Top Chinese Birthday Traditions and Tips
Chinese people calculate a person’s age according to the lunar calendar (yīn lì in Chinese;阴历) without zeros, meaning that a newborn’s age is one. Traditionally, Chinese people do not celebrate a birthday every year; rather, birthday celebrations in the form of elaborate banquets are reserved for the elderly and infants. The very old and very young receive special consideration, because in Chinese culture, the elderly are held in very high esteem, and it’s a family’s responsibility to preserve the bloodline with succeeding generations. Following are some of the top Chinese birthday traditions and tips. “ The most important birthdays: A child’s first birthday is very important, and can be celebrated on either the lunar calendar or the Western calendar (阳历 yáng lì). Usually, the parents will put on a big banquet for family and friends. Long noodles (长寿面 in Chinese, cháng shòu miàn in pinyin)are always served up, as they represent long life, as well as red dyed eggs, which represent