The Chinese New Year party in London will be the biggest outside of Asia. Here's your guide to the celebration.
This year, Chinese New Year - The Year of the Monkey - begins on February 8th and lasts until Jan 27th, 2017.
Happy Chinese New Year!
Celebrations have started around the world - and now London is joining the festivities.
A man in a monkey costume climbs one of the lion statues in Trafalgar Square in London Photo: AP Photo/Frank Augstein
People gathered at one of Hong Kong's best known temples - the Wong Tai Sin - to make their new year wishes, while dancers dressed in traditional costumes performed at Ditan Park in Beijing.
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The Sydney Opera House in Australia was bathed in red light as part of city wide lumiere and lantern display to welcome in Chinese New Year
While preliminary events have been kicking off across the UK, the big celebrations in the capital won't take place until Sunday 14th February.
On Saturday, the National Gallery in Trafalgar Square hosted a free Chinese New Year-themed family day, while Chiswick House Gardenslaunched the UK debut of the Magical Lantern Festival on Wednesday February 3rd.
The display, which included a 66-metre long dragon, runs until March 6th.
The Terracotta Army Photo: Anthony Upton/The Telegraph
The new year, also known as the Spring Festival, is marked by the lunisolar Chinese calendar, so the date changes from year to year.
The festivities usually start the day before the New Year and continue until the Lantern Festival, the 15th day of the new year.
The Chinese symbol for monkey
Each Chinese New Year is characterised by one of 12 animals which appear in the Chinese zodiac. The Chinese zodiac is divided into 12 blocks (or houses) just like its western counterpart, but with the major difference being that each house has a time-length of one year instead of one month.
This year it's the Year of the Monkey, the ninth animal in the cycle. The next Year of the Monkey will be in 2028.
Popular Chinese New Year Greetings
1. 新年好 / 新年好 (Xīnnián hǎo)
'New Year goodness!'
In Mandarin: /sshin-nyen haoww/
In Cantonese: /sen-nin haow/
In Cantonese: /sen-nin haow/
2. 恭喜发财 / 恭喜發財 (Gōngxǐ fācái)
'Happiness and prosperity!'
In Mandarin: /gong-sshee faa-tseye/
In Cantonese: Kunghei fatchoy /gong-hey faa-chwhy/
In Cantonese: Kunghei fatchoy /gong-hey faa-chwhy/
3. 步步高升 / 步步高陞 (Bùbù gāoshēng)
A steady rise to high places! — "on the up and up"
In Mandarin: /boo-boo gaoww-shnng /
In Cantonese: /boh-boh goh-sshin /
In Cantonese: /boh-boh goh-sshin /
The personality of the Monkey
People born in the Year of the Monkey are characterised as lively, quick-witted, curious, innovative and mischievous, but it is also believed to be one of the most unlucky years in the Chinese calendar.
The general image of people in this zodiac sign is of always being smart, clever and intelligent, especially in their career and wealth.
In addition, their gentleness and honesty bring them an everlasting love life. Although they were born with enviable skills, they still have several shortcomings, such as an impetuous temper and a tendency to look down upon others.
Performers play the dragon dance during the Chinese New Year parade Photo: KeystoneUSA-ZUMA/Rex Features
Lucky Signs for the Monkey
Famous people born under the monkey sign
Julius Caesar, Leonardo da Vinci, Charles Dickens, Lord Byron, Elizabeth Taylor, Diana Ross, Michael Douglas, Alice Walker, Celine Dion, Tom Hanks, Will Smith, Halle Berry, Christina Aguilera, Owen Wilson, Daniel Craig, Mick Jagger, Bette Davis, Annie Oakley, Eleanor Roosevelt, Cuba Gooding Jr., Gisele Bundchen, Kim Cattrall, Nick Carter, Patricia Arquette, Alyson Stoner, Christina Ricci, Demi Lovato, Miley Cyrus, Nick Jonas, Selena Gomez.
Your sign is derived from the year you were born in the Chinese lunar calendar.
The years below are a rough guide, but if you were born in January or February it may be slightly different as the new year moves between 21 January and February 20.
What does your Chinese zodiac sign mean?
In Chinese astrology, the 12 animal zodiac signs each have unique characteristics.
Chinese New Year's Day Taboos
To be avoided on the first day of the Chinese New Year:
When does the party start?
Celebrations in London, which are set to be the biggest outside Asia, are set to begin on Valentine's Day, Sunday February 14th.
Chinese lanterns are strung across a street in Chinatown Photo: Oli Scarff/Getty Images
Thousands of people are expected to mark the occasion in London's Chinatown, where a parade traditionally takes place. It is expected to start at 10am, travelling along Charing Cross Road and Shaftesbury Avenue in the West End before reaching Chinatown, but exact details are yet to be released.
In previous years the parade has included an official opening ceremony and entertainment such as acrobatics, traditional dance and music.
Regent Street will be celebrating Chinese New Year with a traditional Chinese Wishing Tree which will be stationed on Glasshouse Street from 11am – 3pm.
A traditional Chinese Wishing tree
The ancient tradition of the Wishing Tree is synonymous with good luck and fortune, and the legend goes that hanging your hopes for the coming year on a Wishing Tree will encourage your dreams to come true.
Members of the public are invited to visit the tree and receive a bespoke wish written by an authentic Chinese calligrapher to take home along with a golden chocolate coin, for added good fortune.
Where to celebrate Chinese New Year in London, New York and beyond
There are 10 large Chinese communities to consider if you fancy celebrating the beginning of the Year of the Monkey in style.
The Magical Lantern Festival
London has been selected as the first city outside the Far East to host theMagical Lantern Festival, a dazzling extravaganza of lights, music theatre, culture and art.
Tickets are now on sale from www.magicallantern.uk and runs from Febuary 3 to March 6 at Chiswick House in west London.
Where to eat
Sophie Campbell, our London expert, makes her recommendation
Y Ming (020 7734 2721; yming.co.uk) 35-36 Greek Street, W1: This place is small, friendly, not in the least bit interested in being hip and serves northern Chinese food, rather than the Cantonese you normally find in London. The vegetarian options are great and they do a pre-theatre menu for £12.
Try the soft shell crab (£8.50) or the beef with coriander in a wrap (£11). They also say on the menu that if you want Peking Duck done properly it requires four hours' notice, so that's on my wish list.
And I do like dim sum at the Royal China on Queensway, Bayswater (020 7221 2535; rcguk.co.uk), partly because of the workmanlike servicing of huge circular tables full of Chinese families, business people and locals, and partly because they do great dumplings.
I'm a sucker for the Shaolin Monk Hotpot, which has lots of bean curd in it and I always hope will be thrown across the room by a martial artist, and they do the sublime Mango Pudding, loathed by everyone I know except me. I consider it right up there in the culinary pantheon with Jam Roly Poly.
They've got a number of other sites in London. There's a good one on Baker Street.
...Or try cooking at home
From Sichuan-style vension and sticky pork ribs to fragrant crispy chicken and the most delicious, umami-rich, miso mushrooms. Celebrate the New Year at home with these scrumptious recipes.
Photo: Andrew Crowley
AT A GLANCE
The year of the Fire Monkey
- When does it start?
- The new year, according to the Chinese calendar, begins on 8 February and ends 27 January 2017
- Why 'Fire Monkey'?
- Each year is associated with a Chinese zodiac animal sign, as well as one of the five vital elements: Gold, Water, Wood, Fire or Earth
- What's special about people born in this year?
- They are ambitious and adventurous, but irritable according to chinahighlights.com
Characteristics
- Strengths include being sociable, innovative, enthusiastic and self-assured
- Character weaknesses include being suspicious, cunning, selfish, arrogant - and even jealous
Lucky charms for fire monkeys
- Numbers:
- 4 and 9
- Days:
- The 14th and 28th of any Chinese lunar calendar month
- Colours:
- White
- Flowers:
- Chrysanthemum
- Directions:
- North
- Months:
- The Chinese lunar months 8 and 12
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