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Chinese New Year

What is Chinese New Year?

  • One ancient legend states that thousands of years ago, a monster named Nian ("Year") would attack villagers at the beginning of each year.​ The monster was afraid of loud noises, bright lights, and the color red, therefore they were used to chase the beast away.

  • Chinese New Year has many names such as "Lunar New Years" and "Spring Festival".

  • "Guo Nian Hao" is one of the most used greetings.

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More information about Chinese New Year:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=asluM20g6rk

In China and Chinese communities around the world, there is a annual 15-day festival known as the Chinese New Year. This 15-day festival usually starts from January 21 to February 20. Chinese New Year has many names such as Lunar New Year and Spring Festival. According to historical facts dated back from mid-1990s, Chinese New Year was also known as the Lunar New Year because the celebration follows the phases of the moon. During the festival, people display red lanterns to show the cheerful emotions that Chinese New Year brings, fireworks and dragon masks to honor both traditional deities and familial ancestors.

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 Website used:  https://www.travelchinaguide.com/essential/holidays/new-year/facts.htm

Questions

  • What was the name of the Chinese New Year Beast?
     

  • How did villagers scare away the Chinese New Year beast?

  • What are some other names for Chinese New Year?
     

  • What is the most common greetings used in Chinese New Year?

  • How long does the festival last?

What is a Chinese Lantern?

  • Chinese lanterns are always always red

  • There are 3 different types of lanterns: Hanging, Flying, Floating.

  • Red lanterns symbolizes romance, White represents good health, green yields growth, orange means month and yellow brings good luck.

  • Lanterns are usually seen in the Mid-Autumn Festival, the Chinese New Year, the Harbin Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival, and the Lantern Festival.​

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More information about Chinese lanterns:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kD0XlUQ9Wgo

The most common Chinese lanterns are red, oval shaped, and decorated with red or golden tassels. Typically, they come in many different shapes including square, rectangle, and spherical. The original use of lanterns was primarily as a light source. They were used both indoors and out to provide a shaded light for reading and working. The protection from wind provided by the decorative silk or paper shade kept the lanterns from going out with the breeze.

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 Website used:  https://www.chinahighlights.com/travelguide/culture/lanterns.htm

How to Make a lantern

Materials

Instructions

  1. Paper or cardstock
    (preferably red or yellow)

  2. Scissors

  3. Stapler or tape

  4. Ruler

  5. Pencil

  6. Crayons/Markers for decoration

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  1. Cut a 1-inch wide strip off on one short side for the handle

  2. Fold the paper in half, lengthwise

  3. Draw a horizontal line and cut from the folded edge to the line

  4. Cut more slits then unfold paper

  5. Form the paper into a lantern then stable it together with the handle

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Detailed Instructions at: https://www.firstpalette.com/craft/paper-lantern.html

Questions

  • What are the most common color used for a chinese lantern?
     

  • What does a orange colored lantern mean?

  • Where are lanterns mostly used in?
     

  • How many types of lanterns are there?

  • What does the Chinese Lanterns mean?

What is a Dragon Mask?

  • Dragons are a symbol of prosperity and fortune

  • The dragon mask is usually decorated with gold and silver colors, depicting prosperity

  • The typical mask usually has a wide mouth or a gaping jaw and is covered with feathers and fur

  • While green color depicts a better harvest, red color symbolizes excitement, while yellow depicts a solemn empire

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More information about the dragon dance:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04CGkm6-wDc

The dragon mask represents the deities, spirits and fabled animal that Chinese New Year mythology originated from. The colors used to create the mask are designed to display the moods and emotions associated with the festival. Dragon masks are red and they are more complex than other masks.

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 Website used:  https://chinamarketadvisor.com/chinese-traditional-masks-types-history-meaning/

How to Make The Dragon Mask

Materials

Instructions

  1. Dragon mask template

  2. Crayons/Markers for decoration

  3. Elastic string

  4. Scissors

  5. Hole puncher

  6. Transparent tape

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  1. Color the mask (preferably red and yellow and other colors)

  2. Cut out the mask 

  3. Cut out the eye holes

  4. Punch holes near the ears

  5. Attach string to ear holes

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Detailed Instructions at: https://www.firstpalette.com/craft/chinese-dragon-mask.html

Questions

  • What does the dragon symbolize?
     

  • What does green color mean on the dragon mask?

  • What does red color symbolize on the dragon mask?
     

  • What color is the dragon mask usually decorated with?

  • What is the dragon mask's wide mouth usually covered with?

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