The Importance of Lunar New Year
Lunar New Year has been honored for thousands of years throughout Asia, from China and Vietnam to Korea and Thailand. It’s a time to welcome new beginnings, fresh starts, and celebrate with friends and family.
Celebrated by more than 20% of the world, Lunar New Year, also known as Chinese New Year, Chunjie, and the Spring Festival, is determined by the lunar calendar, which means this incredibly popular holiday has no set date. Lunar New Year celebrations begin with the first new moon of the lunar calendar and continue for up to 16 days. This period of time also marks the transition between zodiac signs, a repeating 12-year cycle of animals based on the lunar calendar. Each animal has ascribed characteristics to represent all those born during that particular year.
THE 12 ZODIAC ANIMALS
Locate your birth year to learn about your zodiac
When it comes to celebrating, following tradition is central to Lunar New Year. For example, households should refrain from sweeping, which may eliminate good luck. Crying, borrowing money, and eating porridge are also considered taboo, as they are all believed to bring misfortune or poverty in the coming year. Luckier traditions include lighting fireworks to scare off evil spirits, hanging red lanterns to bring prosperity, and of course, enjoying good-luck foods with your loved ones.
Traditional paper lanterns hung during Lunar New Year celebrations
A traditional Lunar New Year firework display in China
Foods said to bring good fortune during Lunar New Year include fish dishes like our Miso Glazed Salmon, as well
as dumplings, spring rolls, and noodles.
Lunar New Year is an important time for P.F. Chang’s. With roots in Chinese cuisine, today’s culinary landscape spans across all of Asia, honoring cultures and recipes from Japan, Korea, Thailand, and beyond. Every day, in every restaurant, dining room, and scratch kitchen, P.F. Chang’s honors this important heritage through authentic culinary excellence and world-class hospitality, living the mission to share the culinary spirit of Asia with the world. And there’s no better time to honor that mission than during Lunar New Year, where P.F. Chang’s is known to debut new limited-time offerings meant to be shared and celebrated. Past Lunar New Year menu items include specialty cocktails, dim sum, entrées, and desserts
Past Lunar New Year menu items: Iwai of the Tiger (2022), Fire & Ice (2021), Red Lantern (2020)
Keep up with past and future P.F. Chang’s Lunar New Year happenings at pfchangs.com/lunar-new-year or make a reservation to join us for your next celebration.