Chinese New Year in My Hometown Guangdong
Photographs Taken in Feb, 2024
My home locates in very south of China, where green can be seen everywhere, every time of the year. Sometimes I call myself a “tropical girl”; however one can’t underestimate the winter in this 23°N Pearl River Delta. The humidity brings the low temperature into your skin; layers of clothing can’t resist the coldness.
Throughout history we’ve developed our own method of measuring time, according to rhythms of the nature. That’s why the date of the Chinese New Year falls between late Jan and mid Feb and it varies every year. Our ancient calendar is still in use nowadays.
New year’s elements discovered and recorded in analogue photograph with friend.
Family Dinner in Chinese New Year’s Eve: In Guangdong we value a lot the quality of fresh ingredients. Usually we don’t add much dressing to a dish.
Every year we have one animal as a symbol. Twelve animals are chosen-they’re called Zodiac. So twelve years form a cycle: Mouse, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Loong, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig.
Last year was the year of Loong. This year is the year of Snake. and my birth year is Monkey.[1]
On the first days during the whole Chinese New Year festival, which lasts for half a month, families usually go out for a walk to gather good luck.
…And fireworks time!! Like a galaxy.
You can hear this song everywhere in China during Chinese New Year (like All I Want for Christmas is You during Xmas in some countries)! Mind the volume of your devices:)
[1]Mao Haiying. The cultural metaphor of the Chinese language of the Twelve Animals which symbolize the year in which one is born and the Chinese language teaching to foreigners[J]. Journal of Yunnan Normal University, 2003(05):58-62.DOI:10.16802/j.cnki.ynsddw.2003.05.015.
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