The year of the monkey is upon us

Feb. 8 marked the Chinese New Year and the start of a 15-day celebration of Chinese culture and wishes of a prosperous year.

The Chinese New Year has 12 zodiac signs, which rotate annually. 2016 marks the year of the monkey, meaning people born this year will be smart and playful, but also naughty.

“Monkeys are masters of practical jokes and they enjoy playing most of the time,” said Meng Zhao, publisher of Dakai Maritimes, a quarterly Chinese newspaper in the Maritimes. The paper prints in both Mandarin and English.

On the eve of the Chinese New Year, families gather and enjoy the biggest and most important meal of the year.

“It gives us an occasion for the whole family to get together and to relax together, which doesn’t really happen in our everyday lives.”

“It’s a very important part of Chinese culture.”

The colour red is often associated with the holiday, symbolizing happiness, good luck, success and good fortune. Many of the decorations people use to celebrate the holiday are red and gold.

Mayor Mike Savage spoke about the importance of the Chinese population to Halifax during a media event at the Superstore on Jan. 29 celebrating the new year.

“We’re not a Montreal or a Toronto or a Calgary, but we’re becoming more and more diverse as a community,” said Savage. “That’s a good thing for all of us; we get to experience more cultures.”

Chef Renyang Zhu from the New Asia Restaurant in the south end was on hand to cook three traditional Chinese meals using ingredients that anyone can find at a local grocery store.

He made braised mushrooms and Shanghai bok choy, steamed whole fish and Yang Zhou fried rice for the 50 people in attendance.

Zhao said part of the reason the Chinese New Year has expanded internationally is because Chinese people can be found anywhere in the world.

According to Statistics Canada, Canada has nearly 1.5 million people with Chinese heritage — roughly 4.3 per cent of the population.

Zhao said Chinese New Year is a time for hard-working families to come together and take a bit of a break. It also gives people the chance to reconnect with family members. She says that’s part of the reason why the Chinese New Year has more appeal than to just the Chinese population.

While not a Canadian holiday, some Chinese businesses might be closed or have shortened hours to allow some of their employees to take part in the festivities.

In the past, both Canada Post and the Royal Canadian Mint have issued commemorative stamps and coins to celebrate the year.