This Lunar New Year, we’re connecting you to information about the history of Chinese New year. Using our research resources, you’ll learn about the many places that celebrate the Lunar New Year. 

Lunar New Year is known by several names throughout the world including White Moon Festival, The Spring Festival, and Chinese New Year. It’s celebrated every year during the second new moon of the winter solstice. This year, it falls on Saturday, February 10 and will be celebrated in many countries around the world. 

At BCLS, we have a variety of online resources on Lunar New Year’s origins, history, and current practices in multiple databases. 

By using Infobase’s Ancient and Medieval History Online, you can gain insight to the world from prehistory up to the 1500s. Search by era, civilization, or region to find out a wealth of information like these below: 

• Read this entry from the Encyclopedia of China on the history of the Chinese Calendar and how it differs from our calendar.
• The year 2024 is the year of the dragon, so check out what meaning dragons have in Chinese mythology in this article from Chinese Mythology A to Z. 

If you’re looking for a rundown of information, you’ll find plenty of country profiles and quick facts on various countries from Facts On File’s Geography and Culture Online. On this database, search by country to find out facts at a glance, maps and flags, timelines, and cultural information. You’ll learn things like this: 

• In South Korea, the Lunar New Year is called Sollal or Seollal. The holiday is focused on remembering and honoring one’s ancestors and celebrating the family. 
• Meanwhile, in Vietnam the new year celebration, called Tet, is the most important celebration of the year. The focus for Tet is a fresh start: buying new clothes and paying off debts are common ways of celebrating. 

Finally, on Infobase’s Modern World History database, you’ll find plenty of up to date information from the mid-15th century to the present. By searching ‘Chinese New Year’ you’ll find the latest information like this: 

• In the news section, you’ll find current events. According to this Reuters article, China has already nearly doubled the amount of in-country travel ahead of the Lunar New Year. 
• In the picture tab, this picture of a SPAM display in Seoul shows its popularity in South Korea as a gift for Lunar New Year. 

Use these resource sites for other world history searches, essays and projects or research and you’ll find plenty of reliable information. Find more of our databases at our Research & Learn page!