Lunar New Year in Taiwan is one of the significant festivals in Taiwan. Get to know more about Lunar New Year in Taiwan through Taiwan Travel Guide.
Taiwan Info
Taiwan is an island country situated towards the eastern part of Asia. The islands of Taiwan, Lanyu, Green Island situated in the Pacific Ocean, Pescadores located in the Taiwan Strait, Matsu and Kinmen islands and island groups of Penghu form the Taiwan province of ROC( Republic of China). Formosa forms the main island of Taiwan.
Lunar New Year in Taiwan
Lunar New Year is a major festival for ethnic Chinese groups around the world. Around eighty percent of the population of Taiwan consist of Hoklo, a Chinese ethnic group and the remaining comprise Taiwanese. Lunar New Year in Taiwan is celebrated with great fervor . The Taiwan Lunar New year festival starts on 24th day of twelfth lunar month. It is believed that on this day different gods descend down to earth from heaven and report to supreme Taoist deity, Jade Emperor about the household affairs. The New Year celebrations are marked by beautiful rituals. In one of the rituals people burn ritualistic paper money to make the gods happy to provide traveling expenses for the gods. In another ritual people put malt sugar on Kitchen God's lips so that he gives a good report of the household affairs of the people on earth to Jade emperor or better, keep silent. Kitchen God is considered as one of the traveling deities in accordance to Chinese mythology and tradition. Other rituals include hanging of spring couplets in the house.
The Lunar New Year festival goes on for several days. During the festival lion and dragon dances are held on streets. On the first day of the Lunar New Year festival people pay their respects to their ancestors. People wear new clothes on this day and visit the houses of relatives and friends and convey their best wishes. On the second day of the festival married daughters visit the homes of their parents. On the 4th day the people offer food to the Kitchen God as he returns from his trip to the Jade Emperor. This day gives the people freedom from spiritual surveillance. By the fifth day the celebrations come to an end. Offerings are taken away from the altars. Everything gets to normal. The New Year Celebrations in Taiwan are marked by shopping, feasting and merry making.
For authentic information on New Year in Taiwan, visit travel.mapsofworld.
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