City to Ring in Lunar New Year: Year of the Boar

By Karen M. Kinney

Just as San Franciscans are sweeping up the last of the New Year's confetti, a new set of preparations are underway to celebrate another of the City's most revered traditions - the Chinese New Year. Exploding firecrackers on Feb. 18 will signal that the Year of the Boar has begun.

While most global cultures celebrate New Year as a time of renewal, for the Chinese, the New Year has a much deeper meaning. It is a time when families gather, ancestors are honored, and celebrations are studded with splendid banquets that symbolize prosperity for the upcoming year.

This year's events include Chinatown's Chinese New Year Flower Fair on Feb. 10 and 11, and the city's Chinese New Year Parade on March 3. The holiday ends on the fifteenth day of the New Year with the Lantern Festival, also known as Little New Year. There is a children's night-time parade featuring lanterns that represent good luck and hope.

San Francisco's Chinese New Year celebration began in the post-Gold Rush 1860s and is now North America's largest Asian event. The 108th annual parade, which attracts more than 100 groups of participants and is expected to draw more than 550,000 spectators, winds through Chinatown. It features elaborately-decorated floats, Chinese acrobats and lion dancers. The climax of the parade comes with the appearance of the 200-foot-long Golden Dragon.

More than 600,000 firecrackers are expected to pop-off along the parade route. The Chinese Zodiac calendar runs on a 12-year cycle, so that those born in 2007, 1995, 1983, 1971, 1959, and on, are born in the Year of the Red Boar. The boar is considered a lucky symbol, since boars constantly eat, enjoy sleeping all day, and worry little about their lives.

According to a Chinese Zodiac, people born in the Year of the Boar are seen to be trusted associates in their careers and often shine as entertainers, social activists or politicians. Some of California's most famous "boars" are Arnold Schwarzenegger and Ronald Reagan. Other famous people born in the Year of the Boar include Thomas Jefferson, entertainer Lucille Ball and director Alfred Hitchcock.

"Those born in the Year of the Boar are honest, forgiving and peaceful by nature, optimistic and fun-loving," according to Susan Levitt, author of "Taoist Astrology."

Levitt said Boars can be "creative and have exquisite taste in the arts. This year offers good luck in family, romance and business."

Traditionally, the first day of the new year is often spent abstaining from meat, as a means to ensure a long and happy life. The second day is traditionally devoted to dogs, who receive special care. Days three and four are devoted to the family's in-laws, while the fourth through the ninth days feature family gift exchanges, visits and feasts. Days 10 through 14 often feature dinners made with rice and mustard greens, meant to purify the human system from all the havoc caused by previous days' rich food.

Although Chinatown is the focus of many activities, visitors will see evidence of the Year of the Boar displayed in homes and businesses all over the City.

A traditional Chinese home or business will be decorated with live blooming plants to symbolize rebirth and new growth, and feature a platter of oranges and tangerines to represent abundant happiness. A circular candy tray, or the "Tray of Togetherness," starts the New Year sweetly. Adult guests who take candy will traditionally place a red envelope on the tray to represent continued good fortune.

By New Year's Eve, the house is traditionally purged of all things associated with the old year, such as the payment of debts and the resolution of differences with family, friends, neighbors and business associates. The determined New Year's cleaning will reportedly sweep away any bad fortune that may be looming.

Often, superstitions are observed and taken seriously during the two-week festival. It's considered unlucky to greet anyone in their bedroom, so even the sick are encouraged to dress and sit in the living room. Knives or scissors on New Year's Day are not used as they are considered to "cut off" good fortune. Children and unmarried friends, as well as close relatives, are given "lai see," small red envelopes with crisp one dollar bills inserted for good fortune.

By far, the most important aspect of the holiday is family gatherings. A highlight of the holiday is a religious ceremony given in honor of family ancestors. The ceremony unites the living members with the deceased, because the dead are believed to be responsible for laying the foundations for the family's fortune and glory. The ancestors' presence is acknowledged on New Year's Eve with a dinner arranged in their honor.

While many Chinese people may not believe in all of the Chinese New Year's traditions and superstitions, many still practice the underlying beliefs of the celebration, that of family unity and togetherness.