The Chinese New Year in Hong Kong is the world’s largest Chinese New Year celebration; a time when locals and visitors alike mark the occasion with a unique fusion of ancient customs and up-to-the-minute fun. The two-week celebration includes a spectacular parade, exciting fireworks, gorgeous flower markets, fast-paced sporting events and interesting themed tours.
The arrival of the Year of the Tiger will be celebrated in the parade by a total of 40 performing groups from 14 countries and regions, and will include 14 elaborately-decorated floats, 13 international and 13 local performing troupes.
Of course the arrival of the Chinese New Year is more than parades. It is also a time when locals observe many age-old traditions that visitors are invited to share. Flowers are an important part of the celebrations and visitors will surely want to visit a colourful flower market to marvel at the selection of exquisite blooms. At New Year these will traditionally include fragrant narcissus and colourful peonies that represent prosperity, plum blossoms that strengthen romance, tangerine plants for marital bliss, and gigantic kumquat trees designed for offices as they are believed to bring success to businesses.
In all cultures, the New Year is a time for looking back as well as forward. Thus the Chinese New Year is a time when it is customary to give thanks for the past twelve months and pray for good fortune in the coming year. Visitors to Hong Kong at this time can share these traditions on a Chinese Fortune-Seeking Trip, joining huge crowds as they make a pilgrimage to fortune tellers, visit temples to pray and, finally, spin the Wheel of Fortune and tie a wish on the fabled Wishing Trees.
Another popular custom with everyone is the purchasing of new clothes and shoes to symbolize a fresh start in the New Year. Few will argue with that! People from around the world can join their Hong Kong brothers and sisters in the purchasing and wearing of new items, perhaps even some cheongsams and silk padded coats, preferably in red … a colour that is believed to bring luck and ward off evil spirits. And thus attired, a wonderful dining experience in one of the region’s popular restaurants is highly recommended. Traditional favourites for New Year feasts include a whole fish, which represents abundance and togetherness; oysters, whose name in Chinese sounds like “good things”; sesame balls and oil dumplings for wealth, especially the latter whose shape resembles early gold ingots and are believed to bring unexpected fortunes.