A Guide to Customs for the Second Day of Chinese New Year
The second day of Chinese New Year, known as "Kai Nian" (开年) or "Ying Xu Ri" (迎婿日), is an important day in the Spring Festival celebrations. It is marked by unique traditions and customs that vary across regions but share common themes of family, respect, and prosperity. Below is a guide to the customs observed on the second day of Chinese New Year.
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1. Visiting the Wife's Family (迎婿日, Yíng Xù Rì)
- Tradition: Married women return to their parents' home with their husbands and children. This custom, called "Ying Xu Ri" (Welcoming the Son-in-Law Day), is especially significant in northern China.
- Purpose: It strengthens family ties and allows the wife's family to welcome the son-in-law and grandchildren. It is also a gesture of gratitude and respect towards the wife's parents.
- Activities: Families often share a meal together, and the son-in-law may bring gifts such as fruits, wine, or other auspicious items.
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2. Prayers and Offerings
- Ancestral Worship: Families may offer prayers and sacrifices to ancestors and deities to seek blessings for the new year. Incense, food, and paper offerings are commonly used.
- Business Owners' Prayers: Business owners often hold ceremonies to "open the year" (Kai Nian) and pray for prosperity. These rituals may include burning incense, offering sacrifices, and setting off firecrackers to attract good fortune.
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3. Eating Auspicious Foods
- Dumplings (Jiǎozi): In northern China, dumplings are a staple food during the New Year. Their shape resembles ancient Chinese gold ingots, symbolizing wealth and prosperity.
- Noodles: Long noodles symbolize longevity and are eaten to wish for a long and healthy life.
- Fish: Fish is a common dish during Chinese New Year, symbolizing surplus and abundance. It is often served whole to represent completeness.
- Sweet Rice Balls (Tangyuan): In some regions, sweet glutinous rice balls are eaten to symbolize family unity and harmony.
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4. Lion and Dragon Dances
- Performances: In southern China, particularly in Guangdong and Hong Kong, lion and dragon dances are performed on the second day to bring good luck and drive away evil spirits.
- Locations: These performances are often held in public spaces, markets, and outside businesses to attract prosperity and ward off negative energy.
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5. Visiting Friends and Relatives
- Exchanging Greetings: The second day is a time to visit friends and relatives to exchange New Year greetings and well-wishes.
- Red Packets (红包, Hóngbāo): Married couples give red packets filled with money to children and unmarried adults as a symbol of good fortune and blessings.
- Gifts: Visitors often bring gifts such as fruits, sweets, or other auspicious items when visiting.
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6. Temple Visits
- Prayers for Blessings: Many people visit temples on the second day to pray for health, prosperity, and good fortune. Temples are often crowded with worshippers offering incense and making donations.
- Popular Temples: In Hong Kong, temples like Wong Tai Sin and Che Kung Temple are popular destinations. In mainland China, temples such as Beijing's Lama Temple and Shanghai's Longhua Temple also see large crowds.
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7. Regional Variations
- Fujian: In some parts of Fujian, the second day is known as "Po Nian" (破年), meaning "Breaking the Year." Families may hold special ceremonies to "break" the old year and welcome the new one.
- Guangdong: In Guangdong, the second day is often marked by large family gatherings and feasts. The tradition of visiting the wife's family is particularly strong in this region.
- Taiwan: In Taiwan, the second day is also a time for married women to visit their parents' home. Families often prepare elaborate meals and enjoy time together.
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8. Cleaning and Decluttering
- Symbolic Cleaning: Some families perform light cleaning on the second day to sweep away any remaining bad luck from the previous year. However, major cleaning is avoided to prevent sweeping away good fortune.
- Decluttering: It is also a time to organize and declutter the home, symbolizing a fresh start for the new year.
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9. Fireworks and Firecrackers
- Warding Off Evil Spirits: Fireworks and firecrackers are set off on the second day to ward off evil spirits and bring good luck. This tradition is especially popular in rural areas.
- Celebration: The loud noises and bright lights are believed to scare away negative energy and create a festive atmosphere.
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The second day of Chinese New Year is a day of family reunions, prayers, and celebrations. Whether it's visiting the wife's family, enjoying auspicious foods, or participating in lion and dragon dances, these customs reflect the deep cultural significance of the Spring Festival. By observing these traditions, families strengthen their bonds and welcome the new year with hope, prosperity, and good fortune.
