Not only is Chinese New Year an opportunity to learn more about Chinese culture and custom, it’s a celebration of our nation’s cultural diversity. Australia claims to have one of the largest Chinese New Year celebrations outside of Asia with Sydney’s annual two-week Lunar Festival.
Today, on January 25, we enter the year of the Rat.
Clever, quick thinkers, successful. Rats have been considered a sign of wealth, surplus and even reproduction within Chinese culture. The origin of the zodiacs comes from legend. The most well-known legend is that of the Jade Emperor who sought to choose twelve animals as his palace guards. As all the animals raced to be the first to arrive before the Emperor, the resourcefulness of the Rat led to him winning the race and becoming the first animal to feature in the Chinese zodiac.
Griffith Library wishes everybody a very happy and prosperous Chinese New Year and enjoy this year of the Rat – the next one won’t occur for another twelve years! Are you a Rat? Follow this link to find out!
