When is Chinese Lunar New Year and how is it celebrated? Find out which animal you are and where to celebrate in Australia
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Vigilant, witty, quick-minded and ingenious.
Those are some of the words used to describe this year's Chinese Zodiac animal.
Can you guess what animal it is?
As we farewell the Year of the Tiger, millions of people around the world are preparing to celebrate the Year of the Rabbit.
Celebrated in China for thousands of years, Lunar New Year is based on a calendar that uses both the lunar (cycles of the Moon) and solar (Earth's annual orbit around the Sun) to determine dates.
This means that the date of Lunar New Year varies from year to year because it follows the cycle of the moon.
In 2023, January 22 marks the beginning of Lunar New Year.
The celebration will end on February 5, with the Lantern Festival.
The Chinese community and its diaspora are not the only ones who observe celebrations following the Lunar calendar.
Lunar New Year is celebrated in many other Asian countries, including Vietnam, the Koreas, Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysia. Although some traditions are shared, others are unique to each country's cultural identity.
To the Vietnamese, for example, this Lunar New Year will welcome the Year of the Cat.
To Chinese, Koreans, Taiwanese and those living in Hong Kong, the year is the Year of the Rabbit.
Koreans and Vietnamese also revel in new year festivities as they celebrate Seollal and Tết, respectively.
While customs, rituals and the length of celebrations vary, one thing stays true: honouring a fresh start.
There are 12 animals following a repeating, 12-year cycle and they go by the following order:
Rat, ox/buffalo, tiger, rabbit/cat, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog and pig.
The animals of the Chinese zodiac symbolise a deep connection with that nation’s ancient cultural heritage, each one holding a unique place in Chinese history, mythology and customs.
Find out which animal you are below.
Chinese Zodiac Sign
Years
Rat
…1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008, 2020…
Ox
…1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009, 2021…
Tiger
…1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010, 2022…
Rabbit
… 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011, 2023 …
Dragon
… 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012, 2024 …
Snake
… 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013, 2025 …
Horse
… 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014, 2026 …
Goat
… 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015, 2027 …
Monkey
… 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016, 2028 …
Rooster
… 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017, 2029 …
Dog
… 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006, 2018, 2030 …
Pig
… 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007, 2019, 2031 …
It's not just the decorations that require thorough planning.
A days-long feast is also carefully curated.
For several days — starting on their New Year's Eve — people indulge in food with symbolic meaning, either based on appearance or word association.
Dumplings and spring rolls, for instance, represent wealth because they are thought to resemble silver ingots and gold bars.
One dish that you will traditionally find on Lunar New Year is steamed fish.
Per custom, you are supposed to eat the middle part of the fish and leave the head and the tail for the following day, the first day of the new year.
This signifies the previous year's surplus flowing into the new year and bringing more fortune.
Tangerines and oranges are also symbols of good luck as the pronunciation of their Chinese root words sound like the Chinese word for success.
Lion and dragon dance performances, temple fairs, flower market shopping are just a few of the rich, vibrant activities you can expect to see.
Lion and dragon dancers parade the streets to ward off evil spirits and invite luck, while keeping onlookers entertained.
In some cities, the season sees a dazzling display of fireworks, along with bursts of firecrackers, to mark the special occasion.
Homes and streets are often decked out with red decorations, such as banners, lanterns and ornaments.
It is customary to visit temples to pray for a great year and good fortune while burning incense and offering food to ancestors.
Red envelopes filled with an auspicious amount are handed to the young and unmarried from their grandparents, parents and married relatives.
Koreans and Vietnamese also have a similar practice, where the elderly would give their children red packets.
Here's your guide to all the Lunar New Year action happening in the capital cities.
When: January 18 — 22
Where: Main event gets underway at the Sunnybank Plaza Rooftop Car Park, 358 Mains Road.
What:
If you're keen for some spark, head back to Sunnybank on February 4 for fireworks at 8pm.
When: January 21, from 4pm
Where: Celebrations will take place in the Brunswick Street Mall, Bakery Lane and the Chinatown Mall.
What:
Firecrackers will kick off at 8pm.
When: From February 1
Where: Various Brisbane venues
What: A selection of traditional and contemporary performances, such as lion dancers and martial arts displays, plus KPOP DJs and drag queens.
When: January 22
What: Little Bourke Street will be at the centre of Melbourne’s Lunar New Year celebrations, with lion dancing, dragon parade and market stalls.
When: January 22
Where: Cohen Place
What: Discounted entry of $5 for its Lucky Rabbit Exhibition exploring Lunar New Year customs and superstitions.
When: January 20 — February 12
Where: The Atrium at Crown Towers
What: An immersive Zodiac Spectacular display with luminous animal sculptures cascading down the Atrium staircase
When: February 4, 7:30pm
Where: Hamer Hall
What: The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra is performing its 10th annual Lunar New Year concert, with guest conductor Darrell Ang from the Sichuan Symphony Orchestra.
When: January 21
Where: Cirque Community Space
What: Learn basics of Chinese calligraphy and receive an accelerated primer before embarking on creating your own writings of whatever you wish to write.
When: January 24, 9:15am to 10:30am
Where: The Glasshouse
What: A lion dance from Chung Wah Association starts the day, then visitors can have their own go at crafting paper lanterns, Chinese dragon puppets and masks.
When: January 29, 12pm to 9pm
Where: James and Lake Streets, Northbridge Piazza and Yagan Square
What: One of Perth's largest community events, featuring lion dances, food stalls, Chinese orchestras and firecrackers.
Where: Chinatown on Dixon Street, Haymarket
When: January 21, from 5pm to 10pm
Where: Darling Harbour
When: 9pm Saturdays and Sundays from January 21 – 29
Where: Cockle Bay Wharf, Darling Park
When: Saturday January 28, Sunday January 29
Where: George St Alfresco Area, The Rocks
When: January 22 – March 1 at 7.30pm
Where: Centennial Hall
When: February 4
What: Community and cultural groups will take to the stage for this year’s Lunar Spectacular Show.
Performers will share their culture through dance, music, theatre, traditions and storytelling.
When: January 13 — January 21
Where: Woolley St, Dickson
What: The festival celebration will launch with local community group and lion dance performers, roving artists and the great reveal: a Zodiac Rabbit sculpture.
When: January 21, 6pm
Where: Lyneham
What: For a spiritual way to see in the New Year, the Sakyamuni Buddhist Centre will have food, music, Lion dances, Vietnamese folk games, crackers and a calligraphy exhibition.
There will be lion dance performances at 9:30pm and 11:50pm.
When: February 5
Where: Jardine St/Green Square, Kingston
What: Performances by Prosperous Mountain Dragon and Lion Dance (PMDLD), Canberra's only non-profit, volunteer, community-focused dragon and lion dance troupe.
When: February 18
Where: Sitzler Netball Stadium, Marrara
What: Expect row after row of food stalls, live entertainment and performances.
When: February 5, 3pm
Where: Gray Community Hall
When: January 22, from 10am to 4pm
Where: Parliament House
What: Parliament House will turn into a free, family-friendly hub of festivities. Expect dragon and lion dances, local artists, food trucks and more.
When: January 27
Where: Gouger Street and Moonta Street
What: Adelaide's 20th annual Lunar New Year Street Party will be home to 80 stalls and food trucks, which will see more than 25,000 visitors attend in celebration.
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