Diaspora Ministries

Lunar New Year: How Should Christians Celebrate

Alfred Chui / Wednesday, January 31, 2024

*This article is an updated version of the original article which was published in January 2023.  

Jesus Christ once challenged those who intended to follow him with 2 considerations: to prepare for detachment from personal possessions and to act immediately.

Now when Jesus saw a crowd around him, he gave orders to go over to the other side. And a scribe came up and said to him, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.” And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” Another of the disciples said to him, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” And Jesus said to him, “Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead.” -Matthew 8:19-22

What does this look like for Chinese Christians in the context of celebrating Lunar New Year?

Gospel & Discipleship in a Cultural Context

The redemption of God was communicated in the Old Testament through the lens of Jewish or Near Eastern cultures, even though it was intended for the universal recipients articulated in the ancient covenant with Abram.When the Son of God entered human history as Jesus of Nazareth, the message of salvation for all nations materialized.

This message of salvation is for all nations and all cultures. Even so, the gospel needs to be understood in a particular cultural context. It is vital that we use culture as a platform to the gospel, instead of letting culture be a barrier to the gospel.

Let’s look at the tradition of how Chinese celebrate Lunar New Year to reflect on this issue.

Meaning of Lunar New Year

According to Chinese folklore, the word “year” in Chinese is “nian”, a monster that appeared sporadically to devour and destroy village lives. As each year ends, there is much to celebrate - congratulating each other for passing through the year (surviving the monster nian).

And after survival comes the higher wishes of peace and prosperity.

Prosperity: In an ancient Chinese society of agriculture, prosperity was evident in the harvest of crops or the multiplication of animals. In today’s context, prosperity is viewed as an increase in financial assets (rise of property values, stock growth, etc.) Prosperity could also mean success in personal gains, for example: taking advantage of buy-low-sell-high financial investments; high profit in business; or reaping the most benefits, even at the expense of others. Prosperity also refers to achievements in academics, gaining popularity or fame, and work performance.

Peace: Peace means personal integrity of good health, family harmony, and safety, although to some, it means resolution of geopolitical conflicts.

Lunar New Year Practices & Traditions

Many of the practices and traditions of Lunar New Year focus on how to bring peace and prosperity.

The Evangelical Times article: “Chinese new year – a Christian perspective”, written by Jack Sin, expands on many of the common practices and traditions of Lunar New Year. You can read more in-depth explanations about these traditions and practices in that article, but here is a brief summary of some of these traditions:

  • Astrology & Zodiac: The Chinese zodiac is based on the lunar calendar and “each year in the repeating zodiac cycle of 12 years is represented by a zodiac animal, each with its own reputed attributes.”2 This year, Lunar New Year begins on February 10, 2024, which marks the beginning of the Year of the Dragon.

“Astrology…claims to predict what will happen to people, countries, economic trends, conflicts and much more…There is a superstitious belief that the animal ruling a person’s birth year exercises a profound influence on his or her life.”  --Jack Sin

  • Greetings: A common way to greet others for Chinese Lunar New Year is “Gong Xi Fa Cai”- it literately means to congratulate other people to get rich or "wishing you prosperity and wealth."
  • Red Packets: For Lunar New Year, red envelopes which contain money, are given to children by grandparents, parents, aunts and uncles. The red color of the packet indicates energy, happiness, and good luck. For the recipients of the packets, there is always the monetary gain, but for the givers, it means blessings to them as they give away money in this manner.
  • House Cleaning: On the first day of the Lunar New Year, people do not sweep their house because they are superstitious that it will “sweep out the prosperity and the good luck for the year”.4
  • Lion & Dragon Dance: Another tradition is the lion and dragon dance, which is thought to “chase away the ‘bad omen’ in businesses or shops”5.
  • Firecrackers: Another common practice is setting off firecrackers – “which by tradition is intended to ward off the evil monster ‘nian’ ”.6

How should God’s Redeemed People Approach the Cultural Practices of Lunar New Year?

No one declines blessings.

It is a matter of the source and temporary nature of the blessings that requires careful discernment.

Blessings (according to the culture of Lunar New Year)

The celebration of Lunar New Year by the Chinese focuses on peace in personal safety as well as prosperity in personal gains in life. Unfortunately, instead of acknowledging the Creator God as the universal benefactor, the hope is shifted to rely on created celestial patterns and other deified characters, as we see in the Chinese Zodiac.

The lack of certainty of life purpose and the fear of unexpected plight both lead to the practice of many superstitious behaviors like lighting firecrackers, performing the lion and dragon dance, and the taboo of sweeping the house on New Year’s Day or saying things that induce bad omen.

Blessings (according to the culture of Jesus)

In the Beatitudes, Jesus teaches blessings with a very different framework - as a culture for the community that is redeemed by God’s grace. This is a culture that acknowledges the total sovereignty of God and the reliance of the Holy Spirit.

Blessed are those who yield control of their life to the Holy Spirit, instead of relentlessly pursuing personal success and glory.  

Blessed are those who are constantly vigilant and mournful of their shortcomings, instead of justifying the mistakes they make and denying responsibility for any offence to God and others.

Blessed are those who are meek in character and always considering others, instead of pursuing their own self-interests.

Blessed are those who always pursue righteousness through knowing the truth, instead of believing in false and superstitious beliefs.

Blessed are those who are merciful and gracious to others, instead of competing and even exploiting others for the sake of personal gain.

Blessed are those who are pure in heart with no hidden agenda, instead of preying on others to deprive them of their interests.

Blessed are those who are peacemakers through actions of love and reconciliation, instead of being a peace-lover with their lips but unwilling to sacrifice in order to mend broken relationships.

Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness and willing to sacrifice for revealing the truth, instead of going with the flow just to protect personal safety.

In Conclusion:

As a follower of Christ from a Chinese cultural background, I would gladly adopt and practice the festive celebration of the Lunar New Year, participating in traditions such as visiting relatives, exchanging gifts and greetings, giving red packets to children and wishing blessings and peace to extended family, friends and neighbours.

However, I would tweak the meaning of many practices that are rooted in fear and personal gain because I am assured of the purpose and sovereignty of my life by the author of all blessings, the Creator God who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ! (Ephesians 1:3b)

1   Genesis 12:3

https://www.chinahighlights.com/travelguide/chinese-zodiac/

3-6 https://www.evangelical-times.org/chinese-new-year-a-christian-perspective/


Alfred Chui practiced physical therapy for over 25 years before he joined North Edmonton Alliance Church in 2009, first as the English Pastor & then in 2013 as the Senior Pastor. In 2019, Alfred & his wife Charis relocated to Richmond, B.C. and Alfred joined Outreach Canada as the Simply Mobilizing (SM) Canada Chinese Language Coordinator - implementing, maintaining and expanding the Kairos and other SM courses to mobilize Canadian Chinese diaspora Christians and their next generations to reach and disciple all nations.


print



From Airport to Cemetery: How to Live Successfully in Our Adopted Homeland From Airport to Cemetery: How to Live Successfully in Our Adopted Homeland

I used to say, "A suitcase is the greatest equalizer of immigrants." We all arrived in Can...
Read More..

5 Prayer Points for Lunar New Year 5 Prayer Points for Lunar New Year

Every year, an estimated 2 billion people around the world celebrate Lunar New Year, which marks th...
Read More..

Lunar New Year: How Should Christians Celebrate Lunar New Year: How Should Christians Celebrate

How should faith impact our celebrations of Lunar New Year as followers of Jesus? Alfred Chui expan...
Read More..

10 Ways to Pray for Diaspora in Canada 10 Ways to Pray for Diaspora in Canada

Diaspora are those people who have dispersed or spread from their original homeland. By that defini...
Read More..

Monthly Day of Prayer & Fasting Monthly Day of Prayer & Fasting

Loving Muslims Together Network - Monthly Day of Prayer & Fasting
Read More..

Kairos Courses 2024 Kairos Courses 2024

Kairos Courses 2024
Read More..

The Journey of Discovery The Journey of Discovery

I don’t like to run. My experience of running is that I’m short of breath, sweaty & hot, and there’...
Read More..

Hope of the Fatherless: The Journey of David Claydon Hope of the Fatherless: The Journey of David Claydon

Sharing from the life story of David Claydon, Sadiri Joy Tira calls the global church to care for t...
Read More..

Caring for Wounded Hearts Caring for Wounded Hearts

The LORD is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed. -Psalm 34:18 (...
Read More..

Simply Mobilizing Canada: Synergy & Momentum Simply Mobilizing Canada: Synergy & Momentum

Last month 24 Canadians got on airplanes and travelled to Chiang Mai, Thailand to attend the Simply...
Read More..

Empowering the Church: 5 Steps to Impact Your Neighbourhood Empowering the Church: 5 Steps to Impact Your Neighbourhood

I remember sitting in a seminar once hearing the presenter ask, "If your local church disappeared, ...
Read More..

A Worldview Story: Set Free A Worldview Story: Set Free

One of the challenges of interacting cross-culturally with our neighbours is that we understand our...
Read More..

4 Disciple Multiplication Stories 4 Disciple Multiplication Stories

We pray that these four stories about disciple-making & disciple multiplication (from Simply Mobili...
Read More..

My Dream: Humble Spaces of Connection My Dream: Humble Spaces of Connection

I had a dream recently. I could be wrong, but I think it was a dream from God with a message for me...
Read More..

Rachaels Story Rachael's Story

A story from a Muslim Background Believer and a church who prayed for the mosque in their communit...
Read More..

Space-makers Space-makers

We have a couple of empty bedrooms in our house. At one time they were occupied by our kids, but fo...
Read More..

Night of Powerful Prayer Night of Powerful Prayer

Night of Powerful Prayer, by CCCOWE Canada & Loving Muslims Together, is a CALL TO PRAYER for Musli...
Read More..

8 Disciple-Making Principles 8 Disciple-Making Principles

A few years ago, I spent several months reading and re-reading the book of Acts. I was trying to un...
Read More..

Call to Prayer during Ramadan 2023 Call to Prayer during Ramadan 2023

Ramadan, marked by 30 days of fasting and prayer, is a season when Muslims diligently strive to ful...
Read More..

6 Prayer Resources for Christians during Ramadan 6 Prayer Resources for Christians during Ramadan

6 Opportunities for Christians to pray during Ramadan.
Read More..

Loving Muslims Together: Inspiring Testimonies Loving Muslims Together: Inspiring Testimonies

You are invited to hear the testimony of a Christian man of Muslim background from Afghanistan who ...
Read More..

Pray, Learn, Engage: A Journey for Christians during Ramadan Pray, Learn, Engage: A Journey for Christians during Ramadan

Opportunities for Christians to pray, learn, love and engage with Muslims during Ramadan.
Read More..

Shaping the Church of the Future: The Diaspora Effect Shaping the Church of the Future: The Diaspora Effect

Many of us have mixed feelings about the changes that diaspora movements have brought to the world ...
Read More..

Prayer & Ramadan Prayer & Ramadan

Easter & Ramadan. Is God's forgiveness given or earned? An invitation for followers of Jesus t...
Read More..

Youre Invited! Praying for Ramadan You're Invited! Praying for Ramadan

You are invited to join us in praying for Ramadan! Ramadan is the Islamic month of fasting—a s...
Read More..

Digital Bibles: A Key Discipleship Tool for Multilingual Speakers Digital Bibles: A Key Discipleship Tool for Multilingual Speakers

There are more opportunities today in Canada than ever before to reach out as a local church and we...
Read More..

A Vanilla Life: 5 Questions to Consider as you Build Cross-Cultural Friendships A Vanilla Life: 5 Questions to Consider as you Build Cross-Cultural Friendships

  5 Questions to Consider as you Build Cross-Cultural Friendships. Vanilla describes most...
Read More..

...

Love your Muslim Neighbours this Ramadan: Ways to Pray and Engage
Jesus exhorts us to love our neighbour as ourselves. Are you looking for opportunities to pray for and engage with the Muslims in your neighbourhood this Ramadan? Here are five opportunities to pray, and six opportuniti...
Read more...
From Airport to Cemetery: How to Live Successfully in Our Adopted Homeland
I used to say, "A suitcase is the greatest equalizer of immigrants." We all arrived in Canada with only two suitcases. Regardless of our social, political, military, or even financial and educational status in ...
Read more...
5 Prayer Points for Lunar New Year
Every year, an estimated 2 billion people around the world celebrate Lunar New Year, which marks the beginning of the new year according to the lunar calendar. This year Lunar New Year falls on February 10, 2024. Here a...
Read more...
Lunar New Year: How Should Christians Celebrate
How should faith impact our celebrations of Lunar New Year as followers of Jesus? Alfred Chui expands on the meaning & traditions of Lunar New Year and offers perspective on how followers of Jesus should respond…
Read more...
10 Ways to Pray for Diaspora in Canada
Diaspora are those people who have dispersed or spread from their original homeland. By that definition, most of us living in Canada are diaspora, but the term is generally used to describe recent migrants, their childr...
Read more...
Monthly Day of Prayer & Fasting
Loving Muslims Together Network - Monthly Day of Prayer & Fasting
Read more...
The Journey of Discovery
I don’t like to run. My experience of running is that I’m short of breath, sweaty & hot, and there’s a voice in my head telling me to STOP!!!! This past year, while praying for Muslims in Canada during Ramadan, an ...
Read more...
Hope of the Fatherless: The Journey of David Claydon
Sharing from the life story of David Claydon, Sadiri Joy Tira calls the global church to care for the scattered, dislocated and suffering children around the world. "There is hope for the orphans if the Global Church c...
Read more...