To welcome the year of Ox, the Ambassador of China to Pakistan H.E. Nong Rong and Embassy Staff along with the distinguished members of the diplomatic community and civil society celebrated and cherished the festivity of Chinese New Year at an event organized by Maurizio Romani, the General Manager of Marriott Hotel Islamabad. All the guest enjoyed the dinner and greeted their Chinese friends with a very Happy New Year.
Few interesting facts about the Chinese New Year are:
- Chinese New Year date changes each year and the first day of the first month in the Lunar Calendar marks the Chinese New Year
- It is one of the top five most celebrated festivals across the globe and festivities last for 16 days ending up with the Lantern Festival
- Chinese Zodiac Calendar have 12 animal signs and one of them represents each year and there is also a complex sexagenarian cycle related to it – a combination of one of 10 heavenly stems and one of 12 earthly branches
- Chinese New Year results in the world’s largest migration because Chinese people from all corners of the world travel home to celebrate the event with their families
- Traditionally, it is the time when people pray for the fruitfulness of their next year’s harvest
- New Year’s Eve Gala is the world’s most-watched TV show
- Gifts are exchanged except pears and mirrors
