Introduction

This Chinese New Year will be on 22 Jan 2023 and many of us will celebrate this occasion in an almost post pandemic era which normally last 15 days. The symbols, traditions and festivals of the Chinese New Year are deeply rooted in about 5,000 years of human civilisation, culture, mores and beliefs. The Chinese New Year lasts for 15 days and most Chinese households will observe traditional celebrations and practices.

 

Unfortunately, some of our Chinese New Year celebrations focus too much on our temporal earthly life and tangible success. Chinese Christians, much as they value their culture, must seek to understand its cultural and socialor religious symbolism and be careful to avoid religious elements that do not accord with Holy Scripture.

 

We must put God first, before our culture, while at the same time honouring God in the enjoyment of some elements of our cultural heritage which are non-religious in nature. We must not contaminate our celebration with materialistic or religious beliefs and practices that are unedifying or displeasing to God.

 

Let us consider a few of these areas of concern.

 

Chinese lunar calendar

The Chinese generally have adopted the Western calendar since 1911, but the lunar calendar, based on astrology and the cycles of the moon, is still used for festive occasions such as the Chinese New Year.

 

Astrology has affected many civilizations including China. It is one of the most ancient philosophies - perhaps more than 3,000 years old. It claims to predict what will happen to people, countries, economic trends, conflicts and much more.

 

Traditionally, Chinese dating methods were cyclical - as in the method of recording years by the twelve animal signs. Every year is assigned an animal name or 'sign' according to a repeating cycle - Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Boar - so that the same animal 'sign' reappears every twelve years.

 

Astrology

One Chinese legend attributes the animal signs to the semi-mythical Yellow Emperor in 2637 BC. According to another legend, a Chinese deity summoned all the animals before he departed from Earth but only twelve came to bid him farewell. As a reward, he named a year after each one in the order that they arrived.

 

There is a superstitious belief that the animal ruling a person's birth year exercises a profound influence on his or her life. Horoscopes have developed around the animal signs, much like monthly horoscopes in the West relating to astronomical signs. For example, a Chinese horoscope might predict that a person born in the Year of the Horse would be 'cheerful, popular, and love to compliment others'.

 

These religious horoscopes, though popular, are dangerous superstitions. The practice of astrology is clearly condemned in the Bible - Isaiah 47:12-13 reads, 'Stand now with thine enchantments, and with the multitude of thy sorceries ... Let now the astrologers, the stargazers, the monthly prognosticators, stand up, and save thee from these things that shall come upon thee'.

 

The occultic use of charts, or the worship of celestial bodies like the moon, sun and stars to predict behaviour, businesses, relationships or the future, is strictly forbidden in the Bible (2 Kings 23:5-7). And that includes consulting a geomancer or Feng Shui master, bomoh or shaman as well (Deuteronomy 18:10-13).

 

As Christians, let us be careful not to propagate, in the name of culture, superstitious practices that are clearly disallowed in the Word of God (Leviticus 19:26-31).

 

Greetings and ang pows

In wishing one another a blessed new year, ang pows - red packets containing money - are given to children, parents, grandparents or others. It is good to show love and filial piety, and giving ang pows is acceptable as long as we understand them as gestures of love and appreciation rather than symbols of an unhealthy preoccupation with wealth.

 

The colour 'red', which to many people say represents gold (while some say it represents the colour of blood) is indifferent for Christians - who should not be enamoured with materialistic prosperity, wealth and worldly success. In our Chinese New Year greetings, it is not appropriate for Christians to wish people Gong Xi Fa Cai, which refers to tangible or financial wealth for that person. Wishes for peace in the new year, or eternal joy from God, are more appropriate.

 

We have reason to be joyful because we are blessed of God by his saving mercies and pardoning grace. We have Christ as Lord and Saviour of our lives - who died for us, redeemed us and rose from the dead, having destroyed sin and death, and brought us everlasting life. For the Christian, only Christ is the basis of our hopes in the new year.

 

Some hang paper pineapples in their homes because in Chinese the pineapple is called ong lai, meaning 'prosperity comes to our homes'. Others put the Chinese word for prosperity upside down on the wall 'to bring in the prosperity'.

 

During Chinese New Year also, some older folks resort to gambling with cards or mahjong, while pictures of gold bars are displayed to symbolise prosperity and wealth. All such practices should be avoided by Christian families because they reflect an ungodly covetous spirit (Exodus 20:17; 1 Timothy 6:6-10), which is inconsistent with Christian contentment but greed and avarice instead.

 

Rather, as Deuteronomy 8:18 says, we should 'remember the LORD [our] God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day'. 

 

To be continued…

By Rev Jack Sin

 

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