The question “Is Lunar New Year the same as Chinese New Year?”, unexpectedly became a recent heated debate on the internet.
Nationalism has been on the rise in China these years. As the British Museum used social media to promote Korean culture, they were under attack by Chinese viewers who claimed the sovereignty of China on Lunar New Year being Chinese New Year.
The lunar calendar in fact was found by a German priest Adam Schall during the late Ming and early Qing dynasty by referencing the Chinese calendar with the sun’s orbits. So that was not a Chinese invention but has been widely used by associated Asian nations such as Japan, Korea and Vietnam where Lunar New Year remains as their respective celebrative occasions. This indeed illustrates multiculturalism where various cultural activities could converge. Insisting Lunar New Year must be Chinese New Year without realizing the origin just shows how ignorant and uncivilized nationalism could end up, going against the ‘globalization’ we all should be after by now.
In Australia as a multicultural nation, we have learnt how to build our country hand in hand with people from different cultural backgrounds, languages and ethnic origins. Uphold nationalism here instead of cultural acceptance and integration has made us in a very difficult position.
In Australia Chinese is the largest ethnic minority where within we are most diversified. This should help us in playing a role in the multiculturalism of this country.
We can actually demonstrate the common qualities of Chinese by working together with Chinese in varieties. Many Chinese bodies however only identify themselves as specific groups of certain origin and background in offering care and services. This cannot tell that we Chinese are working together with a common goal for integrating ourselves here. While restrictive nationalism is on the rise, we must reflect on how Chinese communities in variations can accommodate and cooperate for our better multicultural country.
There have been more new organisations being formed here by Hong Kong people, naturally with their influx caused by political instability there. But for organisations to sustain functionality here must depend on their commitment to integrate with the local mainstream society.
Mr. Raymond Chow, Publisher