Lunar Year Customs – Lunar New Year Day (農曆正月習俗之新正日(大年初一))

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First Day of Lunar New Year, in Chinese known as Da Nian Chu Yi (大年初一) or Yuan Ri (元日), in Hokkien known as Xin Zheng (新正) – meaning the New Start or in Chinese Custom, known as Ji Ri (雞日) aka Day of Rooster or Day of Auspicious.

In Ancient Era, due to the different calculation of the Calendar System and using of different Lunar System, New Year is not the same as the one that we celebrate or known of now, but, the meaning of New Year is still the same, not much changes.

So on the First Day of the Lunar New Year, what shall one self or we do?

In-order to get the necessary blessing for the New Year, one self or all shall try to do the following:

1 – to stay in happy mood (continue for the whole of 15 Days in the New Year Period)
2 – do not engage into any arguments & conflicts with anyone
3 – do not kill any living stocks
4 – do not use of any sharp & pointed objects
5 – do not disobey any elders or parent
6 – do not snatch any items from anyone, especially siblings
7 – do not spend any money un-necessary
8 – try to visit as many temples as possible
9 – try to do some minor charity or sharing with the others, etc

By trying to practice the above mentioned, one self will be able to see the difference. Do try.

Besides that what other thing that one self shall do or look into?

Besides self-cultivation & self-discipline, New Year Day is also a Day to show our gratitude & respect to the living Elders or Parent and also the Passed-on People & Deities.

On the New Year Day morning, everyone in the family must get up early (even though everyone rest very late in the eve), wash-up and then prepare to pay respect to the Deities & Ancestors at home.

After washing up, the first thing in the morning will be, paying respect to the Heaven.



In Taoism, first day of New Year is consider as Tian La (Feast Day for Heaven 天臘) & also the Manifestation Day aka Birthday of Yuan Shi Tian Zun (The Creator of the Universe & Dimension 元始天尊), upon paying respect to Heaven & Yuan Shi Tian Zun, one self is expressing the gratitude and also requesting for blessing from the Heaven. If a person is well-disciplined & well-cultivated, the requests will be answered & necessary blessings will be bestowed upon.

Besides that, on Tian La, this is the Day that is good for doing chanting of Scriptures & any form of Mantras (誦經禮懺功德無量).

After paying respect to Heaven & Yuan Shi Tian Zun, the whole family shall pay respect to the Deities at home.

So what shall be prepared?

Here are some of the recommended items:

1 – A new set of Nian Gao (年糕). Do not removed the existing one that are placed on the altar, stack the new set of Nian Gao onto the existing one, this is to represent Nian Nian Gao (年年高) or Bu Bu Gao (步步高) – good in getting promotion & good result in Academic Study.

2 – A new set of 5 Mandarin Oranges (五顆桔子). Remove the existing set.

3 – The 6 Traditional Candies/Cookies & the 6 Dried Items (六甜六素). Remove the existing set.

4 – A Huat Kueh (發糕). If you can stack the new one onto the existing one, that will be best, if not, place the new one beside the existing one.

5 – Ji Hong (吉紅). A type of traditional soft-candy, taste like jelly, can get from any bakery or incense-shops. Just place them in a red bowl for the offering.

6 – 3 cups of Chinese Tea (三杯清茶), 3 cups of Rice Wine (三杯米酒) & 3 cups of Plain Luke-warm Water (三杯陰陽水). This is the highest offering for the Deities, normal day only use 3 cups of either one.

Then, what shall be done?

After all the items are being prepared and placed on the altar, the Elder or the Leader of the family can lead the whole family to pay respect to the Deities. The Elder or the Leader will need to report the names of each family member, including those who are not at home (exclude those passed-on). After reporting, ask for the necessary blessings and then, make 3 bows to the Deities and the ceremony is considered complete.

After paying respect, now is the turn to pay respect to the Ancestors.

One self can prepared the same items, just that, take out the Ji Hong, 6 types of cookies & dried items & the 3 cups of Water.

Once ready, the Elder or the Leader will lead the honouring. After offering incenses and do the reporting, make 3 bows and then the ceremony is considered complete.

Only then, the younger generation will pay respect to the Elders or Parent at home.

Due to the modernization of our daily life, nowadays, the younger generation dont really kneel down to make tea-offering to the Elders or Parent on the first day of New Year, its okay, as long as one self is sincere, by saying something auspicious to the Elders or Parent, it does have the same meaning.

After that, then the whole family can have their meal and starts the visiting to relative place or temples.

At night, the whole family shall have another round of Reunion Dinner (團圓飯). This time round, those who are not able to join in the Reunion that take place on the Eve must try their best to join in.

As you mention at the beginning, First Day is also known as Day of Rooster, so what is that?

According to Ancient Records, First Day of Lunar New Year is known as Ji Ri aka Day of Rooster (雞日), cos, in myths, this is the Day that the Universe created the First Living Stock, which is Rooster.

In-order to keep in memory of the Creation of the Universe, later part in the Chinese History, First Day is being called Ji Ri.

Besides that, due to the Pronunciation of Ji (雞) as Rooster and the Pronunciation of Ji (吉) as Auspicious are the quite similar, so on the First Day of Lunar New Year, folks also called it the Day of Auspicious (吉日).

And other reasons...

So is there any activity to mark the Day of Rooster?

Yes, in the Ancient Era, the folks will get a picture or painting of a Boy sitting on a Rooster (俗稱吉神). On the Eve of Lunar New Year, the Elder or the Leading Man of the family will paste it up on the Main Hall or on the Main Door.

On the morning of the First Day, the Elder or the Leading Man will do a dotting of red ink (硃砂) onto the forehead of the boy and the crown of the Rooster. This is to represent ushering in the New Year and also, to give Life to the painting in-order to bless the family with Ji aka Auspicious & Luck.

Due to this is an old-fashion belief, in the modern day now, no one continue the practice, but in some rural areas in the Asia Countries, some of the rural families still do that as a form of marking the arrival of Spring or New Year.