Choose Fantastic Chinese New Year Cards!

Chinese New Year is definitely a time to celebrate and wish your loved ones a great year, which is very similar to the January 1st New Year that the rest of the world celebrates. New Years Resolutions, good health, happiness and bright futures are all wishes that people offer their families in the New Year and what better way to offer all of these things than in Chinese New Year cards!

It is common knowledge that whenever a festival happens or a holiday occurs to send some type of card out. Whether it is the Chinese New Year, a birthday or even Christmas, letting your friends and family know that you are thinking about them is very important.

There are a few different things to take into consideration when you are choosing a card for Chinese New Year. For example, the relationship with the person you are sending the card to is important to take into consideration. Sending cards at this important time of the year is definitely expected and many people around the world participate in this fabulous tradition.

Chinese New Year is no different when it comes to sending cards. Many people indulgent themselves and send some beautiful cards to their loved ones for Chinese New Year. While mailing out cards can be difficult, the internet has made sending cards to everyone extremely easy; send an ecard!

Some of the decorations that are incorporated into Chinese New Year cards can be anything from paper dragons all the way to fireworks display. Whether you are sending an ecard or a paper card, including some of these designs would be a great idea so you can keep with the theme of the New Year!

Some more designs on any cards that you are sending out for this special holiday could be include Chinese characters or many even certain food types that are popular during the festival. Anything that has to do with the Chinese New Year festival would be a fantastic idea and would get your family in the mood for this fabulous holiday.

Finally, if you can not find the card that you are in the market for, why not design your own? Hand writing your own card or designing them on the computer is a fantastic way to make your family and loved ones feel special! Making your own cards is great to add that super special, personal touch as well.

Chinese New Year Food: The Basics

Chinese New Year food is a huge part of the two week celebration which takes place during the first lunar month of the year. This particular New Year celebration is determined by the Chinese character. It is a lot like the Western new year, in that it does, indeed, celebrate the coming of a new year. Only the logistics are different. In the Western world, some cultures cook up cabbage on New Year's day, adding silver coins into the pot in order to bring health, wealth, and luck in the coming year. With the Chinese New Year, the sentiments are the same. Only the foods served are different.

There is a wealth of opportunity to eat delicious and symbolic food during this celebration. It is served for a two week period. From the first day of the first lunar month, the celebration lasts until the fifteenth day of the month. Some people have the food catered, some people make it themselves, but the food served is always strongly symbolic.

One traditional food which may surprise you is chicken - but not just any chicken. Generally whole chickens are served. This is because an entire chicken symbolizes togetherness within the family. Serving one means that the family will be together and happy for the coming year.

Noodles are another cuisine staple during the New Year. They are extremely important, and lots of symbolism and superstitions surround them. Noodles should always be served long and uncut. This symbolizes a long life. You can serve them any way you like - in soup, as a side dish, as a main course, or as an appetizer. Just make sure you do not cut them in half!

In certain cases, some foods are served simply because the word for them sounds like a word for something else. If the name of a food sounds anything like the words for luck, fortune, ambition, abundance, et cetera, they will most likely be served during the celebration. For instance, many citrus fruits are included for this reason.

Last but not least, all kinds of fish are important during Chinese New Year. One reason fish is served is because of the above explanation. "Yu," the word for fish in Chinese, sounds like the words for wish and abundance, thus symbolizing good fortune. As well, if you serve the fish with the head and tail included, then it is lucky. The head symbolizes a good beginning for the year; the tail symbolizes a good ending.

Introducing the Chinese New Year

The Chinese New Year is the most important Chinese celebrations and begins on the first day of the first lunar month and proceeds for fifteen days. The Chinese New Year is not only restricted to China but is celebrated throughout Asia. The Twelve-year animal zodiac and ten year heavenly stems Cycles also coincide with the Chinese New Year.

The myth of how the Chinese New Year began is thought to originate from villagers protecting themselves from the monster Nian, or Year. On the first day of the New Year, Nian would come to eat what ever and whom ever it could. Villagers would leave food out hoping to satiate its hunger. Nian was also scared by the color red so red lanterns were hung to frighten it away. The current New Year stems from the celebration of the banishment of this beast.

The most travel in Asia occurs around the Chinese New year as this is a time to visit friends and relative. The day before the New Year the house will be thoroughly cleaned to get rid of last years bad luck and usher in the next year's good luck. Often time's individuals will wear new clothes to symbolize a new start.

Specific days of the New Year have specific traditions. The first day of the New Year welcomes the deities of heaven and earth. All meals are prepared a day in advance as knives and lighting fires are considered to be bad luck. The most senior family members are visited on this day. On the second day any married women can visit their birth parents and prayers are sent up to the gods and ancestors.

The third and fourth day has no traveling as these days are more prone to arguments. As well as being disrespectful to any relatives that may have had loved ones pass away over the past few years. The fifth day celebrated the Chinese god of wealth and dumplings, symbols of wealth, are eaten.

On the seventh day everyone turns one year older as this is the common mans birthday. On this day friends congregate and feast on colorful raw fish salads. The Jade emperor of Heaven's birthday is on the ninth day. Offerings of sugarcane are made to the Jade emperor and honored guests will drink tea. On the last day of the New Year lanterns and candles are lit to guide back wayward spirits.

Information on Chinese Dragons

Chinese dragons are usually drawn as very snake-like with four legs and a very long body. Most dragons are associated with evil put Chinese dragons depict power that is not necessarily evil. The Chinese dragon is regularly found in Chinese art and folklore. The male Chinese dragon is a symbol of the male or yang and is thought to control the weather and rain.

Historically the Chinese dragon belonged to the emperor and could not be used by any commoners. The presence of the dragon as a symbol has fluctuated depending on the government and message portrayed to the rest of the world. Dragons are linked with war and aggression and it is for this that China has switched to using the Panda as a symbol. Angering dragons is also dangerous as angry dragons have cause some of the most horrific floods in China, as any flowing water are controlled by dragons.

Chinese dragons are associated with the lucky number nine as dragons are described using nine attributes. They have 117 scales with 81 Yin scales (9 x 9), positive essence, and 36 Yang scales (4 x 9), negative essence. As with dragons the number nine also belongs to emperor and the highest government officials would wear robes decorated with nine dragons.

The Chinese dragon is the most desired year of the Chinese Zodiac as the year of the dragon has the most births to it. The dragon is associated with positive personality traits and many babies are born during this year. One of the four celestial guardians is a dragon and dragon puppets and dragon boat racing are very popular over the Chinese New Year.

In present day believing in dragons is not as prominent but the Dragon is still worshiped for its control of the weather and rain. Much of the dragon is still present in Chinese traditions. Chinese is a largely agricultural country so the importance of water is great and the dragons control all the water including the North, South, East and West Seas.

Besides controlling water dragons also have many other powers such as changing its size or being able to be invisible or glow. Dragons can manipulate water so it turns into fire. Dragons most likely were derived from a type of ancient crocodile that was able to predict rain. It is thought that the legend of dragons emerged from this crocodile.

How Chinese Calendars Work

The Chinese calendar represents the longest chronological history of time in the entire world. It has been used since approximately 2600 BC. That is when the Emperor, Huang Ti, initially created the zodiac cycle. That cycle is still widely used today. Chinese calendars operate around the zodiac, among other things. For instance, it is also based around the cycles of the moon. For that reason, it is also known as the Lunar Calendar.

There are a surprising number of similarities between the Chinese and Western, Gregorian calendars. However the differences are more important. The Western calendar focuses on months more than years. However, with the Lunar calendar, one year in every twelve has the name of a particular animal. This is due to a legend wherein Buddha summoned all the animals of the world to bid him farewell before he left earth. Only twelve showed up. As a reward for their kindness, Buddha named a year after each animal, in order of appearance.

This is why the Chinese zodiac and the calendar are interconnected. A lot of people believe that the year and animal in which you were born determines your personality. It can influence many aspects of your life.

A huge portion of the overall population of the world are Chinese. That leaves many people following the Chinese calendar and celebrating the Chinese New Year. However, Chinese people do not follow the calendar entirely. They use the Gregorian calendar as well. The Lunar calendar is used only for planning the festivals celebrated by the Chinese, such as the new year.

The zodiac is not the only thing which governs this calendar. Certain aspects of astronomy also play a part in it. Notably, the phases of the moon and the sun's longitude play a huge role in determining the Lunar calendar. As you might imagine, the system has thus been greatly influenced by certain aspects of science.

Let us consider the phases of the moon first. They are extremely important. Under the Chinese calendar, the coming of the new moon means that a new month is starting. Conversely, the sun's longitude helps to determine important periods of time - the Principal Terms.

Most people recognize this calendar because of the zodiac animals used. Those children who are born in 2009 will belong to the Ox. Those who were born in 1988 - twelve years ago - were also born under the sign of the Ox.

How do Chinese parents choose names for their babies?

There are several ways this can be accomplished. The most popular way to name a baby is to base it on the parents' expectations about what kind of person the child will be. A person carries the name he is given for his whole life, so it is an ever-present reminder of his parents' aspirations.

Usually, six categories describe these goals and expectations. These are: morality, intellect and scholarly accomplishment, wellness and beauty, accumulation of wealth and social status, safety and a smooth life path, and strong will and independence.

Some families name their children based on the birth order of the siblings. Some families have age-old traditions that have been handed down from generation to generation, which guide how the babies are named. These infants are named by using a system that is unique to each family -- one that has been defined by his or her ancestors.

A different naming convention is to draw on historical events or to memorialize national events in Chinese history.

Lastly, there is a system that is astrologically-based. A baby name can be derived from the time or season of birth, or the animal that represents the year that the baby was born. The Five Elements can also be an inspiration for the names.

Because parents expect different things from their sons and daughters, there are further refinements to the way Chinese parents name their babies depending on gender.

A good man will possess a character that is above reproach, and will be dedicated to his family and his homeland. He should possess good health, strong ambition, a firm stance, and a powerful sense of honor that he brings to the family.

Names for baby boys will symbolize family honor, or they will carry along the family traditions or the family business to the next generation. They can also signify having strong ambition, good moral character, strong will, fierce determination, a sense of responsibility, a healthy and strong body, an open mind, a great deal of intellect, and devotion to the country and its people.

How do the Chinese name their baby girls? Their parents' hopes include being a loving and devoted child, being virtuous, and staying chaste. They should care deeply for their siblings, tend to the needs of their family, and keep house in a way they can be proud of. They should possess an innate beauty and intellect, while demonstrating grace and an ability to get along well with others.

As such, names given to baby girls will be reflective of the parents' desire that their daughter turn out to be virtuous, tender, beautiful, smart, clever, graceful, and elegant.

You now know everything you need to know about Chinese baby names!

The Winter Solstice Festival

Dong Zhi, or the Winter Solstice Festival, was celebrated by the Chinese of ancient times. It was commemorated in much the same way Chinese Lunar New Year is now - with visits to friends and relatives. There is customary feasting and businesses will close up for the day. During this time, people will assemble to eat "tang yuan" (glutinous flour balls) symbolizing a united family and togetherness.

How do you define the winter solstice?

A solstice is an astronomical expression that explains the time of year when the sun is spaced very far away from our equator. There is one solstice in the summer, corresponding to the longest day of the year, and another in the winter, corresponding to the shortest day of the year. The seasons may vary, however, considering the hemisphere you are talking about.

The winter solstice is caused by the Earth reaching its furthest point away from the sun. As the Earth circles the sun it simultaneously spins on its axis. When this tilt occurs, one hemisphere is further away from the sun and so it is in winter. At the same time, the other hemisphere is closer to the sun and has summer.

The word "Solstice" is derived from two Latin words: "sol" meaning sun, and "sistere," to cause to stand still. They form the word solstitium by combining sol (which means sun) and stitium (which means stop). When the solstice occurs, it appears as if the sun is doing exactly that. It reaches almost the same height at mid day for a few days around the solstice.

December 21st or 22nd are the choice of days that the winter solstices happen and the sun beams right over the tropic of Capricorn. In the southern hemisphere, winter solstice is celebrated on June 20th or 21st. This is the time when the sun is located just above the tropic of Cancer.

The shortest day and longest night of the year are celebrated by the Winter Solstice. This day is considered to be the mid-point of winter by many societies on their calendars. Amazingly, in the past 3,000 years, the date of the solstice has moved only one day.

Due to the fact that the sun seemed to be reborn as the days grew longer, a lot of ancient cultures naturally celebrated this time of rebirth as the winter solstice.

This was usually considered a beneficial change for the world as the evil signified by darkness was conquered by the good signified by light. At this present time some civilizations continue to celebrate festivals of light. Besides the Chinese Dong Zhi festival, the Germanic cultures observe Yule and Hindus commemorate Diwali, a celebration of light.

Find Baby Gender with Chinese Conception Chart

Women love ways of guessing what gender their baby will be. A fun way to learn of your baby's gender is with the Chinese Conception Chart. It is an ancient chart believed to have been found in a royal tomb over 700 years ago. Now, the chart is said to be on display at the Beijing Institute of Science in China.

The chart is not based on any science and whether it is factual or not varies. The chart uses the age of the woman and the month of conception to decide whether the baby will be a boy or girl. Although, to get more accurate results it is best to use lunar months, which are 29 days long.

The age that you are when becoming pregnant is usually a hit or miss with one of the sexes on the chart. Ages on the chart of more likely having a girl on an 18 to 45 range are 21, 22, 30, 31, 32, and 34. The ages more likely of having a boy are 18, 20, 23, 26, 31, and 43. Ages 19, 24, and 33 are close with girls only being more common on a scale of 7 to 5. The same 7 to 5 ratio can be applied to the ages 25, 27, 36, 37, 41, and 44. These ages, however, boys are out numbering girls. Ages 28, 29, 35, 39, 40, 42, and 45, it is a fifty -fifty chance of having a girl or boy.

Based on the conception month the odds on what sex your baby will be change. The months do not have as many one way or the other odds. January, February, May, and October each have 3 to 4 odds of being a boy. April has a to 3 to 4 odds in favor of being a girl. June, August, September, and November are all 15 to 13 in favor of a girl. March and December both have a fifty -fifty chance of your baby being a boy or girl. The only odd month is July where the odds are outstandingly in favor of having a boy at 9 to 19 according to the chart.

When looking at the spread you can notice that boys are more common when you look at the ages, but when looking at the conception month it is fifty-fifty. Of course, there are the many ages and couple of months that are a fifty-fifty chance anyway. It is curious thing to notice when pregnant at what age you are not only the month you conceived but the odds of it being a boy or girl at any month.

The Chinese conception chart is a fun thing to use when pregnant. It is interesting to find out if the chart was correct or not. It is always curious to look behind the chart at the overall chances. This is not scientific though and has no basis other than to have fun. Although, it sometimes proves accurate that does not mean you should get your hopes up that whatever you fall into will bring you a boy or girl. Do not get ahead of yourself when using this chart. Always, see your doctor about the sex of your baby.

Love Chinese Astrology Is a Fun Way to Find Love

Chinese Astrology is founded on the mix of Yin and Yang and the Five Elements, which are fire, metal, water, wood, and earth. The Chinese Zodiac signs are Rat, Cow, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig. Chinese Astrology predates Western Astrology by many years. Many use love Chinese Astrology charts on a daily basis.

Each animal in the Astrology chart represents a 12 year span and are the attributes that the Chinese believe are in every animal. The animals are believed to have been chosen by Buddha. Chinese Astrology offers its own kind of horoscopes. Many different kinds of love guides exist. From love compatibility all the way to soul mate reports, Chinese astrology has an answer to find any kind of love.

The Zodiac is used in Chinese Astrology to match up compatible signs. The Astrology uses your exact birth date and the exact date of the person you are trying to see if you are compatible with. The chart then matches up whatever kind of Zodiac sign you matched with and compares the two. It tells you if you are meant to be together, be just friends, or maybe just stay away from one another.

The animals that rule each year go as follows: rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog, pig. This is the year of the ox, so last year was the year of the rat. The animals are divided into affinity pairs and affinity groups. According to the Chinese Astrology you find your most compatible match in the affinity group and your second choice is in the affinity pair. There are four compatible affinity groups. They are Ox, Snake, and Rooster; Tiger, Horse, and Dog; Rat, Dragon, and Monkey; and Rabbit, Goat, and Pig. There are six compatible affinity pairs. They are Rat and Ox; Tiger and Pig; Rabbit and Dog; Dragon and Rooster; Snake and Monkey; and Horse and Goat.
 
As well as having compatible signs there are also incompatible signs. They are called clashing signs. Clashing signs are divided into six pairs. They are Rat and Horse; Ox and Goat; Tiger and Monkey; Rabbit and Rooster; Dragon and Dog; and Snake and Pig. It is best to avoid trying to date someone with the wrong sign. What about signs that are not listed together? Well, the best way to figure that out is just to check out each of the signs' personalities and then go from there.

When looking into the love Chinese Astrology this is fun to take into account. The signs are based on personality traits, but it is not always accurate. Even people with clashing signs have ended up being very compatible couples. This is a fun way to find out a side of the personality of the person you are interested in.

Ancient Chinese Coins: A Short Intro

Ancient Chinese coins date back to 2000 BC during the Xia dynasty. There are still coins used today, but then they varied in size and shape and were used for many different things.

Types of coins range. The things people used as coins vary. Bone cowrie money was used in China starting in the 14th century BC during the during the Shang and Western Zhou eras. The shells were used and substitutes were made of carved bone. They were outlawed in 221 BC.

During the Spring-Autumn and Warring States era hollow-shaft spade coins were used. Also, some of the first coins resembled knives. They were large and made with a hole at the top for stringing. One kind was called "The Ming" after the city. It was around from 400BC to 225 BC. They, also, had a coin called the "Bu" spade coin. This era also had some of the first round coins.

The Qin dynasty was from 221BC to 207BC. During this time both gold and bronze coins were used. However, The first metal coins were made somewhere during the Pre-Chou dynasty and the Chou dynasty. This was somewhere between 600-300 BC.

Ancient coins that are not worth much today considering how old they are, are the Pan Liang coins. They were around for at least 2000 years. Up until 1911 AD, they were still in use. The coins were made between 140 BC to 118 BC. It is a round coin with a square in the middle.

During the Han dynasty, which was between 206BC to 220AD, minting coins was made into a state monopoly. In the first century, 220,000 strings of 1000 coins each were made. Coins of the western Han used a casting mould of bronze to make the coins easy to standardize. They used artists to incise the mold since it only had to be done once.

The Wu-Ch'U were introduced under the Emperor Yuan- shou. This coin was much like the Pan Liang except the rim was raised to prevent filling. This kept the coin from wearing out as quickly as the coins before it. This coin became used over the next 6 centuries in various forms.

One coin used during the Mongol period between 1280-1368 was a round coin with a square in the middle. It had many intricate designs. This coin was stopped from use very quickly due to people hoarding them. They were given a time period to return them or be punished.

The coins of the ancient Chinese varied widely to begin with. After a while, though, they all tended to be round with a square center. Most were eventually made with some kind of metal, usually bronze. The history of each coin is long and belongs to one of the many dynasties China has had over the centuries.

Chinese Medicine Insomnia Theories

This is a hectic world we live in. Everyone is always on the go all the time. Lack of sleep is not uncommon, but sometimes this lack of sleep leads to more serious problems. Insomnia is one of those more serious problems. Insomnia, itself, leads to world of health related problems. Chinese medicine has cures for insomnia that have been around for centuries.

Unlike Western medicine, which believes insomnia is usually caused by something maybe stress, traditional Chinese medicine believes that insomnia is a disease. They, also, see it as imbalance of fundamental substances or major organs. Traditional Chinese medicine believes that when a person suffers from insomnia their Spirit is wandering. The Spirit is housed in major organs such as the liver and heart. When suffering from insomnia these organs become unlined and this causes the Spirit to wander.

In classic Chinese textbooks, there are numerous pages devoted to insomnia. Some noted types of insomnia are dream-disturbed sleep, difficulty falling asleep, waking up easily, and waking up at a certain time every night. These all relate to organ problems according to traditional Chinese medicine. From organs not being aligned properly to deficiency patterns.

When Chinese doctors are diagnosing insomnia they tend to look for other symptoms. Whenever the heart and kidney are misaligned, for example, the person will have light headedness, weakness in the lower back, palpitations, and get flushed easily. People with spleen/ heart deficiency are forgetful, have poor concentration, and are constantly worrying

The kidney seems to be the most common organ to observe for sleep problems, especially insomnia. According to traditional Chinese medicine, when the kidneys are not capable of storing energy then insomnia incurs. When the kidney is unable to hold on to energy it will ascend to the heart and disturb it. This will keep the person awake.

A cure for insomnia according to Chinese medicine is acupuncture and herbal therapy. People, who have suffered through years of insomnia, find amazing results. Chamomile, lavender, lemon balm, passion flower have been known to be good herbal cures. The medicinal qualities have proven to work. Massages or acupressure, also, tends to work very well. It is like acupressure in that it adjusts the energy within the body.

Chinese medicine is a natural way of curing insomnia. With the focus on the inner workings of the body and energy flows, it is actually healthier for the person suffering, also. Popping pills to solve anything that ails us has become so common that we forget to be in tune with our bodies. Chinese medicine's natural root is something for everyone to consider.