DE Asst. Features Editor

While the Chinese New Year is usually associated with fireworks and loud national celebrations in China, the holiday will be recognized by international students on a smaller, more personal scale at SIUC.

Chinese New Year, or Spring Festival, marks the first day of the Chinese lunar year, which is today. The celebration includes various rituals that last for 15 days.

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Vivian Yang, president of the Taiwan Student Association, said one of the most recognized beliefs in relation to the Chinese New Year is the Chinese Horoscope. She said the horoscope is more for entertainment than any serious purposes.

Some people pay attention to the horoscope, some people don’t, she said. It’s not really important in regards to our New Year celebration.

Yang said calendar years are represented by different animals. She said the animals are a clue to the personality traits of the people born in that particular year. This calendar year marks the Year of the Rat.

This is not a popular year to be born in, Yang said. A person born in the Year of the Rat will supposedly worry about everything for the rest of the year.

Serious attention is given to the festivities during the celebrations because of many strict rituals and superstitious practices, Yang said.

Yang said one ritual is celebrated within the family on the eve of the New Year. She said the celebration is an important time for family, so all family members get together to share a huge reunion meal and worship ancestors.

Yang said that at midnight, fireworks are exploded all over town, and people visit neighbors or relatives to pass out red envelopes containing lucky money.

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The fireworks symbolize that all the bad luck should be scared away by the noise of the explosion, she said. The money is also handed out in a way to ensure a prosperous and good year for both family and friends.

Mike Hwang, a senior in advanced technical studies from Taiwan, said many Chinese festivals have certain superstitions to ward off misfortune.

Hwang said during the first day of the New Year, people are not allowed to sweep, wear black or speak negatively about anything.

According to superstition, if a person sweeps the floor, they will sweep all the good luck away, he said. Also, wearing black or talking bad about anything can bring negative luck for the year.

Hwang said businesses are closed for the first few days of the year because the festival is a time of rest. He said on the third day, businesses reopen and dances are performed by people dressed in lion or dragon costumes.

It’s really a time of national celebration, he said. All the Chinese community participates together for the New Year.

The Lantern Festival falls on the 15th and final day of the celebration. Yang said everyone carries colorful lanterns and gathers in a public place for a Lantern Fair. She said fireworks and riddle-guessing games also are part of the festival.

Chih-Chong Wang, a senior in management from Taiwan, said celebrating a major Chinese holiday in a different country can make a person homesick.

This is like your Western Christmas celebration, he said. If I had the opportunity to go back, I would. But it’s a good opportunity for Chinese students to come together and share in their heritage.