Millions of people across the globe are gearing up to celebrate the Chinese New Year on 5 February.
The Chinese zodiac calendar, known as Sheng Xiao, is divided into 12 cycles. Each cycle lasts 12 months and is represented by an animal. This year, it is the Year of the Pig.
In China, festivities last for 15 days until the day of the Lantern Festival, which falls on 19 February this year. Dragon dances, street performances, processions and more take place during these two weeks, with red decorations to symbolize prosperity.
Chinese people greet one another with good wishes when they meet on the New Year. IBTimes India has compiled top messages and proverbs to share with your loved ones.
- Happy Chinese New Year! Wishing you prosperity on the Year of the Pig.
- I wish you all the luck, health, and fortune and all those you love! Happy Chinese New Year!
- Happiness, Prosperity, Longevity! (In Mandarin: 福禄寿, pronounced: fú lù shòu)
- Enjoy good health! (In Mandarin: 身体健康; pronounced: Shēntǐ jiànkāng)
- Wish you success in your career and happiness for your family! Happy Chinese New Year!
- Hope all your New Year dreams come true! I wish you good health, wealth and luck for the forthcoming year of the pig!
- May the Year of the Pig attract all the good wishes this year.
- Τhis New Year may good luck and prosperity follow yοu wherever you gο, and may Lady Luck scare away any misfortune that was planning tο come yοur way.
- Harmony brings health. May joy and happiness surround you today and always!
- Get rid of the demons of the year gone by and embrace the positives to lead a fulfilling and pleasurable life ahead. Wish you good fortune on the Chinese New Year!
Chinese proverbs
- When luck visits you, everyone will know where you live.
- Be not afraid of growing slowly, be afraid only of standing still.
- If you want happiness for an hour, take a nap. If you want happiness for a day, go fishing. If you want happiness for a year, inherit a fortune. If you want happiness for a lifetime, help somebody.
- To attract good fortune, spend a new coin on an old friend, share an old pleasure with a new friend, and lift up the heart of a true friend by writing his name on the wings of a dragon.
- Patience is power; with time and patience, the mulberry leaf becomes silk.
- Kindness is the best quality of the soul.
- Frugality is the mother of prosperity.
- Don't curse the darkness – light a candle.
- If you are patient in one moment of anger, you will escape a hundred days of sorrow.
- The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now.
