As January 31, 2014 quickly approaches, people of Chinese decent all over the world for the most part, will be celebrating the Lunar New Year, the first day of the New Year on the Lunar Calendar keeping with traditions, myths and facts. Chinese New Year celebrations has been rapidly proliferating from the confines of China since the 1950s to throughout the world, from Singapore, to Taiwan, and in countries everywhere in between with major Chinese population including, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, Canada, including the United States.
Chinese Lion Dance in Chinatown Las Vegas at Kung Fu Thai Chinese Restaurant
Chinese New Year in Las Vegas, NV
And this Chinese New Year in Las Vegas, NV is no different, as Kung Fu Thai & Chinese restaurant will be ringing in the Year of the Horse with the traditional Lion dance on February 2, 2014, at approximately 3:00pm. Lion dances are traditionally performed by martial art experts trained in the traditions of Chinese Kung Fu techniques. Chinese New Year in Las Vegas Chinatown – Kung Fu Masters at The Lohan School of Shaolin of Las Vegas will be performing the ceremonies as they have in the past. Lion dances are performed as a way to drive out everything evil. It is believed that the loud noise and the traditional dancing lions will make for an inhospitable environment for any and all evil spirits that occupies the restaurant, or building, which in turn forces them away. And legend has it that those that are in the presence of the ceremonies will also receive the cleanse.
Chinese Lion Dance rising in Chinatown Las Vegas at Kung Fu Thai Chinese Restaurant
New Year Traditions
Chinese New Year is the most important day, and holiday to the Chinese people. It is equivalent to what Christmas is, to Christians throughout the world, and is celebrated to some extent very similarly. For instance, the color red is not only used to symbolize Christmas and Santa Claus, but in China, Red symbolizes happiness. (Any accountants out there). In America most Christmas presents are wrapped in mostly red dominated paper, Red is also used in the infamous red envelopes used to hand out money as a gifts, traditionally from older family members to the young. Celebration of this important holiday usually begins before. An especially important, is the Eve of Chinese New Year where most businesses and work in China comes to a Close. It is also the only time of year when Chinese leave the city where they work and journey to their family home and gather with parents and relatives, as is during Christmas.
The traditional holiday actually last as long as 15 days, coinciding with the Lantern Festival, which officially marks the end to the Chinese New Year celebration. Lanterns, which are mostly red in color, symbolize good fortune for the coming New Year. By lighting the lanterns you are effectively letting go of the past year and welcoming the new. Not surprisingly Chinese New Year, in ancient times, is also considered the Spring Festival, marking the end of winter, and the start of the new harvest.
Chinese Lunar New Year
Chinese Lunar New Year also welcomes a new sign to the world of Chinese Astrology. This January 31, 2014, we are welcoming the Year of the Horse. The horse is one of twelve animal signs in the Chinese animal zodiac. If this sounds familiar, it should, since in western astrology the twelve astrological signs of the zodiac comprises of:
Aries 21 March thru 20 April
Taurus 21 April thru 21 May
Gemini 22 May thru 21 June
Cancer 22 June thru 22 July
Leo 23 July thru 23 August
Virgo 24 August thru 22 September
Libra 23 September thru 23 October
Scorpio 24 October thru 22 November
Sagittarius 23 November thru 21 December
Capricorn 22 December thru 20 January
Aquarius 21 January thru 18 February
Pisces 19 February thru 20 March
These twelve sun signs are the ones you see every day in newspapers. Basically it is where the Sun is, relative to the constellations or stars on the day when you were born.
As with western astrology, Chinese astrologers goes one step further, rather than asking the question of how something has occurred with a person or individual based on ones personality and or character, Chinese astrologers ask the question; Why?, and how does the symbolic animal in the Zodiac affect an individual’s character and or personality. Although Western astrology is based on facts, and Chinese astrology is based more on intuition, nonetheless they are time tested intuition dating as far back as over four thousand years. See for yourself on the following tables. Here’s how.
1. Find your animal sign by looking up the year and day that you were born.
2. Then look up the basic attributes that make up the animal associated with your birthday.
3. And, Be Honest with yourself.
4. Use the animal sign and attributes as a foundation as you look up your daily horoscope.
Animal Signs and Attributes
Rat or Mouse Intelligent, practical, quick, lively, self-controlled
Ox Buffalo or Bull reliable, purposeful, hardworking, resolute, stubborn
Tiger daring, passionate, charming, persuasive, insecure
Rabbit or Hare Intuitive Sensitive, odd, eccentric, mystical, nonconformist
Dragon Independent, Successful, party animal, dramatic, temper-mental
Snake Sophisticated, Mysterious, logical, intuitive, clever
Horse Friendly, Hardworking, energetic, enthusiastic, life of the party
Goat or Sheep Sexy, Adaptable, peace and quiet, determined, compassionate
Monkey Quick-witted, entertaining, inquisitive, active
Rooster Honest, Protective, sociable, witty, entertaining
Dog Loyal, faithful, trustworthy, ready to help, generous, kind
Pig or Boar Eager, Sensual, gullible, friendly, emotional, easy going, power and aggression
Chinese Zodiac Year Table Since 1900
Rat 31 January 1900 thru 18 February 1901
Ox 19 February 1901 thru 7 February 1902
Tiger 08 February 1902 thru 28 January 1903
Rabbit 29 January 1903 thru 15 February 1904
Dragon 16 February 1904 thru 03 February 1905
Snake 04 February 1905 thru 24 January 1906
Horse 25 January 1906 thru 12 February 1907
Goat 13 February 1907 thru 1 February 1908
Monkey 2 February 1908 thru 21 January 1909
Rooster 22 January 1909 thru 9 February 1910
Dog 10 February 1910 thru 29 January 1911
Pig 30 January 1911 thru 17 February 1912
Rat 18 February 1912 thru 5 February 1913
Ox 6 February 1913 thru 25 January 1914
Tiger 26 January 1914 thru 13 February 1915
Rabbit 14 February 1915 thru 2 February 1916
Dragon 3 February 1916 thru 22 January 1917
Snake 23 January 1917 thru 10 February 1918
Horse 11 February 1918 thru 31 January 1919
Goat 1 February 1919 thru 19 February 1920
Monkey 20 February 1920 thru 7 February 1921
Rooster 8 February 1921 thru 27 January 1922
Dog 28 January 1922 thru 15 February 1923
Pig 16 February 1923 thru 4 February 1924
Rat 5 February 1924 thru 23 January 1925
Ox 24 January 1925 thru February 1926
Tiger 13 February 1926 thru 1 February 1927
Rabbit 2 February 1927 thru 22 January 1928
Dragon 23 January 1928 thru 9 February 1929
Snake 10 February 1929 thru 29 January 1930
Horse 30 January 1930 thru 16 February 1931
Goat 17 February 1931 thru 5 February 1932
Monkey 6 February 1932 thru 25 January 1933
Rooster 26 January 1933 thru 13 February 1934
Dog 14 February 1934 thru 3 February 1935
Pig 4 February 1935 thru 23 January 1936
Rat 24 January 1936 thru 10 February 1937
Ox 11 February 1937 thru 30 January 1938
Tiger 31 January 1938 thru 18 February 1939
Rabbit 19 February 1939 thru 7 February 1940
Dragon 8 February 1940 thru 26 January 1941
Snake 27 January 1941 thru 14 February 1942
Horse 15 February 1942 thru 4 February 1943
Goat 5 February 1943 thru 24 January 1944
Monkey 25 January 1944 thru 12 February 1945
Rooster 13 February 1945 thru 1 February 1946
Dog 2 February 1946 thru 21 January 1947
Pig 22 January 1947 thru 9 February 1948
Rat 10 February 1948 thru 28 January 1949
Ox 29 January 1949 thru 16 February 1950
Tiger 17 February 1950 thru 5 February 1951
Rabbit 6 February 1951 thru 26 January 1952
Dragon 27 January 1952 thru 13 February 1953
Snake 14 February 1953 thru 2 February 1954
Horse 3 February 1954 thru 23 January 1955
Goat 24 January 1955 thru 11 February 1956
Monkey 12 February 1956 thru 30 January 1957
Rooster 31 January 1957 thru 17 February 1958
Dog 18 February 1958 thru 7 February 1959
Pig 8 February 1959 thru 27 January 1960
Rat 28 January 1960 thru 14 February 1961
Ox 15 February 1961 thru 4 February 1962
Tiger 5 February 1962 thru 24 January 1963
Rabbit 25 January 1963 thru 12 February 1964
Dragon 13 February 1964 thru 1 February 1965
Snake 2 February 1965 thru 20 January 1966
Horse 21 January 1966 thru 8 February 1967
Goat 9 February 1967 thru 29 January 1968
Monkey 30 January 1968 thru 16 February 1969
Rooster 17 February 1969 thru 5 February 1970
Dog 6 February 1970 thru 26 January 1971
Pig 27 January 1971 thru 14 February 1972
Rat 15 February 1972 thru 2 February 1973
Ox 3 February 1973 thru 22 January 1974
Tiger 23 January 1974 thru 10 February 1975
Rabbit 11 February 1975 thru 30 January 1976
Dragon 31 January 1976 thru 17 February 1977
Snake 18 February 1977 thru 6 February 1978
Horse 7 February 1978 thru 27 January 1979
Goat 28 January 1979 thru 15 February 1980
Monkey 16 February 1980 thru 4 February 1981
Rooster 5 February 1981 thru 24 January 1982
Dog 25 January 1982 thru 12 February 1983
Pig 13 February 1983 thru 1 February 1984
Rat 2 February 1984 thru 19 February 1985
Ox 20 February 1985 thru 8 February 1986
Tiger 9 February 1986 thru 28 January 1987
Rabbit 29 January 1987 thru 16 February 1988
Dragon 17 February 1988 thru 5 February 1989
Snake 6 February 1989 thru 26 January 1990
Horse 27 January 1990 thru 14 February 1991
Goat 15 February 1991 thru 3 February 1992
Monkey 4 February 1992 thru 22 January 1993
Rooster 23 January 1993 thru 9 February 1994
Dog 10 February 1994 thru 30 January 1995
Pig 31 January 1995 thru 18 February 1996
Rat 19 February 1996 thru 6 February 1997
Ox 7 February 1997 thru 27 January 1998
Tiger 28 January 1998 thru 15 February 1999
Rabbit 16 February 1999 thru 4 February 2000
Dragon 5 February 2000 thru 23 January 2001
Snake 24 January 2001 thru 11 February 2002
Horse 12 February 2002 thru 31 January 2003
Goat 1 February 2003 thru 21 January 2004
Monkey 22 January 2004 thru 8 February 2005
Rooster 9 February 2005 thru 28 January 2006
Dog 29 January 2006 thru 17 February 2007
Pig 18 February 2007 thru 6 February 2008
Rat 7 February 2008 thru 25 January 2009
Ox 26 January 2009 thru 13 February 2010
Tiger 14 February 2010 thru 2 February 2011
Rabbit 3 February 2011 thru 22 January 2012
Dragon 23 January 2012 thru 9 February 2013
Snake 10 February 2013 thru 30 January 2014
Horse 31 January 2014 thru 18 February 2015
For more information on Las Vegas Chinatown: Click Here
Kung Fu Thai & Chinese Restaurant
Address: 3505 S Valley View Blvd Las Vegas, NV 89103Phone: 702-247-4120