Chinese New Years Cultural Ties

There are some interesting similarities between ancient Passover traditions, Chinese New Year practices, and Gospel truths. The wellsprings of truth have outcroppings throughout the world, and we see the symbolism of the Gospel of Christ nearly everywhere we turn.

1. It’s nearly the Passover in Jewish traditions. In memory of the first Passover, when the children of Israel had to hurry to leave their homes and couldn’t wait for the bread to rise, today Jewish families spend at least a week or more cleaning out anything that might have traces of leavening agents in them (food, lotions, etc.) – getting rid of anything “yeasty”. Yeast here symbolizes sin, corruption, evil. Today the preparations include cleaning the entire house to get rid of anything unwanted – all symbolic of getting rid of sin and bringing peace and harmony into their homes and lives.

It’s also Chinese New Year. In every home, people have been busy cleaning from top to bottom, getting rid of any bad luck, (dirt, grime, mold, unwanted junk, etc.) and making room for the new year to welcome any good luck that might come their way – bringing peace and harmony into their homes and lives.

In honor of this Chinese New Year/Passover tradition, every missionary was to thoroughly, thoroughly, scrub and clean their apartment, per mission tradition. Then 10 of us senior missionaries, as well as the mission president and his wife, split up throughout the mission to inspect nearly every apartment within a 36 hour period (not an easy feat!!!). There was a “report card” for each apartment. Everyone worked hard – young missionaries cleaning and senior missionaries going all over the mission participating in this Inspection Blitz.

2. The Passover itself is a commemorative occasion, reflecting the first Passover when the children of Israel were commanded to smear lambs blood (“a lamb without blemish”) on the posts of their doors, so that the Destroying Angel, who was to come at midnight to destroy the firstborn of every family in Egypt, would see the red blood, recognize that household as followers of God, and pass over their house, untouched.

In homes of Chinese heritage, each year they post red banners on the side posts and sometimes on the upper door post. One ancient tradition is that the “monster”, who comes out at the beginning of the new year to eat people (and hates the color red, by the way) – when he sees the red on the doors will pass by that home. Oh – and it’s midnight when he comes out….

And then there's this:

“About midnight will I go out into the midst of Egypt, and all the firstborn…will die…  but when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you”, They were made safe by the blood of the lamb. (Exodus 11:14; 12:5-13)

3. Both the Passover and the Chinese New Years most significant event is the shared meal together with their family, in homes made clean from dirt and unwanted items, surrounded by red on their door posts which bring safety and harmony into their homes.

There is a powerful connection between these Chinese traditions and our own practices as Latter-day Saints. Knowing that our bodies house our spirits, we cleanse this “spiritual home” weekly by getting rid of unwanted habits, repenting of unwanted words, thoughts or deeds, sweeping our “homes” clean through repentance, This repentance comes about through the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ – or the blood of the Lamb. The monster of this world, the devil, never has power over those who carry the "red banner" of the Atonement in their lives

Then we gather together with our families and loved ones each Sunday to share a sacramental “meal” – the Lord’s Supper. While we may not strike the blood of a lamb on our doorposts, we do keep our homes and lives cleansed and protected from the world through the blood of that Lamb on the doorposts of our lives, bringing peace and harmony in its wake.

Happy New Year everyone - it's the Year of the Rat!