Middle East and West Asia Lunar New Year and Lunisolar New Year celebrations that originated in the
Middle East fall on different days: • The
Lunar Hijri calendar used by most of
Islam, is a purely lunar calendar comprising 12
lunar months: its year is shorter by about ten or eleven days than the
Gregorian calendar year. Consequently
Islamic New Year's Day may fall in any season: occasionally there can be two Islamic new years in one Gregorian year (as last happened in 2008). In 2023, the Islamic New Year fell on 7 or 8 July 2024 and is estimated to fall on 25 – 26 June 2025. (The
Solar Hijri calendar, used in Iran, is a purely solar calendar. Its New Year's Day is always the day of the
March equinox.) • In
Judaism, there are as many as four lunar new year observances. Since the
Hebrew calendar is
lunisolar, the days always fall in the same season. •
Nisan is the month of the "barley ripening", or "spring"
Aviv/Abib, and the
book of Exodus 12:1–2, has God instructing Moses to command the Israelites to fix the new moon, the 1st day, of Nisan at the first, or head moon of the year. The talmud in
Rosh Hashanah (tractate) 2a calls this the
Rosh HaShana, the new year, for kings and pilgrimages. The climax of this lunar new year is the festival of
Passover, which begins on 15 Nisan/Abib (Aviv). It is also the first day of secular new years in
Karaite Judaism and
Samaritanism. • 1
Elul corresponds to the
New Year for Animal Tithes in the Rabbinic tradition. Elul is the sixth month, a very late summer/early autumn holiday. It is the date on which the Samaritan calendar advances a year, on the theory that 1 Elul commemorates the creation of the Earth. • 1
Tishrei, is called
Yom teruah,
Day of (trumpet) Blasts in the written
Torah, and it falls on the first of the "seventh month". It is translated
Feast of Trumpets in most English bible translations. This
Day of trumpet Blasts was also called
Rosh Hashanah, literally "new year", in
Rabbinic Judaism, on the theory that it is
Yom haDin, a universal judgment day for all the children of Adam including Jews. Thus the universal, secular new year. It is the date on which the Rabbinic calendar advances a year, on the theory that 1 Tishrei is the day on which the world was born. Rosh Hashanah also inaugurates the ten days known as the High Holy Days/High Holidays or
Days of Awe, culminating with
Yom Kippur; which is the holiest day of the year in Rabbinic Judaism. For Samaritans and Karaites, Passover remains the holiest day of the year. •
Tu BiShvat is the New Year for Trees in Rabbinic Judaism. On this day, every tree ages one year. The age of a tree determines whether it is subject to certain tithes. In the modern era, it has become festive holiday with some ecological overtones.
East Asia Most of
East Asia celebrates the Lunisolar New Year as determined by the traditional
Chinese calendar. Although commonly referred to in North America as "Lunar New Year" (in preference to "
Chinese New Year"), it is actually a Lunisolar New Year. Months in the Chinese calendar track the
phases of the moon but the sequence restarts soon after the December solstice. This means that almost every third year has
thirteen months rather than twelve. Japan observes the
Solar New Year, except for the
Ryukyu islands which continues to observe the Lunisolar New Year. •
Chinese New Year (;
Wugniu:
2non-liq8 1sin-gnie2 or ;
Wugniu:
1tshen-tsiq7, in
Hokkien: ; , also found in many
varieties) •
Tujia New Year ( or ) •
Tsagaan Sar (Mongolian New Year)
Mongol Bichig: •
Hmong New Year (
Hmongic: Nongx Yangx;
Chinese: ) •
Japanese New Year (
Japanese: ) (before 1873) •
Ryukyu New Year (
Okinawan: ) •
Korean New Year () •
Vietnamese New Year (;
chữ Hán: )
Tibetans and
Mongols celebrate the Lunisolar New Year in February or early March, based on the closely related
Tibetan calendar.
Chinese Mongols celebrate Tsagaan Sar according to Chinese calendar. Because the
Uyghurs based their dates on the
Chinese calendar, and the Mongols and Tibetans adopted the Uyghur calendar, Tibetan and Mongolian New Year can either coincide with the Chinese New Year, or take place around one month later. •
Tsagaan Sar (Mongolian New Year) (;
Cagán sar;
Mongol Bichig: ᠴᠠᠭᠠᠨ ᠰᠠᠷᠠ)
China The history of the Chinese New Year festival can be traced back to more than 4000 years ago. Before the new year celebration was formed, ancient Chinese gathered around and celebrated at the end of harvest in autumn. However, the celebration is not
Mid-Autumn Festival, during which Chinese gathered with family and worship the moon. In the
Classic of Poetry, a poem written during
Western Zhou (1045 BC – 771 BC), by an anonymous farmer, described how people cleaned up millet stack-sites, toasted to guests with
mijiu, killed lambs and cooked the meat, went to their master's home, toasted to the master, and cheered for long lives together, in the 10th month of an ancient
solar calendar, which was in autumn. The celebration is believed to be one of the prototypes of the Chinese New Year. The first dated Chinese new year celebration can be traced back to the
Warring States period (475 BC – 221 BC). In
Lüshi Chunqiu, an exorcistic ritual called "Big
Nuo ()" was recorded being carried out in the ending day of a year to expel illness in
Qin. Later, after
Qin unified China and the
Qin dynasty was founded, the ritual was continued. It evolved to cleaning up houses thoroughly in the preceding days of Chinese New Year. The first mentioning of the celebration of the start of a new year was recorded in
Han dynasty (202 BC – 220 AD). In the book (), written by Eastern Han's agronomist and writer Cui Shi (), the celebration was recorded by stating "The starting day of the first month, is called 'Zheng Ri'. I bring my wife and children, to worship ancestors and commemorate my father." Later he wrote: "Children, wife, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren all serve pepper wine to their parents, make their toast, and wish their parents good health. It's a thriving view." People also went to acquaintances' homes and wished each other a happy new year. In
Book of the Later Han Volume 27, , a county officer was recorded going to his prefect's house with a government secretary, toasting to the prefect and praising the prefect's merit. Chinese New Year is the grandest ancient traditional festival in China, commonly known as "Guo Nian". This festival means the beginning of spring and the arrival of the new year. The customs of Chinese New Year include sticking Spring Festival couplets, buying New Year's goods, and having family dinner together.
Korea The earliest references to Korean New Year are found in 7th-century Chinese historical works, the
Book of Sui and the
Old Book of Tang, containing excerpts of celebrations during the New Year in the
Silla Kingdom for
Korean calendar, which was influenced by the
Tang dynasty's
calendar system. Korea's own record of new year celebration is found in (
Memorabilia of the Three Kingdoms), compiled in the 13th century. Under the rule of 21st King of Silla, new year was celebrated in 488 AD. Then celebration of Korean New Year have continued to
Goryeo and
Joseon. By the 13th century, Korean New Year was one of the nine major Korean festivals that included ancestral rites, according to the Korean historical work, the .
Taiwan While there is little recorded history of when Lunisolar New Year was first observed in
Taiwan, it is known that the
indigenous population had other ceremonies and did not originally celebrate the festival. It was likely first celebrated by the
Hakka or Hoklo populations that migrated from now part of mainland China to the island during the 17th century. Due to Taiwan's population being mostly
Han Chinese, its Lunisolar New Year celebration is very similar to that of mainland China, especially in regards to traditions. In addition, some Lunisolar New Year's customs during the
Ming and
Qing Dynasties were preserved in Taiwan. However, in modern day, there can be more of a focus on visiting
Buddhist or
Taoist temples with extended family members. There are also notable variations to the food that is eaten during this time, such as the consumption of
pineapple cakes and other products derived from pineapples or
daikon since the latter is a homophone for "good fortune" in
Hokkien.
Japan Since 1873, the official Japanese New Year has been celebrated according to the
Gregorian calendar, on January 1 of each year, . Prior to 1872, traditional events of the Japanese New Year were celebrated on the first day of the year on the modern
Tenpō calendar, the last official lunisolar calendar and, prior to
Jōkyō calendar, the Chinese version. While the Lunisolar New Year is not commonly celebrated in Japan, it is celebrated in various
Chinatowns within the country, such as
Yokohama Chinatown,
Nankin-machi, and Shinichi Chukagai in
Nagasaki.
Ryukyu Islands In the
Ryukyu Islands (
Okinawa Prefecture and
Amami Islands) in Japan, people traditionally celebrate Lunisolar New Year on the first day of the Chinese calendar.
South Asia These
South Asian traditional lunisolar celebrations are observed according to the local lunisolar calendars. They are influenced by Indian tradition, which marks the system of lunar months in a solar
sidereal year. A separate solar new year also exists for those Indian regions which use solar months in a solar sidereal year. •
Gudi Padwa:
Maharashtra and
Goa. •
Ugadi:
Andhra Pradesh,
Telangana and
Karnataka •
Puthandu:
Tamil Nadu •
Chaitra Navaratri: North and Central India •
Balipratipada:
Gujarat,
Rajasthan •
Cheti Chand:
Sindhi Hindus •
Navreh:
Kashmiri Hindus •
Sajibu Cheiraoba:
Manipur •
Mha Puja:
Nepal (
Newaris) The following are influenced by the
Tibetan calendar: •
Galdan Namchot:
Ladakh •
Losoong:
Sikkim •
Losar:
Arunachal Pradesh (
Monpas) •
Gyalpo Lhosar:
Sherpas •
Tamu Lhosar:
Gurungs •
Sonam Lhosar:
Tamangs
India Various lunisolar calendars continue to be used throughout India in traditional and religious life. However, they differ from the Chinese lunisolar calendar used in
East Asia. The two most common lunisolar new year celebrations in India are
Diwali, and Gudi Padwa/Ugadi/Puthandu. Diwali typically falls in October or November, and Gudi Padwa/Ugadi/Puthandu typically falls in April. In the
Hindu calendar, a
common year has twelve lunar months (like the Islamic calendar) but a
leap year of thirteen lunar months is needed every three years or so, to reset the relationship with the solar year. The cycle begins with the first new moon after the March equinox, or of the sun's (apparent) entry into the constellation of Aries. In ancient times, the sun's entry into Aries coincided with the equinox. However, due to the earth's
axial precession, the sidereal year is slightly longer than the tropical year, causing the dates to gradually drift apart. Today, the sun's entry into Aries occurs around 18 April, according to astronomical definitions. Some traditional calendars are still marked by the sun's actual movements while others have since been fixed to the Gregorian calendar. The sun's entry into Aries is known as '''' in
Sanskrit, and is observed as
Mesha Sankranti and
Songkran in South and South-east Asian cultures.
Southeast Asia The following
Southeast Asian Lunar New Year celebrations are observed according to the local lunisolar calendar and are influenced by Indian Hindu traditions. •
Nyepi (Balinese New Year):
Bali,
Indonesia • Rija Nukan
(Cham New Year):
Chams The following Southeast Asian Lunar New Year celebration is observed according to the local lunisolar calendar and is influenced by Islamic traditions. •
Satu Suro (Javanese New Year): The Javanese calendar follows a purely lunar calendar of 12 months that retrogresses through the Gregorian and Julian calendar years. As in the Islamic calendar, the day of Javanese New Year may thus fall in any season on the calendar.
Malaysia Malaysia is a multi-cultural country. The three dominant ethnic groups in Malaysia are the
Malays, the
Chinese, and the
Indians. Each group has its unique culture and traditional festivals. Public holidays are declared on the three important festivals celebrated by the Malays, Chinese, and Indians, namely
Hari Raya Puasa, Chinese New Year and
Deepavali respectively. As timing of these three important festivals fluctuates due to their reliance on the lunar calendars, they occasionally occur close to one another—every 33 years to be exact. Malaysians has named this phenomenon
Kongsi Raya (Gongxi Raya), a Malaysian portmanteau, denoting the Chinese New Year and Hari Raya Aidilfitri festivals.
Singapore Lunisolar New Year is officially known as "Chinese New Year" in Singapore. It is celebrated in Singapore primarily by members of the
Chinese diaspora, including the
Peranakans and their descendants, who make up three-quarters of the population. They include those who are
Hokkien,
Cantonese and
Teochew from southeastern China; Hainanese from the island province of
Hainan; and
Hakka, a migrant group spread out all over China. The Peranakans have been in the region for over 400 years and also have mixed Malay and European ancestry. Each ethnic group has its own set of traditions, as well as creating new ones incorporating elements from other cultures like Malays and Indians.
Vietnam Chinese migrants brought with them their own policies, cultures, and traditions to Vietnam. The Lunisolar New Year was passed to the Vietnamese people and has stayed relatively intact through the centuries, despite uneasy and often hostile relations between the two countries. The main difference between the
Chinese and
Vietnamese calendars is that the
Vietnamese zodiac replaces the Ox and Rabbit in the
Chinese zodiac with the Buffalo and Cat, respectively. However, it is noteworthy that the Tết Nguyên Đán (Spring Festival) which is celebrated in late January or in the first half of February coincides with the onset of Spring in the regions of northern Vietnam and parts of southern China where the ancient Laos–Thailand kingdom of
Âu Lạc and some regions of the
Baiyue people are located. The celebration marks the beginning of a new planting season, particularly rice. There is also the historical legend of the origin of
bánh chưng, which started on the occasion of
Tết. All early written records of the country have been destroyed through the millennia by numerous invasions from various groups. Vietnamese New Year can also be traced back to the
Lý dynasty (1009 AD – 1226 AD). Vietnamese people often celebrated their Tết holiday by painting tattoos on themselves, drinking rice liquor, eating betel nuts, and making
bánh chưng, as well as pickled onions. During the period of Emperor
Lê Thánh Tông (1442 AD – 1497 AD),
Tết was considered a significant festival in Vietnam. Today, the rule for determining Vietnamese New Year day is the same with that of China, so the day of Lunisolar New Year in China and Vietnam mostly coincide. Lucky money is also given on Lunisolar New Year.
North America Canada Hobiyee, also spelled
Hoobiyee,
Hobiiyee and
Hoobiiyee, is the new year of the
Nisg̱a'a people, celebrated in February or March. It signifies the emergence of the first
crescent moon and begins the month Buxw-laḵs. Celebrations of Hobiyee are done by Nisg̱a'a wherever they are located, but the largest celebrations are in Nisg̱a'a itself and in areas with a large Nisg̱a'a presence like
Vancouver. ==Recognition by the United Nations==