacks a rabbit – the cat might swim and ended up arriving fourth.

Set of 12 ceramic zodiac figures, from the eighth century. From left, rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, ram, monkey, rooster, canine and pig. Tang dynasty (618–907), Metropolitan Museum of Artwork. (Public domain)

Rabbits in Chinese language tradition

Within the Chinese language custom, folks born particularly zodiac years have a few of their animal’s traits. For the reason that late twentieth century, Chinese language areas have seen birth rates spike during Years of the Dragon as a result of dragons are highly effective symbols of excellent fortune and success.

Some animals carry strongly gendered meanings: the Yr of the Tiger is extensively seen as a very good 12 months for male births, however feminine tigers are stereotyped as overly aggressive. In Korea, the Yr of the Horse is equally perceived as a bad time for girls to be born.

Conversely, the Yr of the Rabbit is seen as a greater 12 months for ladies as a result of the rabbit’s qualities of kindness, empathy and patience are stereotypically feminine virtues. Furthermore, rabbits have been related to male homosexuality for the reason that 18th century, and the phrase “rabbit,” tuzi in Mandarin, is a slur for male sex workers. The stigma surrounding homosexuality in Chinese language cultures signifies that, for some folks, having a boy within the Yr of the Rabbit would be less ideal. Nonetheless, some members of Chinese language LGBTQ+ communities are rejecting this stigma by reclaiming the Rabbit God as a patron deity.

Statue of the Rabbit God, Tu’erye, in Beijing. (Public domain)

The Rabbit God shouldn’t be at all times understood as a god of male same-sex love. He can be an emblem of longevity. Chinese lore holds {that a} rabbit and toad on the Moon work with the moon goddess Chang’e to refine the elixir of immortality.

White rabbit on the Moon making the elixir of immortality. (Public domain)

Celebrating the Yr of the Rabbit

The Yr of the Rabbit will characteristic rabbit decorations, rabbit-themed advertising and marketing, and an abundance of recent pet rabbits. Nonetheless, the celebration will stay the identical as in different years.

Chinese language Lunar New Yr celebrations emphasize household togetherness in addition to good luck and prosperity for the approaching 12 months. In China, the Lunar New Yr marks the world’s largest annual human migration, as individuals who work in large cities journey dwelling to see their households for the two-week vacation.

The brand new 12 months formally ushers within the spring, so it’s also known as Spring Festival, or Chunjie in Mandarin. To start out the New Yr on the best foot, folks get haircuts, clear their homes and put on new garments. These new garments, like most New Yr’s decorations, are purple, which symbolizes success.

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New Year’s foods also aim to bring good fortune. Among the many dishes generally eaten at New Yr’s are fish, as a result of in Mandarin “having fish,” you yu, is a homophone for “having a surplus.” Consuming a dessert of glutinous rice balls in candy soup, often known as tangyuan, represents the household being full, as a result of the phrase for spherical, yuan, additionally means “full.”

Household is the main target of New Yr celebrations, which historically happen within the dwelling of the husband’s household. Adults usually give items of cash in purple envelopes to youthful kinfolk who’re nonetheless in class. On the second or third day of the brand new 12 months, households typically journey to the spouse’s household dwelling to see the in-laws.

Lantern Pageant in Taiwan at night time. (Zest / CC BY-SA 4.0)

The Lantern Pageant, Yuanxiao jie, wraps up the festivities two weeks after the New Yr begins with the primary full moon of the 12 months. Because the identify suggests, folks have fun with adorned lanterns, which regularly have riddles hooked up. Along with guessing the solutions to those riddles, folks have fun by consuming tangyuan or comparable spherical dumplings known as yuanxiao, and watching dragon and lion dances.

The worldwide Asian diaspora signifies that Lunar New Yr is now celebrated world wide, together with in the US. Chinese language American, Korean American, and Vietnamese American communities will mark the start of the Lunar New Yr with a variety of celebrations, some welcoming the Yr of the Rabbit and others welcoming the Yr of the Cat.

The article ‘This Lunar Year will be the Year of the Rabbit or the Year of the Cat, Depending on Where You Live’ by Megan Bryson was initially printed on The Conversation and has been republished below a Inventive Commons license.

High Picture: This lunar New Yr some individuals are celebrating the 12 months of the cat and others the 12 months of the rabbit. Supply: Imagination Station / Adobe Inventory