It’s the time of the year to celebrate Matariki and we just wanted to wish everyone a happy new year 新年快乐 xīn nián kuài lè! We’d also like to take this time to thank everyone who has journeyed with Ni Hao Children’s Community over the past year and for giving us the opportunity and joy of being able to share the Mandarin language with your families in our own little way 🙂 We look forward to continuing this journey with you and doing whatever we practically can to support your learning, especially if in a non-Mandarin speaking environment.
By the way, did you know the traditional Māori calendar is based on the lunar cycle? The traditional Chinese calendar is also based on the lunar cycle….and solar cycle. But, the Chinese New Year is actually a Lunar New Year too.
The definition of the lunar calendar depends on the definition of the solar calendar, but not vice-versa. ….
The Chinese solar calendar consists of a sequence of solar years which are not divided into months but rather into 24 periods which begin at the “solar terms” (see below).
The Chinese lunar calendar consists of a sequence of lunar years which are divided into 12 or 13 lunar months. A solar year begins at the (northern) winter solstice, which is on or around December 22 in the Common Era Calendar. A lunar month begins on the day of a dark moon.
The beginning of a lunar year (i.e, lunar new year’s day) is more difficult to define (but see below); it always begins from about January 20th to about February 20th, i.e., about a month or so after the start of the Chinese solar year.
More info for the kids:
Ni Hao Children's Community Mandarin Chinese Language Education Programme 