New (Moon & Year) – A New Start after a Period for Fresh HOPE

Moon is a mysterious object floating above our head, being a source for numerous myths and stories. Many civilizations follow its path for the future. Millions of people around the world celebrate the second new moon after the winter solstice as New Year or Spring Festival (beginning of spring).

A new moon is significantly tied up with humankind from birth to death, and eternal life (for one who believes). The revolution of humankind was supposed to cord with the development of solar, lunar, lunisolar, and seasonal calendars. The traditional calendar, known as the Lunisolar calendar, follows the rotation of the earth in relation to the sun and the moon, whereas the western calendar or Gregorian calendar follows the apparent position of the sun with the stars.

Understanding such patterns and the formation of the unique system helped to plan and construct our future wisely. We should honor our ancestors, who directly or indirectly assisted in developing calendars. This article mainly focuses on the lunisolar calendar and associated celebrations in the world.

Pinpoint calculation of the spinning object with the references (like climate, vegetation, and seasons) outbursts different traditional calendar years. For example, East Asian countries like China, Korea observe lunar new year on the second new moon after the winter solstice and also the beginning of spring, but south Asian countries like India follow the new year at the beginning of summer, i.e., entry of solar cycle in lunisolar calendar (Tamil new year). The traditional calendar is associated with horoscopes and astrological myths. The concept of astrology varies with respect to the scholars and roots of the ancient province.

Origin of traditional Lunar new year is still followed officially in many countries even after the standardization of the modern Gregorian calendar. East Asian countries such as China, South Korea (Seollal), Taiwan, Mongolia, Tibet (Losar), Vietnam (Tết) few parts of Japan, celebrate New year as the new moon begins.

Chinese New Year is the traditional root influenced by the neighboring or fence sharing countries. In ancient times, the organization of the calendar accompanied several earthly facts for ease of reference and communication. Twelve-month cycle defined with earthly branches representing Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, Pig, Rat/mouse, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, and Dragon, and the same are followed as a respective zodiac sign of a year. In that sequence, this year 2020, is called a Year of Rat in China (year of the white mouse in South Korea).

The interesting fact is the cycle or phases of the moon. Phases of the moon start from the new moon (dark moon) to full moon and end with the new moon. View of the moon from the earth distinguishes the phases of the moon. In practice, there are eight phases, namely, new moon, waxing crescent, first quarter, waxing gibbous, full moon, waning gibbous, third quarter, and waning crescent which can be observed from the earth (see the eclipse for more interesting facts).

Finally, the new start of the new moon for the new cycle is a belief deeply rooted in everyone’s heart and mind for the new fresh start of life with all goodness. Goodness is the utmost expectation for living beings in the universe. So, let us hope and look for the bright full moon after the dark new moon.