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Jan. 31 (UPI) -- Monday in China was the final day of the Year of the Ox -- and Tuesday opened the Year of the Tiger. The lunar new year, which is most prominently associated with Chinese culture, began on Feb. 1 -- and begins a celebration in many Asian countries that can last for about two weeks.
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Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam and South Korea are a few that also observe the occasion -- and roughly 1.5 billion people worldwide will observe it and participate in festivities.
Countries that observe the event often make it a public holiday. In China, it coincides with the Lantern Festival on Feb. 15.
In China, the start of the lunar new year is considered to be the biggest holiday of the year and marks the beginning of the 15-day Spring Festival. The final day is often called Chinese Valentine's Day. Historically, it was the only day when young girls would meet boys while admiring the lanterns.
The lunar year is based on the 12 phases of the moon, which each last around 29 days and comprise about 354 days -- meaning it falls on a different date each year. In 2023, the lunar new year will begin Jan. 22.
The last Year of the Tiger was 2010 -- although, technically, 2022 is the Year of the Water Tiger, which means it could be less aggressive. The five elements -- earth, fire, metal, water and wood -- rotate alongside the 12 animal signs. Tigers were born in 2010, 1998, 1986, 1974, 1962, 1950, and so on.
Much like spring cleaning, there's typically a big clean just before the start of the lunar new year -- symbolizing a clean, fresh start.
After dealing with COVID-19 in 2020 and 2021, there will be some in-person celebrations worldwide in 2022. In the United States, both Chicago and San Francisco are planning parades in February.
Fireworks are also a typical part of celebrations. Historically, the loud noises are thought to scare off evil spirits.
