00:00One day before Chinese New Year or Lunar New Year
00:03which is celebrated in Asian countries like Korea, Vietnam, Thailand, Japan, and here in the Philippines.
00:09Let's find out why this is one of the most important occasions in the Lunar Calendar.
00:14Let's watch it.
00:22Kung Hei Fat Choy!
00:24Lunar New Year is one of the most important celebrations in the Chinese culture.
00:29It is not only celebrated in China, but also in the whole world including the Philippines.
00:36In the Philippines, Binondo in Manila is the center of the Lunar New Year.
00:41Binondo is considered the oldest China town in the world.
00:45It was established during the Spanish rule.
00:48The preparation for the Lunar New Year starts a few weeks before the day of the Lunar New Year.
00:55This includes cleaning the house to get rid of bad luck and prepare for good luck.
01:01Houses are decorated with red decorations such as lanterns and pictures of dragons and other symbols of good luck.
01:09One of the main traditions in celebrating the Lunar New Year is to have a reunion dinner or Noche Buena.
01:16The food prepared has its own meaning such as tikoy that symbolizes unity and prosperity
01:24and pancit that symbolizes a long life.
01:26Children are given red envelopes with money in order to pass on good luck and prosperity to the next generation.
01:35Of course, there is a dragon and lion dance where performers dress up as dragons or lions
01:41and dance on the streets to get rid of bad luck.
01:45The Lunar New Year is not just a celebration,
01:48but also an opportunity to deepen friendship and understanding between Chinese and Filipinos.
