The Washington times., 1905-02-02
WILL CELEBRATE
NEW YEAR DAY
Chinese Colony in Washing
ton Ready for Festival.
TAKES PLACE TOMORROW
Festivities Will Last for a Week
In China They Sometimes
Last a Month.
TAKES PLACE TOMORROW

Brilliant strips of red paper adorned
with curious black symbols give a bit
Of unusual color to lower Pennsylvania
avenue today.
On the windows and door posts Of the
Chinese laundries and over the entrance
to the stores of Oriental merchants APP
peared the bright eolored legends. They
are not all alike. but the meaning Of
them all is the same, "A Happy and
Prosperous New Year that's as near
as a translation into English as it's pos
Sible to make 1t
Tomorrow will be the Chinese new
year, and the Chinese of Washington.
particularly that portion of them who
dwell between Four dnd-a-half street
and the Peace monument. will cele-
brate with unusual joy. For, according
TO those who know, the year just end
ing, was a prosperous one and several
OF the slant-eyed contingent have saved
enough coin of the realm TO think seri-
ously of returning TO the land of their
BIRTH
Calendar of Confucius.
The calendar of Confucius is based
upon the movements of the moon and
the new year varies as much as ten
days. Last year the Chinese new year
was celebrated during the latter part Of
January.
No matter in what corner of the
world, if there are a few Cinnamon to-
gether the Chinese new wear becomes
an Interesting event to other peoples as
well as the Celestials. Absolutely true
to the customs of his religion and coun-
try. the Chinese is ready on the new
year to offer up sacrifices TO the gcds
represented in his joss house and to
the departing year
One of the most peculiar of these Gus
toms is the sacred rule that I'll debt 3
must be paid on the new yer, and q
Chinese who fails in this reli2i ouS re-
Guirement feels that he has 0een for
ever disgraeed. The new years sacri-
fees, the new years prayers, and the
new years festivities are the ones most
near to the heart of the Celestial, and
he will undergo every hardship in order
10 offer sacrifices in the joss house
and TO appear in fine raiment on this
occasion.
Will Last Week.
The celebration will last for a week
In China. where there are aristocraey
and riches, the festivities last for an en-
tire month According to the calendar
of Confucius month Is a very different
period from that of the Christian reck-
oning. The Chinese month Is about Hf-
teen days long. but its duration Is gov
erned entirely by the movements OF the
moon
proper celebration of New Year by the
Chinese are divided into five parts:
First the sacrifice to heaven and
earth; second, the worship OF the gods
and idols belonging to the family: third,
the worship of deceased ancestors;
fourth, prostrati ton. before living parents
and grandparents fifth, the making or
new year calls.
Early in the Morning
The first rite. or sacrifice to heaven
and earth, will sometimes begin as early
as o'clock in the morning. In some
families the adults do not retire at all
on the night previous. A table Is placed
an the principal rooI1 of the dwelling,
containing the offerings to heaven and
earth. which are usually a pail Of boil
cd rice, five or ten bowls of different
kinds OF vegetables, ten cups OF wine,
ten cups of tea, two large red candles,
and three sticks of incense Two small
branches OF cedar or some flowers are
stuck in the pail of rice, and also ten
pairs of chopsticks. Two large sheets
of mock money are placed upon the
chop-sticks, and copy of an almanac
for the current year Several kinds OF
dried fruit are scattered around on the
rice, and near the center of the table is
q bowl of loose-skinned oranges. When
all Is arranged. fireworks are exploded
often in the street in front of the house
All the family being now assembled.