The Lunar Calendar

The Lunar New Year 4723 will be celebrated on 29 January 2025, the second new moon after the December solstice. It celebrates Xin Nian, the Chinese New Year, Solnal, the Korean New Year, Tết, the Vietnamese New Year.

Traditionally Shōgatsu, the Japanese New Year was also celebrated on this date but since 1873, the official Japanese New Year has been celebrated according to the Gregorian calendar, on January 1 of each year. Tsagaan Sar, the Mongolian Lunar New Year will be celebrated between 1 - 3 March. Losar, the Tibetan New Year will be celebrated between 28 February and 2 March in Bhutan, India, Nepal, Sikkim and Tibet.

In most of these nations the Gregorian calendar is used for civil purposes but the lunar calendar is used to determine festivals and auspicious dates such as weddings and moving house.

The lunar new year is based on the traditional Chinese Agricultural Calendar which is lunisolar, primarily lunar but partially solar, guided by the movement of the moon as well as the sun. It is commonly called the lunar calendar.

The Chinese lunar calendar is associated with the Chinese zodiac, Shengxiao (‘born resembling’), which has 12 animal signs: rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog, and pig. Each animal represents a year in a 12 year cycle, beginning on Lunar New Year's Day. There are many legends concerning the choice and order of the animals and their characteristics which are said to be imparted to people born in their year.

One such legend says that the Lord Buddha summoned all the animals to come to him before he departed from earth. Only twelve came to bid him farewell and as a reward he named a year after each one in the order they arrived. The year 2025, Chinese year 4723, is a Year of the Snake.

Year of the Snake and the Goanna

2025 is the Year of the Snake.

The Australian Chinese Zodiac was developed to promote understanding between Chinese and Australian cultures by the Chinese Precinct Chamber of Commerce in Australia. Animals from the traditional zodiac have been matched to native animals according to their perceived similar characteristics. This year the Snake is matched to the Goanna.

Snake 蛇

Snakes are less spoken and possess great wisdom. They are quite vain, selfish and a bit stingy.

不善言辞却极具智慧。他们有时却虚有其表，自私自利，吝惜市侩。

Goanna 巨蜥

Goannas are known also for being quiet, cunning and protective of its territory and resources.

沉默狡诈，对其领地及资源的捍卫近乎偏执，正好呼应蛇吝惜市侩的个性。

How schools can be involved

• The SBS Learn resource – 2025 Lunar New Year: Celebrate the Year of the Snake – can be used to learn more about the origins of the Lunar New Year and how it is celebrated by different communities. Teachers can also engage students in critically and creatively reflecting on the importance of different cultural festivals.
• Explore the history of the Chinese on the goldfields via Sydney Living Museums.
• Use the Harvest of Endurance scroll at Making Multicultural Australia to create a short story about one of the characters in Chinese-Australian history.
• Research the establishment of the Vietnamese communities in Australia via the National Museum of Australia.
• Research well-known people born in a Year of the Snake.
• Map the countries where lunar New Year is traditionally celebrated.