The New Year of the Dog 2018 knocks on the doors of Asian countries

These days, when coming to China, tourists can easily feel the New Year atmosphere: sparkling strings of lights light up every alley, every street, the red color of lanterns, and parallel sentences carefully pasted in front of every house, every high-rise building, every large shopping center...

The Lantern Festival is an indispensable activity in China every time the Spring Festival comes. For a week now, the ancient city of Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, Northwest China has become more sparkling than ever, with lanterns imbued with local culture, in different shapes and sizes.

In Rongchang District, southwest of Chongqing City, a dog-shaped lantern was erected in front of the train station to welcome returning city residents and tourists who came to visit and relax on this occasion. Many visitors could not take their eyes off the lanterns, which are intangible cultural heritages made of folded paper and ceramics, displayed throughout the city.

Some locals share:

“The lanterns have added to the atmosphere of the festival. Now we can feel the atmosphere of the Spring Festival everywhere.”

“Lanterns and colorful ribbons decorate every street corner and tree, truly bringing the atmosphere of Lunar New Year.”

The atmosphere of Tet shopping is always the most bustling at large shopping centers such as Pavilion Kuala Lumpur, The Gardens Mall with all the brilliant colors. In which, red is the main color because it means bringing luck and fortune for the new year.

“One of the factors we need to consider when coming up with ideas for decorating the mall is that it must be both highly professional and distinctive, and accepted by the whole society,” said Mr. Kung Suan Ai, Marketing Director of Pavilion Kuala Lumpur.

“Our shopping mall has attracted more than 3 million visitors, including locals and tourists, of all religions. I think people come here to enjoy the festive atmosphere, as well as satisfy their shopping and dining needs,” added Mr. Kung Suan Ai.

In Cambodia, in the days leading up to the Lunar New Year 2018, many streets in the capital Phnom Penh are bustling with the buying and selling of fresh flowers, especially yellow apricot flowers, as well as decorative items in red and yellow. The most popular is the auspicious flower tree with yellow flowers. People buy it with the hope of a smooth new year, family life, and favorable business development, like the bright, brilliant yellow apricot flowers.

In front of the buildings of Chinese businesses operating in Cambodia, there are often vibrant lion and dragon dances to ward off bad luck from the old year.

“It has become a tradition that every Lunar New Year, we buy these flowers to welcome the New Year. It is very lucky to have a yellow flower like this in your house. The bigger the yellow flower, the more luck and good things we will have.”

“I love flowers and I bought this pot of flowers with the hope of a lucky and prosperous new year. This has become an indispensable custom for me every New Year,” many Cambodians shared.

In Japan and Korea, there are dog symbols or giant dog-shaped decorative lanterns placed in squares, shopping centers, and public areas to welcome the Year of the Dog. In addition to shopping and decorating their homes for the New Year, people here also visit calligraphy stalls and choose red parallel sentences to hang in their homes.

Not only in Asia, where there is a large Chinese community, but also in countries such as Canada, the US, the UK, etc., the atmosphere of preparing for Tet has begun since the beginning of February. Also during this time, Chinese people living far from home and tourists have the opportunity to enjoy and participate in many activities such as nightly performances, Tet markets, and countdown festivals to welcome the new year.