Chinese New Year is the most important festival of the year, and as the Year of the Dragon (2024) approaches, I’m sure you are also preparing for the celebration. The festive atmosphere starts from the little details of the decorations, such as window flowers, spring couplets, and other decorations that are full of festive flavor, and you can’t miss any of them. Let’s have a red and prosperous new year!
1. Window Flowers
Window flowers are paper cuttings that are pasted on window paper or glass windows. They are also known as the invitations of the Chinese New Year, as they have a long history and unique style, and have been around for thousands of years, originating from the paper-cutting or pasting paintings in folk celebrations or customs.
Window flowers have rich content, wide-ranging themes, and various colors and patterns. They use their unique generalization and exaggeration techniques to express auspicious objects, and good wishes, and make the festival decorated with red and prosperous, festive and joyous.
2. Spring Couplets
Pasting spring couplets is also an ancient way of welcoming the spring, and it is the most festive decoration in the Chinese New Year decoration. Spring couplets are the symbols of bidding farewell to the old and welcoming the new, implying that you will see auspiciousness and happiness when you go out or look up, and add a strong touch to the festive atmosphere.
Spring couplets seem ordinary, but they reflect the people’s wishes and imagination for the festival. In ancient times, literati regarded writing couplets as a very elegant pleasure, and spring couplets were even more joyful. Thousands of households pasted spring couplets, creating a spring scene.
3. The Character “Fu”
Pasting the character “fu” is also an indispensable part of the Chinese New Year decoration. People will paste a “fu” character in an appropriate position during the New Year, meaning good luck and auspiciousness. Many people will deliberately paste the “fu” character upside down, meaning that fortune has arrived.
It is worth mentioning that the “fu” character on the door must be pasted upright. The “fu” character on the door means welcoming and receiving fortune, as the door is the entrance and exit, and it is a place that needs to be solemn and respectful. The “fu” character that is pasted must be solemn and not flattering, dignified and generous, so it should be pasted upright.
4. Lanterns
Chinese New Year lanterns, also known as lanterns, are traditional Chinese New Year decorations, originating from the Western Han Dynasty more than 1800 years ago. They integrate painting art, paper cutting, paper-folding, embroidery, and other crafts. After the inheritance and development of lantern artists in the past dynasties, they have formed a variety of colorful varieties.
The red lanterns make us feel the New Year, and traditionally, lanterns have the auspicious meaning of good luck and prosperity. They also have auspicious patterns and blessings on them. A large area of lantern decoration can bring a strong festive feeling.
5. Nian Beast
According to legend, the Nian beast is an ancient giant beast that lives in the deep sea all year round. It only comes ashore once a year on New Year’s Eve to harm a land. The Nian beast is afraid of red, fire, and loud noises, so people use red items such as spring couplets, firecrackers, and red lanterns to drive away the Nian beast, and call this “celebrating the New Year”.
Nowadays, people are accustomed to using Nian beast decorations to decorate the festive atmosphere of the Chinese New Year. The image of the Nian beast has become more and more quirky. The Nian beast is no longer the ferocious monster in ancient legends, but more like an auspicious beast that can bring good luck.
6. Chinese Knots
Chinese knots imply unity, happiness, and peace. They are a unique Chinese handicraft, which originated from the knotting of clothes in the Old Stone Age, and then extended to the ritual and memory of the Han Dynasty, and then evolved into today’s decorative art.
Chinese knots have beautiful shapes and various colors. They are the best medium for praising and conveying sincere wishes and aspirations. They melt the warm wishes into the knots, and intertwine friendship and blessings in the red ropes, bringing the beauty to the life of the coming year.
7. Zodiac Ornaments
The twelve zodiac signs are the image representatives of the twelve earthly branches. They are a long-standing folk cultural symbol. Each zodiac sign has a rich legend, and with the development of history, it forms a conceptual interpretation system and becomes an image philosophy in folk culture.
Nowadays, more people use the zodiac as the mascot of the Chinese New Year. Zodiac dolls, and zodiac stickers, become the protagonists of the New Year decoration, creating a festive and auspicious New Year atmosphere, and lighting up the New Year theme of the space. Don’t forget this cute little mouse in the Year of the Mouse.
8. Dragon and Phoenix
The dragon and phoenix are two powerful divine beasts that have a far-reaching influence in Chinese traditional culture. As a unique cultural cohesion and accumulation, they have taken root and hidden in the subconscious of each of us. The dragon and phoenix are symbols of power, nobility, honor, and auspiciousness, and also signs of luck and success.
The dragon and phoenix have opposite temperaments and preferences. One is changeable and flying, and the other is elegant and beautiful. They complement and correspond to each other in their divinity, which is what is called the dragon and phoenix. The dragon and phoenix are also a symbol of a new turning point and a new beginning.
9. Calligraphy and Painting
Calligraphy and painting have been the symbol of literati and scholars since ancient times. They are also common artistic decorations in interior decoration. They are very important elements for creating the space atmosphere. They can not only decorate the space but also show the artistic taste. And excellent calligraphy and painting works also have a certain collection value.
The elders who are respected and respected personally write down poems and ink with blessings or draw paintings with auspicious meanings. This calligraphy and paintings with a strong sense of life are simple and powerful, auspicious and beautiful. They are hung in the house as treasures of the townhouse, which can shock the luck of the whole year.
