Category: News

The celebrations for Chinese New Year begin on February 8 – kick-starting a host of dragon dances, family reunions and decorations, with one colour dominating the proceedings; red.

Also known as the Spring Festival, Chinese New Year looks back on, and forward to, another twelve months of hard work and productivity. After all the effort that you have put in, Chinese New Year is a way to celebrate your success and relax with your family.

And, looking forward, the festival brings you the luck you need to enjoy another productive and prosperous new year.

In China, people believe that a feel good factor at the start of the new year will bring about another good year.

The tradition comes from China’s farming history, when people celebrated the end of the farming year and looked forward to the next good harvest.

Today, Chinese New Year marks the start of a new business year, with business owners and entrepreneurs wishing that productivity and profits will rise in the twelve months ahead.

At Obelisk, we love and support this celebration of both family and work. As a business dedicated to making work work for our clients, our consultants and their families, the values of Chinese New Year chime perfectly with our own.

Looking ahead to 2016, Obelisk is wishing for more great things after a very productive 2015. Last year, growth went up by 200%, Obelisk made The Times Top 50 Employers for Women, Dana Denis-Smith – Obelisk’s founder and CEO – was named Innovator of 2015 by Legal Week and the business won Investors In People. So, let’s celebrate family and work and all the rewards they bring.

“Happy Chinese New Year” from Obelisk.

Chinese New Year Sayings:

Xīnnián hǎo and Guònián hǎo – Happy New Year

Hóunián jíxiáng – good luck for this Monkey year

Héjiā xìngfú – happiness for the whole family

Shìyè yǒuchéng – success in your career

The Chinese Zodiac is made up twelve animals; rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, rooster, dog, pig and monkey. Every year, Chinese New Year is symbolized by one of these animals. 2016 is the year of the Monkey. This has special significance for people born in 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004 and 2016.

People born in the Year of the Monkey are said to be quick-witted, curious, innovative and mischievous. They are smart and clever – and often enjoy successful careers and wealthy lifestyles. They are lively, flexible and versatile – with skills people envy and a level of gentleness and honesty that often brings them everlasting love. (They sound like the perfect Obelisk consultant …) But, just when it was starting to sound too good, they’re superhuman. People born in the year of the Monkey do ‘have their moments’ and their downside. They have a temper, tend to look down on others and can be suspicious, selfish and jealous. And if that isn’t bad enough, the year of the Monkey is also known as one of the unluckiest years in the entire Chinese calendar. So, to compensate for the ‘lack of luck’ that Monkeys can endure, Obelisk has pulled together some lucky superstitions for those people born in the 1968, or 1980, or 1992.

• Your lucky numbers: 1, 7 and 8 bring good luck to Monkeys
• Your lucky colours: white, gold and blue. Do these colours match with your wardrobe?
• Your lucky flowers: chrysanthemum and alliums
• Your lucky directions: north, northwest and west. Follow these lucky directions and you’ll get straight to our offices in Farringdon in no time.

What animal are you?

Match the year you were born in to the animal in the Chinese Zodiac.

Rat: 2008, 1996, 1984, 1972, 1960
Ox: 2009, 1997, 1985, 1973, 1961
Tiger: 2010, 1998, 1986, 1974, 1962
Rabbit: 2011, 1999, 1987, 1975, 1963
Dragon: 2012, 2000, 1988, 1976, 1964
Snake: 2013, 2001, 1989, 1977, 1965
Horse: 2014, 2002, 1990, 1978, 1966
Sheep: 2015, 2003, 1991, 1979, 1967
Rooster: 2017, 2005, 1993, 1981, 1969
Dog: 2018, 2006, 1994, 1982, 1970
Pig: 2019, 2007, 1995, 1983, 1971

Personality is key to standing out, both at work and in the family. But this doesn’t mean being ‘loud’ or the life and soul of the party. It means being both human and productive – helping you and your family to prosper, at home and at work.

So, according to Chinese New Year, what personality do you have? And do you recognise yourself in the profiles below?

Rat: Intelligent, adaptable, quick-witted, charming, artistic, sociable.
Ox: Loyal, reliable, thorough, strong, reasonable, steady, determined.
Tiger: Enthusiastic, courageous, ambitious, leadership, confidence, charismatic.
Rabbit: Trustworthy, empathic, modest, diplomatic, sincere, sociable, caretakers.
Dragon: Lucky, flexible, eccentric, imaginative, artistic, spiritual, charismatic.
Snake: Philosophical, organized, intelligent, intuitive, elegant, attentive, decisive.
Horse: Adaptable, loyal, courageous, ambitious, intelligent, adventurous, strong.
Sheep: Tasteful, crafty, warm, elegant, charming, intuitive, sensitive, calm.
Rooster: Honest, energetic, intelligent, flamboyant, flexible, diverse, confident.
Dog: Loyal, sociable, courageous, diligent, steady, lively, adaptable, smart.
Pig: Honorable, philanthropic, determined, optimistic, sincere, sociable.

Try our Classic Chinese New Year Recipe; Chow Mein

Chinese New Year is the perfect time for families to reunite and get together. So, here’s our classic Chinese recipe for you and your family to try at home, as you gather to celebrate and look forward to 2016.

Chow Mein is a classic Chinese dish, made with stir-fried egg noodles and shredded chicken breast. You can experiment with different fish, meat or vegetables.

Ingredients:

• 225g dried or fresh egg noodles
• 1 tbsp sesame oil, plus 1 tsp
• 100g boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into fine shreds
• 2½ tbsp groundnut oil
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 50g mangetout, finely shredded
• 50g Parma ham or cooked ham, finely shredded
• 2 tsp light soy sauce
• 2 tsp dark soy sauce
• 1 tbsp Shaoxing rice wine or dry Sherry
• ½ tsp freshly ground white pepper
• ½ tsp golden caster sugar
• 2 spring onions

For the marinade;

• 2 tsp light soy sauce
• 2 tsp Shaoxing rice wine or dry Sherry
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• ½ tsp freshly ground white pepper

How to prepare;

Cook the noodles in a large pan of boiling water for 3-5 mins, then drain and put them in cold water. Drain thoroughly, toss them with 1 tbsp of the sesame oil and set aside.

Combine the chicken with all the marinade ingredients and ½ tsp salt, mix well and then leave to marinate for about 10 mins.

Heat a wok over a high heat. Add 1 tbsp of the groundnut oil and, when it is very hot and slightly smoking, add the chicken shreds. Stir-fry for about 2 mins and then transfer to a plate. Wipe the wok clean. Reheat the wok until it is very hot, then add the remaining groundnut oil. When the oil is slightly smoking, add the garlic and stir-fry for 10 secs. Then add the mangetout and ham, and stir-fry for about 1 min.

Add the noodles, soy sauces, rice wine or Sherry, pepper, sugar, spring onions and 1 tsp salt. Stir-fry for 2 mins. Return the chicken and any juices to the noodle mixture. Stir-fry for about 3-4 mins or until the chicken is cooked. Add 1 tsp sesame oil and give the mixture a few final stirs. Put on a warm platter and serve immediately.

A dozen Do’s and Don’ts for Chinese New Year

Don’t take medicine. You will be ill for the whole year!

Don’t eat porridge for breakfast. Only poor people have porridge for breakfast, and starting the new year as ‘poor’ is a bad omen.

Don’t wash your clothes. This applies to the first and second day of Chinese New Year, which celebrate the birthday of Shuishen the Water God.

Don’t wash your hair. In Chinese, the word for ‘hair’ and ‘to become wealthy’ sound the same, so avoid ‘washing your fortune away’.

Don’t use sharp objects. Avoid knives and scissors as any accidents at the start of Chinese New Year are seen as a sign of potential failure and you losing some of your wealth over the next twelve months.

Don’t leave the house, if you are a woman. You will be plagued with bad luck for the whole year if you don’t stay indoors. And married daughters are not allowed to visit their parents; this brings bad luck to the family.

Don’t sweep the house. You will sweep your wealth away too.

Don’t make your child unhappy. Children crying brings bad luck, so parents do their best to make their children as happy as possible. (Not even more screen time?)

Don’t run out of rice. If you can’t cook during Chinese New Year this is another bad omen for the year ahead.

Don’t wear worn out clothes. Rags don’t lead to riches. Wearing old clothes on Chinese New Year could bring about financial hardship in 2016.

Do stay up late and party. Eat, drink and be merry with friends and family. And let off fireworks to scare off evil spirits, especially Nian, the New Year monster.

Do give people gifts. But not clocks, scissors or pears.

Obelisk’s Top Ten Chinese New Year Facts

1. Chinese New Year dates back 4,000 years
2. The largest celebration outside of China takes place in London
3. The Chinese use fireworks to keep evil spirits away – especially Nian, the New Year monster
4. Red is the official colour of Chinese New Year. Look out for the lanterns
5. The Dragon Dance – for many people the symbol of China – brings good luck to people, but after the dance is over the dragon’s head and tail are burnt
6. At Chinese New Year, people give money to children, in envelopes called Red Packets
7. The date for Chinese New Year changes each year but always falls between January 20 and February 21, depending on the Chinese Lunar Year
8. 20% of the world’s population celebrate Chinese New Year – with 1.3 billion people in China enjoying a three-day public holiday
9. The festival – especially the dinner on New Year’s Eve – is an opportunity to reconcile and reunite with people
10. Each year, Chinese New Year has a symbol. In 2016, it is the Year of the Monkey.