Chinese New Year Decorations/Arts

When you step into a traditional Chinese restaurant, you may be overwhelmed with the red color everywhere.  Yes, red is the color of greatness and happiness.  Therefore, the Lunar New Year decorations/arts are mostly red and gold. Here are the major 4 categories: 1) Drawings, 2) Chinese Sayings in Chinese Symbols, 3) Chinese traditional paper-cutting art and 4) Flowers The first 3 categories vary family by family.  Some families have these decorations/arts on the walls and entrance throughout the whole year in order to have the good luck and blessings all the time.  Some of them, like my family, will only put them up during the Chinese New Year. 1) Chinese New Year Drawings They are mostly the portraits of the historical heros and most respected intellects in the past. Chinese always believe that the deads will bless their descendants.  So, these long-gone heroes and intellects became their spirits (some may call idols or gods/goddesses) to worship which is regarded as taoism. There are so many of them.  But during the New Year, these gods/goddesses usually protect and bless every family in 3 main ways: a) Safety, b) Academic and c) Finance.  The drawings are usually posted at the main entrance of the apartments (because Hong Kong is a very small city that most people live in apartments).	One of the kinds of plant my grandpa bought every year It's called "Gut" in Chinese which symbolizes prosperity and blessing.
2) Chinese Sayings in Chinese Symbols This is the most common practice in almost every Chinese family.  It is usually a 4-written symbols by the traditional Chinese brush and ink on a a piece of red paper, sometimes maybe with some golden dots, which is about the size of 4" x 8". When we were kids, it was usually 100% handwritten.  But with the advance publishing technology, you can get a printed one for free very easy in Hong Kong and China.  Any handwritten one of nowadays is very expensive and collectible.	A house is decodated for the Lunar New Year with Chinese Saying and Lanterns
3) Chinese Traditional Paper Cutting Chinese population is the combination of over 100 different minor tribes.  Paper cutting originated from the tribes in the northern and northwestern China.  But this art did not get popular as now until less than a decade ago. As you learned earlier that red is the color of almost all Chinese events of celebrations and festivities.  So, traditional paper cutting is only red in color. There is no limit of the design.  It can be any animal which represents any good luck, blessing and/or prosperity.  It can also be any Chinese writting. Because of its popularity, some Chinese paper-cutting artists create their own collections and exhibitions throughout the world.
4) Flowers Who doesn't like flowers, especially women? Chinese New Year flowers are mainly peach blossom, chrysanthemum, tangerine and paperwhite.  Peach blossom and tangerine are the most expensive ones. Peach blossom can range from USD20 to almost USD1,000. My grandfather (from my father's side) always spent a lot of money on flowers during this period of time.  Now matter how small his apartment was, he always had a 5-feet tall or above peach blossom at the corner of his living room. According to the Chinese traditions, if you buy flowers as a habit during the New Year, you have to have them every year.  If you don't buy them, never even start the habit because it will bring you bad luck.
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