Asian American Studies

yuán rì
元 日
"New Year’s Day"
wáng ān shí
王安石
By Wang Anshi

bào zhú shēng zhōng yí suì chú
爆竹声中一岁除，
The New Year is coming amid the sound of firecracker,

chūn fēng sòng nuǎn rù tú sū
春风送暖入屠苏。
The spring breeze has wafted the warm breath with Tusu wine.

qiān mén wàn hù tóng tóng rì
千门万户瞳瞳日，
While the rising sun shines thousands of houses,

zǒng bǎ xīn táo huàn jiù fú
总把新桃换旧符。
New peach wood charms replace the old ones.

Faculty Lunar New Year Traditions

On New Year’s morning, wearing a new dress, we take a special full bow (called SeBae in Korean) to our parents & older relatives and receive money gift. Then, the whole family gathers and eat a special meal called Dduk-Kuk (plain white rice cake soup) and play Yut Nori (Korean Board game). Adults have fun teasing the children, saying that if they fall asleep on the night before New Year's Day, their eyebrows will turn white. Afraid, children try hard to stay up all night... to no avail.      - Dr. Eunai Shrake, Department Chair

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