Chun Paper Cut project

If you want to make a paper cut hanging of the Chinese character for spring (chun, 春) , Childbook.com (*) has posted directions. It looks nice without the tassel too.

Spring paper cut project

According to the Chinese calendar, spring has arrived. Sunday in my backyard, it was 21 degrees.

* - a source for Chinese Children Books, Videos, Music, and Software that helps Children (and others) learn more about the Chinese Language and Culture. My only connection is as satisfied customer.

Coloring Pages

Tiger Coloring Pages

Dragon Dance Coloring Page
Pair of Chinese Lions (detailed)
Chinese New Year Lion Dance Coloring Page

CNY Paraders

Detailed Dragon
Chinese Parade Coloring Pages
abcteach's Chinese parade dragon
This page includes a Parade Dragon

Coloring Page: Pagoda
Coloring Page: Panda

CNY Boy in Traditional CostumeZodiac Animals
Fu character - good luck
Another Fu
New Year characters
Prosperity character
The 12 zodiac animals
Pig page

37 coloring pages from amazing clipart - The images are not labeled, but my favorites include: fish (#11), pictures with characters (#19 and 20), dragons (#8, 16, 23), and the 12 zodiac animals (#26-37). Sadly, eight or ten of the images, including one dragon seem to be copies from the Chinese Parade coloring pages, and the parade dragon seems to come from abcteach.

There is more online if you are looking for Crafts for CNY, Chinese "games" for 3-9s, Chinese Games, Chinese New Years songs, or CNY lesson plans. abcteach.com, edhelper, and enchantedlearning.com all have more things - some free and more for their subscribers.

last updated: 2/2007

Lantern Festival: 2/12/2006

The fifteenth and last day of Chinese New Year celebrations is Lantern Festival (or Yuanxiao Jie).

Lantern Festival Origins
http://cny.blogspot.com/2005/02/lantern-festival-origins.html

Lanterns
http://cny.blogspot.com/2005/02/hong-bao-lanterns-for-15th-day.html
There are more crafts, including other lantern ideas at:
http://cny.blogspot.com/2006/01/childrens-cny-crafts-and-activities.html

Other sites on the festival include:
Taiwan government's official site on Lantern Festival
Chinese Lantern Folk Festival site from about.com.
The Chinese mainland will be lit up by an array of lanterns.

Lantern Riddles
Lantern riddles
http://cny.blogspot.com/2004/12/lantern-riddles.html
Answers for those riddles
http://cny.blogspot.com/2004/09/lantern-riddle-answers.html

Word riddles
http://cny.blogspot.com/2005/01/more-on-lantern-riddles-word-riddles.html
More lantern ridles
http://cny.blogspot.com/2004/12/more-lantern-riddles.html
http://cny.blogspot.com/2005/01/more-on-lantern-riddles-word-riddles.html

Chinese Language Resources

http://www.knowledgehound.com/topics/chinese.htm

http://www.freechineselessons.com/

http://zhongwen.com/

Chinese New Year 2006

This year Chinese New Year started on January 29, 2006. It was the start of a Year of the Dog; 1/1/4704 on the Chinese calendar; and a new moon. Each Chinese month (and year) starts on the new moon. For a PDF file showing this year's calendar with the phases of the moon, email your request to mus-mandarin@wubison.com

The Year of the Dog is supposed to be 'good for marriages', just as the Year of the Dragon is good for births.

It is a red-fire Dog Year. Some Feng Shui followers have suggested putting a sculpture or picture of a rabbit in your front door - so the dog will chase the rabbit out and take bad energy with it.

A dog's bark "wang" is the homonym to another Chinese character meaning wealth and prosperity. Barking dogs bring prosperity for New Year.

China brought back New Year's firework tradition (AP)BEIJING The old tradition of fireworks at Chinese New Year celebrations was back with a bang in Beijing on Saturday, as authorities lifted a 12-year ban during the Lunar New Year holiday.

New rules allow residents of the capital to ignite fireworks all day on Jan. 28 and 29 - New Year's Eve and New Year's Day - and from 7 am to midnight every day from Jan. 30 to Feb. 12.

Lunar New Year in China

Pictures of CNY from around the world

One person's CNY in Taiwan