Chinese New Year - Brooklyn Children's Museum

information for the teacher
Information About Objects In The Case
Hong Bao Red paper envelopes filled with gifts of money. On Chinese New
Year, adults give hong bao to children. Designs on the hong bao range from
the traditional to popular cartoon characters but all are meant to invite good
fortune. Symbols include the Chinese zodiac animal of the year, fish, oranges,
and flowers. The amount of money in the envelope is always an even number,
as odd numbers are associated with cash given during funerals. The number
eight is considered lucky since the word “eight” sounds similar to the word
“wealth.” $8 is a common gift amount.
Tangerine Tree Tangerines and oranges are frequently displayed in homes
and stores. Tangerines symbolize good luck, and oranges are symbols of
wealth. These meanings have developed through a language pun, the word
for tangerine having the same sound as “luck” in Chinese, and the word for
orange having the same sound as “wealth”.
Fu Sign “Fu” is the Chinese word for “good luck”. Diamond shaped paper
signs with Fu written in Chinese calligraphy are popular decorations for the
New Year. The signs are hung so the word, Fu, is upside down. The Chinese
word for “upside-down” rhymes with the Chinese word for “arrive.” So when
the sign is hung upside-down it wishes good luck to arrive soon!
Decorative Firecrackers Decorations in the shape of firecrackers festoon
homes and stores during the New Year season. Actual firecrackers are part
of every Chinese New Year. There is a belief that the noise of the fireworks is
supposed to scare away all evil spirits and misfortunes, preventing them from
coming into the New Year.
Boy and Girl Lantern Red lanterns featuring New Year’s symbols decorate
stores, homes, and streets during the Chinese New Year season. They are
especially important on the fifteenth day of the Chinese New Year when the
Lantern festival celebrates the first full moon of the year. This lantern features
a boy and girl, a common motif for New Year as children are good luck
because they represent the future.
Lion Head The lion dance is an important tradition in Chinese culture.
Usually the dance is part of festivities like Chinese New Year, the openings of
restaurants, and weddings. A well-performed lion dance is believed to bring
luck and happiness. The “lion” is brought to life by two dancers. One moves the
head, which is made out of strong but light materials like papier-mâché and
bamboo, the other plays the body and the tail under a bright cloth that is
attached to the head.
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