Chinese New Year

Chinese New Year History

The Chinese New Year, also known as Spring Festival or Lunar New Year, celebrates the start of a new year according to the traditional lunar calendar, it embraces reunion, renewal, and prosperity. Significant traditions include family gatherings, feasting on symbolic food, giving red envelopes, and participating in dance parades and firework displays. These traditions serve as ceremonies to bid farewell to the old year and welcome the new through connecting generations, acknowledging heritage, and fostering a sense of community.

Chinese New Year traces back to the Shang Dynasty (1766 BC - 1122 BC), with its elements deeply embedded in China's longstanding cultural and historical context. Over the years, this celebration has found its place globally, with Chinese communities in different parts of the world, including New Zealand, embracing and keeping these traditions alive. For New Zealanders, understanding the symbolism and significance of Chinese New Year provides a deeper insight into Chinese culture. It also fosters multicultural awareness and mutual respect within New Zealand's diverse society.

In New Zealand, Chinese New Year is recognised and celebrated with much enthusiasm across urban centres, particularly in cities with significant Chinese populations like Auckland and Wellington. Events typically include vibrant parades featuring lion and dragon dances, Chinese lantern festivals, and various cultural performances. Many businesses take part in the festivities, offering Chinese New Year specials and displaying traditional decorations. The Chinese New Year falls on different dates each year based on the lunar calendar but usually takes place between January 21 and February 20.

Top 10 Facts for 2026 Chinese New Year in NZ

• 2026 marks the arrival of the Year of the Horse, specifically the Fire Horse, a rare event in the Chinese sexagenary cycle that last occurred in 1966 and is associated with themes of high energy, bold independence, and rapid movement.
• The BNZ Auckland Lantern Festival will return to the Manukau Sports Bowl in Tāmaki Makaurau for a four-day celebration featuring over 500 handmade lanterns and a specialized fireworks display each night from Friday to Sunday.
• In the capital, the Lunar New Year Festival will showcase the world premiere of a new dance film titled HORSES by artistic director Daniel Belton, reflecting the spirited nature of the upcoming zodiac sign.
• Many New Zealanders will observe the tradition of eating jiaozi or dumplings, which are shaped like ancient gold ingots to symbolize the accumulation of wealth and prosperity for the coming months.
• The Auckland Sky Tower and the Auckland Harbour Bridge are expected to be illuminated in vibrant red and gold to mark the transition into the new lunar cycle, providing a significant visual landmark for the festivities.
• Families often perform a thorough house cleaning before the new year begins to sweep away the bad luck of the past year, though it is considered vital to avoid cleaning on the actual day of the festival to prevent "washing away" new good fortune.
• A staple of the celebratory feast is the serving of a whole yú or fish, where the head and tail remain intact to represent a positive beginning and end to the year and to symbolize a surplus of abundance.
• The Happy Chinese New Year Concert at the Auckland Town Hall will feature a unique cultural fusion, presenting Chinese classics such as the Butterfly Lovers and Ode to the Yellow River alongside traditional Māori song performances.
• Children and unmarried adults often receive hong bao or red envelopes containing money, a custom intended to pass on blessings and protect the younger generation from negative energy.
• Traditional desserts like niángāo, a sticky rice cake, are highly sought after because their name is a homophone for "getting higher year by year," symbolizing growth in status, health, or career.

In the News and Trending in NZ for Chinese New Year

Top things to do in NZ for Chinese New Year

• Clean your house. It is customary for Chinese to clean their homes in preparation for the New Year and the fresh start.
• Get together with friends and create a long dragon on sticks. One person gets to create the head, and the others can create the long flowy tail. Remember to use bright colors.
• Prepare a traditional Chinese meal such as Jiaozi (Chinese dumplings): These delicious dumplings have a centuries-old significance during Chinese New Year, symbolising wealth and prosperity.
• Attend Auckland Lantern Festival: Held in Auckland's Domain (Auckland War Memorial Museum), this is one of New Zealand's most popular and largest Chinese festivals.