A really fun yet important task of living in China, is to continually find ways of connecting the language to the culture, and there is no better way to invigorate ones interest than at the beginning of a new year!
I personally have always found experiencing this connection through enjoyable stories is able to give more context. Reading can further cement the children’s understanding of the origins of the Chinese New Year and how it differs to the Gregorian calendar’s New Years -which is also honored as a public holiday in China.
Feels like an extra special year
There are always resources available at school, online, television or family and friends. However there is no substitution for a well illustrated and explained book.
This Chinese New Year 2022, being the Year of the Tiger, has certainly triggered more enthusiasm especially for the children. Maybe it’s the symbol of the Tiger that makes it literally jump out at us!
The Tiger is a fearless animal representing strength, energy, and perseverance. It gives off the feeling of confidence, winning spirit and optimism which is even more needed in these recent years…
Recommended Reads
I love the Animals of the Chinese Zodiac book by Eric Carle as it clearly explains the 12 signs and gives a nice description of what each animal represents. In the book you can also find the year you were born and then identify which zodiac sign represents yourself or family members which is sure to conjure up a few hours of interesting conversation!
It is believed that the order of the animals comes from the story of the Great Race.
The Jade Emperor, one of the most important gods in Chinese tradition, invited a number of animals to a race of which 12 animals came to take part – Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Hose, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig. To reward their efforts for attending, the years were named after them in the order of which they finished the race. The rat rode on the back of the Ox as he crossed the river and sped off to the finish line to finish in first place. This meant that the Ox, who had been in line to win the race, had to settle for second place!
The book by the author Grace Lin ‘Bringing in the New Year’ talks about the traditions of the Chinese New Year such as making dumplings also known as Jaozi. It’s illustrative, fun and informative. It would be ideal for any child between 3-6 years of age.
The final book on my list is a more detailed book in Chinese, translated to english is titled ‘Having A Spring Festival.’ It was gifted by a dear friend a few years ago. Its actually one of my favourite reads. It gives more detail into giving red envelopes (often containing money) known as a ‘hongbao’ (phonetically pronounced as ‘hong-bow’) usually to children, fireworks and the famous dragon dances.
Hongbaos are given as tokens of good wishes during auspicious occasions such as Chinese New Year and weddings. Fireworks and firecrackers will be set off to scare away evil spirits and to signal the start of a safe and prosperous new year- its fun learning about these traditions.
Happy Reading!
