“Celebrating the Lunar Chinese New Year” – Worshipping the Deities and Ancestors

“Lunar Chinese New Year” is the most important festival for the Chinese.

Traditionally, believers who have deities and ancestors at home will worship deities and ancestors at home during this important festival. Every household will place various offerings in front of the altar table to worship the deities and ancestors.

Reunion dinner on ‘New Year’s Eve’ is also a traditional habit and the most important dinner to every Chinese household. The family gets together to celebrate the harvest of the year. They will bring out the most abundant food, and have a reunion dinner. It symbolizes peace, happiness and auspiciousness.

Generally, Cantonese believers will worship the deities and ancestors before they start the reunion dinner. This is a kind of respect for the deities and ancestors. The food for worship is usually pork, chicken, duck and rice cakes, fruits, tea/wine and so on. There are also some who worship with the food liked by their ancestors.

After the reunion dinner, will be waiting for the arrival of the “Zi Shi” (11pm) to prepare for welcoming of the God of Wealth and “Shou Sui”. Believers will prepare offerings to the deities such as huat kueh, fruits, candle etc, to welcome the God of Wealth and gather with family members to welcome the lunar new year.

On the first day of the Lunar Chinese New Year, believers usually cook vegetarian dishes to worship the deities and ancestors at home. Some believers also only eat vegetarian dishes and not meat for this day.

The second day of the Lunar Chinese New Year represents a new beginning of the year (KaiNian). On this day, married daughter will return to her parents’ home with her husband and children to have a “New Year’s dinner” (KaiNianFan) with their parents. “New Year’s Dinner” symbolizes a new beginning, everyone live in harmony, and be happy. Some will visit temples to pray for good luck and safety for family in the new year.
The seventh day of the Lunar Chinese New Year is ‘RenRi’ (People’s birthday). Believers will also visit the temple to pray for good luck and safety for family as this is an auspicious day for everyone.

On the fifteenth day, also known as “the Lantern Festival” is also the last day of “Lunar Chinese New Year”. On this day, believers generally prepare offerings at home to worship deities and ancestors. Some will also visit the temple to pray for blessings.

华人“过新年” – 祭拜神灵和祖先

“过新年”是华人一年中最重要的节日。

传统上，家里有安奉神灵和祖先的信徒们都会在这重要的节日里祭拜神灵和祖先。家家户户都会在神台前摆放各种供品，供奉神灵和祖先。

在‘除夕夜’ 吃团圆饭，也是家家户户的传统习惯。意味着一家人团聚在一起庆祝今年的丰收。他们会把最丰盛的食品拿出来，团团圆圆地吃一顿年夜饭。这顿象征着和平、幸福和吉祥的年夜饭对一家人来说是最重要的一顿晚餐。

信徒都会在吃团圆饭前祭拜神灵和祖先。这是对神灵和祖先的一种尊重和怀念。祭拜供品通常是‘三牲’，如猪肉、鸡肉、鸭肉和年糕、水果、茶酒等。也有些会用先人/祖先喜爱的食品来祭拜。

吃过团圆饭，就是等待‘子时’ (晚上11点) 的来临，准备接财神和守岁。信徒会准备发糕，水果，元宝和蜡烛等的供品来迎接财神，并与家人一起畅谈守岁。

大年初一，广东信徒通常会在家里做素菜祭拜家中神灵和祖先。有些信徒在这一天也只吃素菜，不吃肉。

大年初二叫”开年” (代表新的开始)。今天，外嫁女会与丈夫孩子回娘家与父母吃‘开年饭’。‘开年饭’ 象征新的开始，大家和睦共处，和和气气开开心心，开始新的一年。有些人也会互相到亲戚家拜年。有些信徒还会举家到庙宇拜神，拜太岁，拜虎爷，或请道长唸经转运等以求新的一年，一家平安，事事顺意。

大年初七是“人日”（人民的生日）。信徒也会在这吉祥的一天到庙宇为家人祈福。

到了十五日，元宵节，也是“农历新年”的最后一天。这一天，信徒们一般在家中以供品祭拜神灵和祖先。也有的会到庙宇祈福，希望接下来的一年大家万事顺利。