Chinese New Year 2022: Year of the Yang Water Tiger

The Chinese New Year, also known as the Lunar New Year or Spring Festival, began on February 1st, 2022, and lasted until January 21st, 2023. With a history spanning over 3,000 years, many of its traditions continue to thrive in the present day.

The date of the Chinese New Year varies each year, always falling between January 21st and February 20th. It is determined by the Chinese Lunar Calendar — based on the cycles of the moon — and always falls on the day of the new moon, typically the second new moon after the winter solstice.

In Chinese culture, the new year is a time to begin again. The colors of the new year are red and gold — omens of luck and prosperity that also ward off evil spirits. In China, the Spring Festival is a 15-day celebration that traditionally honors deities and ancestors, centered on feasting and family. Although customs vary regionally, every family traditionally performs a thorough cleaning of the home beforehand — sweeping away misfortune and making space for incoming good luck.

Yang Water Tiger 2022: Chinese Zodiac Wisdom and New Year Traditions

Chinese New Year Taboos

The Spring Festival is a time of joyful celebration — and a time of mindful observance. Here are a few traditional Chinese New Year taboos worth knowing:

1. Avoid negative words — what you speak, you invite, so choose words that reflect the luck and prosperity you wish to welcome.

2. Do not break glass or ceramic — if something breaks, wrap it immediately in red paper and ask for peace. After the new year, discard the wrapped pieces in a lake or river.

3. Do not clean or sweep during the celebration — the cleaning happens beforehand to sweep away bad luck. During the festival, sweeping could send good luck out the door. Similarly, avoid washing your hair on New Year's Day or doing laundry during the first two days to avoid offending the Water God.

4. Avoid scissors, knives, and sharp objects — sharp objects are said to cut your stream of wealth and success.

5. Resolve conflicts peacefully — avoid fighting and crying to ensure a smooth and harmonious path through the new year.

The Year of the Yang Water Tiger

2022 is the Year of the Tiger in the Chinese Zodiac. Those born in Tiger years are predicted to be charming, brave, competitive, careful, powerful, attractive, direct, and confident. Recent Tiger years include 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010, and 2022.

Chinese cosmology considers three aspects for each year — one of the 12 animals, one of the five elements, and either Yin or Yang. The Year of the Yang Water Tiger occurs only once every 60 years, making 2022 a particularly rare and potent cycle. It was a year to begin acting on seeds planted over the previous two years — a time for change, new adventures, new beginnings, and bold moves. To explore what 2022 had in store, CT Holman, MS, LAc offered a detailed forecast for the year.

A Note from Wú Wéi Wellness

In the spirit of the new year, we honored the tradition of avoiding sharp objects during the first days of the Chinese New Year — in the name of future wealth and success, naturally! We officially opened our doors on Tuesday, February 8th, 2022. What a year it was.