Why Mark Zuckerberg shouldn’t listen to management gurus

Why Mark Zuckerberg shouldn’t listen to management
By Felix Salmon February 10, 2012


This is why Mark Zuckerberg was smart to stay in complete control of Facebook and not listen to anybody telling him that a multi-billion-dollar company needed a seasoned, professional CEO in charge.

Jack and Suzy Welch are onto something when they diagnose a potential class problem at Facebook, post-IPO.

After its IPO, Facebook is going to have two classes of citizens. That’s just reality. Some of its 3,000 or so employees — several hundred in number by some counts — will have significant riches in the hand. Newer hires, though — well, they’ll mostly have options in the bush.

Where they go hilariously wrong is in their proposed solution to the problem. There’s a carrot, which as far as I can tell involves Silicon Valley manager-geeks suddenly transforming themselves into motivational speakers. And then there’s a stick:

With all this exultant “barking,” there also needs be bite — in the form of frequent, rigorous performance reviews. The facts are, if Facebook wants urgency, speed and intensity around its mission, those behaviors must be explicit values that, when demonstrated, result in bonus money and upward mobility — or not.

Any company, in the wake of an IPO, finds itself growing new and previously-unnecessary layers of management, especially in areas like the general counsel’s office, investor relations, and public relations. But for the Welches, that’s not enough: extra management also has to be marbled throughout the organization, to be found everywhere as “frequent, rigorous performance reviews”.

There is absolutely zero evidence that frequent, rigorous performance reviews ever do any good, and quite a lot of reason to believe that they actually do harm. And what’s true of business professionals in general is especially true of Silicon Valley engineers — a culture where pretty much everybody knows exactly who’s hot and who’s not, without any need for formal, frequent, or rigorous performance reviews.

What’s more, it’s far from clear that the best way to motivate a Silicon Valley engineer is to dangle an annual bonus in front of his face and tell him that if he works hard he could get an extra couple of months’ salary at the end of the year. Rather, the best way to get the most out of engineers is to surround them with other great engineers, in a collegial atmosphere where everybody works hard and everybody does really well building great products that everybody is proud of.

Performance reviews are horrible, divisive things which create a whole other set of class distinctions within a company, between the “high performers” who get money and promotions and the grunts who live in fear that their review will be used to punish or fire them. (And of course if bonus-greed isn’t a great motivator of computer engineers, fear is even worse, especially in the context of Silicon Valley, where there are multiple jobs permanently being dangled in front of just about anybody who can code.)

Managing a company like Facebook is all about creating a magnetic culture — a place where employees love to work, and where they’ll tell their friends that they’re having a great time and that they should come join them. Meanwhile, there has never been a company in the history of capitalism where managers really love the performance-review process and tell all their friends that they would hugely enjoy going through it themselves on a frequent and rigorous basis.

In other words, the mere existence of such things would probably be enough to put off many talented potential employees with a wide choice of possible employers. At a company like GE, a CEO like Jack Welch tends not to worry about such things. But at Facebook, the ability to continue to attract Silicon Valley’s best coders is very high up Mark Zuckerberg’s list of priorities and concerns.

Which is reason number 1,452 that all of Facebook’s shareholders should be very happy indeed that the company is being run by Mark Zuckerberg and not by Jack Welch.


http://blogs.reuters.com/felix-salmon/2012/02/10/why-mark-zuckerberg-shouldnt-listen-to-management-gurus/

5 Leadership Lessons It Took A Long Time To Learn

5 Leadership Lessons It Took A Long Time To Learn

I was recently asked by Christianity Today's Building Church Leaders to compile a short list of leadership lessons that I've learned and then briefly explain them in a sentence or two. I spent quite awhile thinking about the leadership lessons that it took me a several years to learn. Here are five lessons that took me a long time to learn and now you can learn them in less than five minutes.

1. The “God-Thing” Comes Before The Vision
Most leaders make the mistake of thinking that change starts with their vision; change starts with a “God-thing”. It is the leaders’ job to identify where God is at work and to communicate the vision of what God is doing and how we must get involved in His work.

2. Money Always Follows Vision
People give money to a compelling cause with a clear vision. When economic times are hard leaders are tempted to reduce the budget and the vision. NO! Increase the vision and money will follow. Never forget - God is always at work and vision is free!

3. Make It Fit On A Napkin.
If it can’t be explained on a napkin it is too complicated. Make sure everything from your slogan, to your process for disciple-making to how you will create a movement can be explained on a napkin. If is simple and reproducible you can mobilize the masses.

4. Lead With A “Yes” And Ask “How” Later
If you want to lead in bringing about innovation learn to lead with a “yes” and not “how”. People are born with dreams from God and they want to make a difference. What they need most is a leader who will say “yes” when they ask for permission to give it a try.

5. Take Risks On Emerging Leaders & Artists
Resist the urge of telling young leaders to wait a few years; they need and deserve opportunities to lead, so take a risk on them now! Good art always involves risk; so if you want good art in your church you must take risks on your artists!

OK, now I've told you five lessons of leadership that took me a long time to learn...leave me a comment and give me one or two of yours!


http://www.daveferguson.typepad.com/daveferguson/2008/08/5-leadership-le.html

The Zappos Experience : 5 Principles to Inspire, Engage, and WOW

The Zappos Experience : 5 Principles to Inspire, Engage, and WOW

by: Joseph Michelli



THE ZAPPOS EXPERIENCE: 5 Principles to Inspire, Engage, and WOW

Joseph Michelli

#1 New York Times Bestselling Author

"Delivering Happiness can help inspire the why of your business, THE ZAPPOS EXPERIENCE can contribute to the how."
From the Foreword by Tony Hsieh, Bestselling author of Delivering Happiness and CEO of Zappos.com, Inc.

BEHIND THE SCENES AT ONE OF BUSINESS'S MOST INNOVATIVE COMPANIES

What kind of company lets its employees dress up like garden gnomes? Under the direction of CEO Tony Hsieh, Zappos employees - "Zapponians" - hold cupcake competitions, form conga lines in the office, socialize outside the office with potential hires, and populate their cubicles with jungle stuff. Employees are pushed to be innovative and open. They're free to be weird and creative.

It's not just employees who benefit from Zappos-style inspiration. Customers are continually rewarded with all manner of perks, value-adds, and service benefits - from free overnight shipping and returns, to free books, handwritten thank-you notes, and VIP status. Employees are trained right at the beginning on the value of treating the customer well, and Zappos customers show an unparalleled sense of loyalty to the company. Here is evidence of a brand connecting with its clientele in a deeply engaged way.

Zappos is a corporate culture like none other. Under the playful and unconventional exterior, however, is a serious, billion-dollar company employing an attentive, layered, and unique customer experience as one of its key drivers for growth that has been heralded by the media and longed for by business leaders . THE ZAPPOS EXPERIENCE: 5 Principles to Inspire, Engage, and WOW (McGraw-Hill Professional; October, 2011; HC, $25.00), by Joseph Michelli, Ph.D., author of The New York Times bestseller The Starbucks Experience, distills the five primary leadership principles and core values that enhance the customer experience, increase employee engagement, and drive innovation. The more inspired you are to wow your customers and clients in an unconventional way, the more Wowed everyone becomes.

In his foreword to the book, Tony Hsieh states that whereas, his book "Delivering Happiness can help inspire the why of your business, The Zappos Experience can contribute to the how." With Hsieh at the helm, Zappos has expanded year over year, growing its international presence and undergoing a hiring spurt in what is currently a layoff economy. The company has boasted remarkable profits, and a consistent ranking on Fortune's 100 Best Companies to Work For. The company also launched "Zappos Insights," a program which allows leaders, managers, and employees from other companies study what makes Zappos work as a business model and how to bring key takeaways to their own industries.

What is it about Zappos that makes their customers so delighted? Michelli was granted full access to employees across the organization and writes about the big Wow. "Wow and caring are celebrated at Zappos, whether they are delivered to customers or to members of the internal Zappos family," he writes. "The more that wow and caring are seen and acknowledged, the more joy will be experienced by all stakeholders."

The book has been "Zappified" using the Zapponian combination of technology, service, and a heaping dose of humor. There are 17 QR codes throughout the book, taking you from an epic Nerf battle at Zappos headquarters to Facebook page devoted entirely to "Delivering Happiness." (Check out the "Do Not Click Here" QR code on pg. 90.)

The motto of Zappos is simple: "We are a service company that happens to sell _____." With delighted customers and contented employees, the company has used Wow to increase profits and loyalty. Here are the five principles your business can use to focus on both your customers and your employees using innovation and delight.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Joseph Michelli is an internationally sought-after speaker, author, and organizational consultant. His book, The Starbucks Experience: 5 Principles for Turning Ordinary into Extraordinary, published by McGraw-Hill, regularly achieved bestseller status on The Wall Street Journal, BusinessWeek, and USA Today bestseller lists. He has conducted hundreds of radio and print interviews, as well as major media broadcast appearances.

Read more about the book at http://www.zappified.com/.

PRAISE FOR THE ZAPPOS EXPERIENCE:
"If you're looking for an inspirational path for creating a likable, trustworthy, and wow! organization, you've hit the mother lode."
-Guy Kawasaki, former chief evangelist of Apple and author of Enchantment: The Art of Changing Hearts, Minds, and Actions
"This book provides a roadmap to a successful business by taking inspiration and examples from one of the most innovative, progressive companies of our time. Don't just read it; use it."
-Tony Hawk, professional skateboarder and author of HAWK -Occupation: Skateboarder and How Did I Get Here? The Ascent of an Unlikely CEO
"In your hands is a manifesto on how Zappos completely blew away the standard of delivering a consumer-centric experience and a revolutionary company culture. Joseph helps us all understand how to achieve a little more of that Zappos magic."
-Eric Ryan, method cofounder and person against dirty
"Thanks to Joseph Michelli, you can learn exactly how Zappos hit it big and how you can too. By using the five principles Joseph has distilled, you can supercharge your efforts and start down the path to legendary success."
-Mark Sanborn, President, Sanborn & Associates, Inc., and author of The Fred Factor and You Don't Need a Title to Be a Leader

FIVE QUESTIONS ABOUT ZAPPOS WITH Joseph Michelli:

Q. THE ZAPPOS EXPERIENCE is really quite revolutionary. Can you talk about why this approach to business is so incredible?
A. Having spent a lot of time in business schools and board rooms around the world, I can attest to a zeal for business strategy and tactical approaches to sustainable success. Leaders are often looking for solutions to short-term problems at the expense of grooming service cultures that could help address both short and long-term challenges. Zappos has flipped the formula. The company's revolutionary leadership has defined and stewarded a service culture like no other business I have come across. The company's growth, dynamism, employee engagement, customer passion, and playful spirit are refreshing in a sea of sameness across the global business landscape.

Q. When you love what you do, work can often seem like play. How does this figure into Zappos' principles?
A. Many people have written about that loss of time, place, and even self that comes when you are fully absorbed in purposeful activity. That state of being is at the height of living one's calling and it is a place of great innovation and joy. Zappos is a company committed to helping staff find purpose and happiness in their work. From my perspective, the playfulness of their culture is part of the foundation for a relaxed and purposeful workplace. That fun is also a byproduct of people who are spontaneously enjoying their calling.

Q. Some employees are removed from direct interaction with their end-users. How do you advise them to inspire Wow on their jobs?
A. If you are not directly serving a customer, my hunch is you are serving someone who does. If you serve your teammates "wowfully," you increase the probability that they will pass that Wow service forward. Zappos and other great businesses do not make distinctions between customers, prospects, co-workers, leaders, shareholders, or vendors. Their core value is to "deliver wow through service." From that world view, CEO Tony Hseih should wow me as a consultant and author, and I should try to wow readers of the Zappos Experience with an impassioned, thoughtful, helpful, and engaging look into Zappos. In the end, it's more about serving that it is the label we place on the person being served.

Q. Under that playful, fun exterior at Zappos is a company that takes several elements of the business quite seriously. What are they?
A. Let's start with the oxymoron - taking fun seriously. They're also serious about being weird, serving excellently, delivering happiness, being good stewards of their resources, building an enduring corporate culture, being one of the best places to work in America, and constantly growing people/products/profits. They are a quintessential learning organization, a leader in effectively creating customer intimacy through all channels especially social media, and they happen to drive extremely enviable and monetizable levels of customer loyalty as well as evangelism.

Q. What's the absolute craziest thing you saw at Zappos headquarters?
A. I saw a man on a Zappos tour almost giddy with enthusiasm. You would have thought he had met the president of the United States or his favorite celebrity. When I asked him why he was so euphoric, he answered my question with question, "Come on man, don't you know where you are? This is Zappos? I buy from them all the time, I tweet about them constantly. This is Tony' Hsieh's place. This is where they are changing business today. Why am I happy, come on I am finally at Zappos!"

In my history of working with and writing about world class businesses this was the first time I met a customer who had made such a connection with a company. Of course to paraphrase him, "Come on, it's Zappos."

THE ZAPPOS EXPERIENCE: 5 Principles to Inspire, Engage, and WOW, by Joseph Michelli.
October, 2011; Hardcover, $25.00; ISBN 978-0-07-174958-9; MHID 0-07-174958-6

http://www.mhprofessional.com/c/pressroom/pressroom.php?pressnid=21894

Leading with Passion

The Story Behind...
Leading with Passion
The story behind Leading with Passion:
10 Essentials for Inspiring Others by John J. Murphy.

Some people believe there are no coincidences. I am one of them. That is why it came as no surprise when Mac Anderson called me to inquire about my interest in writing a book on leadership and inspiration for Simple Truths.



At that very time, I was writing a 265-page book titled, Sage Leadership: Awakening the Spirit in Work.

As it turns out, this is exactly what Mac was looking for - something that went deep into the soul of leadership.

Over the years, I have learned that to inspire others we must be "in-spirit" ourselves - a state of fearless, effortless flow. We must lead with purpose, heart and grace - to name a few. These "essentials" were exactly what Mac was looking for in a new leadership title. In a matter of minutes, we agreed on the title, Leading with Passion: 10 Essentials for Inspiring Others.

The 10 Essentials covered in Leading with Passion are not the only essentials. They do tap into the heart and soul of others - a missing link in many businesses and governments today. If there is one thing I have learned in teaching thousands of people from over 50 countries, it is that, "The heart has reasons that reason cannot know," to quote Pascal. In other words, people need more than facts, data and analysis to emotionally relate to what needs to be done and why. We need context, not just content. Wise leaders get this!

When I submitted the manuscript, Mac could feel the energy and passion in this book. In addition to the wording, I also offered the idea of using the metaphor of "lighting a candle" as an image of leadership.

Buddha once said, "Thousands of candles can be lit from a single candle, and the life of the candle cannot be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared."

During my many years of research, observation and teaching, I felt a strong symbolic connection to the idea of sharing the "light." The imagery in this book carries this theme and is spectacular.

I am thrilled with the reception Leading with Passion is getting. It is a book from my heart as well as my mind, a sharing of great insight and wisdom I have witnessed over the years. Like the candle, I hope this book reaches and lights up of the lives of millions. The 10 Essentials in Leading with Passion certainly light up my life.

Today, I'd like to share the introduction of Leading with Passion with you:
An excerpt from
Leading with Passion
by John J. Murphy
Light a match in a dark room and watch as the light instantly overcomes the darkness. Observe the power and grace of that single, solitary flame dancing with life. Now light several candles or kindle a fire and experience the added warmth and comfort extending from that first, vulnerable flame through others.

This is the heart and soul of leadership - the essence of inspiring others.

It is about courageously casting off fear, doubt and limiting beliefs and giving people a sense of hope, optimism and accomplishment. It is about bringing light into a world of uncertainty and inspiring others to do the same. This is what we call passion, the fire within.

Passion is a heartfelt energy that flows through us, not from us.

It fills our hearts when we allow it to and it inspires others when we share it. It is like sunlight flowing through a doorway that we have just opened. It was always there. It just needed to be accepted and embraced. Under the right conditions, this "flow" appears effortless, easy and graceful. It is doing what it is meant to do. It is reminding us that we are meant to be purposeful. We are meant to be positive. We are meant to be passionate. We feel this when we listen to and accept our calling in life. We feel it as inspiration when we open the door of resistance and let it in.

Inspiration springs forth when we allow ourselves to be "in-spirit," aligned with our true essence. Stop and think about it: When you feel truly passionate and inspired about someone or something, what frame of mind are you in? What are you willing to do? What kind of effort are you willing to put forth? How fearful are you? Chances are, you feel motivated to do whatever it takes, without fear or doubt, to turn your vision into reality. You grow in confidence. You believe you can do it. You are committed from the heart and soul.

10 Essentials for Inspiring Others

The purpose of this book is to clarify and offer ten key factors for leading with passion and inspiring peak performance.

These "essentials" serve to guide and remind leaders how they can "open the door" and facilitate flow. By practicing these essentials, you will tap the extraordinary potential in yourself and others and realize results you may never have dreamed possible. Look to any inspiring leader and you will see these key factors in action. Observe the best of the best and you will witness the power of passionate leadership. Make no mistake - leading with passion inspires world change. It is the only thing that ever really has.



http://ebm.newsletter.simpletruths.com/c/tag/hBPKe4hB8PINaB8ftpbNnSlx9yr/doc.html?t_params=EMAIL%3Dpemimpin2001%2540yahoo.com%26FIRST_NAME%3Dagung%26ST_STORE%3DIntl&utm_source=CheetahMail&utm_medium=02.02.12&utm_campaign=LWPNIntl

Chinese New Year Festivities: New Year’s Eve

Chinese New Year Festivities: New Year’s Eve
New Year’s Eve, Chuxi (Traditional Chinese: 除夕, Pinyin: chúxī, Traditional Chinese: abbr. for 年除夕, Pinyin: niánchúxī, literally translated: year- get rid of- evening)


New Year’s Eve
Usually starting at 11:00 p.m. the celebration will begin with ancestor worshipping and will be followed by a reunion dinner, a savory and royally feast cooked for the occasion.
Since the Chinese calendar is a lunisolar calendar, the last day of a year is also called lunar New Year's Eve (Traditional Chinese: 大年夜, Pinyin: dàniányè, translated: old, large, huge, major, important year's night).

Because the Lunar New Year’s Eve is “the end of the old year” (Traditional Chinese: 舊年尾, Pinyin: jiù nián wěi, literally translated: old year tail) and Chinese New Year is “the beginning of the new year” (Traditional Chinese: 新年頭, Pinyin: xīn nián tóu, literally translated: new year's head), both of the turning points are the biggest festivals of the entire lunar year. In the afternoon of the Lunar New Year’s Eve, the ceremony of “ci nian” (Traditional Chinese: 辭年, Pinyin: cí nián, translated: bid farewell to the old year) will be held by offering sacrifices to the Heaven, the family gods, the ancestors and finally to the wandering souls (passed away souls of former residents who died without family, not receiving a proper funeral and hence still protecting the household's property) and (taosit) gods of the property like Tu Di Gong - the later two are the Gods of the Groundwork (地基主), reiceiving the offering at the front door.

Ancestor worshiping
Family is viewed as a closely united group of living and dead relatives.
Ancestor worship is a religious practice based on the belief that deceased family members have a continued existence, that the spirits of deceased ancestors will look after the family, take an interest in the affairs of the world, and possess the ability to influence the fortune of the living.
Unity of the group is reinforced through ancestor veneration, offering of various kinds help to keep the ancestors happy in the spiritual world, who, in return, will bless the family.
Being an important aspect of the Chinese culture, the social or non-religious function of ancestor worship is to cultivate kinship values like filial piety, family loyalty, and continuity of the family lineage.
Ancestor worship is a family affair, held in homes and consists of offering joss stick, serving as communication and greetings to the deceased, prayers and offering items before memorial tablets.
Before the reunion dinner, the spirits of the ancestors are invited to join the celebration; fruits, food, sweets, flowers and tea will be offered to them. Ancestors will be served their favourite dishes as well as ‘dishes with a meaning’.

Reunion Dinner
The reunion dinner, also known as Tuan Nian or Wei Lu, marks a family gathering on the Lunar New Year’s Eve and the Chinese consider it to be the most important part of the celebration.

Tuan Nian:
Traditional Chinese: 團年, Pinyin: tuán nián, translated: (re)unite or grouping year; describing the tradition of family gathering at the reunion dinner

Wei Lu:
Traditional Chinese: 圍爐, Pinyin: wéilú, literally: to circle around the stove


Children are supposed to return to their families, married couples will go the the male’s relatives (and to the female's relatives on the second day of the festivities).
If a family member couldn't participate in the grand feasting, his or her presence is usually symbolized by placing an empty seat at the banquet.

Dishes with a Meaning, the Symbolism of Food
For this meal, the best foods and ‘dishes with a meaning’ are served - and in abundance too, as the abundance of food is believed to bring the family great material wealth in the new year. Chinese like playing with words and symbols. Often homonyms (words that share the same pronunciation but have different meanings) are used. Names of dishes or their ingrediets which will be served sound similar to words and phrases refering to wishes expressed during the Chinese New Year. Other foods hold a symbolic meaning.
Most reunion dinners will include a whole chicken, symbolising prosperity, togetherness of the family and joy (note: chicken with its head, tail and feet symbolizes completeness) and a whole fish (Traditional Chinese: 魚; Simplified Chinese: 鱼; Pinyin: yú), symbolising surplus, prosperity, 'having leftovers of money', hence abundance. To strengthen the symbolic meaning of the fish dish, most likely it will not the eaten completely.
The Chinese phrase "may there be surpluses every year" (Traditional Chinese: 年年有餘; Simplified Chinese: 年年有余; Pinyin: nián nián yǒu yú) sounds the same as "may there be fish every year."

New Year Night and early morning
After a sumptuous reunion dinner, all family members will gather to stay awake all night as it is believed to delay the aging process of the more elderly family members and hence increase longevity.
This gathering and staying together during the time between the years is called shou sui (Traditional Chinese: 守岁, Pinyin: shǒusuì, translated: guarding age or guarding the year) and implies an all night party.

A significant custom associated with New Year celebration is to spend the New Year's Eve preparing and eating Chinese dumplings called jiaozi (Traditional Chinese 餃子, Simplified Chinese: 饺子, Pinyin: jiǎo zi ). The shape of the jiaozi represents a juanbao, hence wealth, so while eating a jiaozi, one is eating wealth and luck.
Sometimes a coin is hidden inside the jiaozi and whoever will find it is supposed to be showered with good fortune and wealth in the year to come.
Jiaozi typically consist of a ground meat and/or vegetable filling wrapped into a thinly rolled piece of dough, which is then sealed by pressing the edges together or by crimping, than boiled or steamed. The preparation is easy and does not involve any knives, and again, cutting off good fortune is avoided.

As said before, Chinese like playing with words and in this sense, the Chinese word for jiaozi can be interpreted, explaining why the dish is favourable to consume on New Year's Eve at a special time.
Jiao (Traditional Chinese: 交, Pinyin: jiāo) translates into "to turn over; to make friends; to hand in; to deliver; to intersect (of lines); to pay and, as a noun, boundary".
The second character of the word jiǎo zi refers to an hourly indication, 11 p.m.-1 a.m. and indicates the first of the twelve Earthly Branches (Traditional Chinese: 地支, Pinyin: dìzhī). The twelve Earthly Branches, namely Zi, Chou, Yin, Mao, Chen, Si, Wu, Wei, Shen, You, Xu, and Hai are signs to indicate order and are used in combination with the Heavenly Stems (Traditional Chinese: 天干, Pinyin: tiān gàn) to form 60 pairs which designate the order of years (Chinese Sexagenary Cycle, Traditional Chinese: 干支; Pinyin: gānzhī), months, days and hours. The character zhi (Traditional Chinese: 支 , Pinyin: zhī) is a word, when used to describe measurement, translates as "to raise; to erect; to support; or branch (as a noun)". "Zi" is a reference to the first and eleventh hour (branch) of Dizhi - midnight on the Western clock.

Hence, consuming a Chinese dumpling at midnight indicates wishing for a good and prosperous year.

A further custom is to eat a new year cake called niangao (Traditional Chinese: 年糕, Pinyin: nián gāo ,translated: year- cake) after dinner and send pieces of it as gifts to relatives and friends in the coming days of the new year, as it is believed that niangao indicates an increasingly prosperous year.

The year will get off to a bad start if food is served or eat from broken or chipped dinnerware, as this signifies your eating into your own capital.

Children are allowed to stay awake until late. Every light in the house is supposed to be kept on the whole night. At midnight, the whole sky will be lit up by fireworks and firecrackers.
The old year is bidded farewell, the new year called xinnian (Tradition Chinese: 新年, Pinyin: xīn nián, literally: new year) is welcomed.
Most important of all, one is congratulating each other to have survived the ‘Nian’, according to legend a terrible monster, afraid of bright light, the colour red and loud noises- as all bad spirits are. Everybody hopes that no other evil spirit bringing bad fortune had slipped between the cracks of time, the second before the first day of the first lunar month of the Spring Festival.
Before the Chinese New Year, new clothing in red colour was bought and will now be worn for the first three days of the New Year Celebrations.

Early the next morning, children greet their parents and receive their presents: red envelopes, also called Hong Bao or Lai Shi, normally containing money. Hong Bao will be handed out during the first days of the New Year Celebration during family visits as well.

Then, the family starts out to say greetings from door to door, first their relatives and then their neighbours.

Welcoming Tsai Shen, the God of Wealth
Many families worship the God of Wealth named Tsai Shen or Cai Shen (traditional Chinese: 財神; simplified Chinese: 财神; pinyin: Cáishén) in the early morning, by offering incense and invite the god into their homes. Firecrackers are again lit to welcome the god. As mentioned before, these crackers are supposed to scare away any traces of ‘Nian’, as the monster is afraid of the noise. Temples will be filled with believers who pay respect to the deity. Dumplings will be eaten on that day, as they are thought to resemble ancient ingots of precious metal.

People say that after being offered sacrifices, Tsai Shen leaves for heaven on the second day of the lunar New Year. People will burn the picture they welcomed on the New Year’s Eve and see the deity off, wishing for a luckier and more prosperous year.


http://www.nationsonline.org/oneworld/Chinese_Customs/cny-new-years-eve.htm

Chinese Customs around Chinese New Year’s Celebration

___ Chinese Customs around Chinese New Year’s Celebration
Chinese New Year, in traditional Chinese: 農曆新年; pinyin: Nónglì xīnnián; literal meaning: Agrarian Calendar New Year.

Chinese New Year is the most important of the traditional Chinese holidays and is celebrated as the Spring Festival (Traditional Chinese: 春; Pinyin: chūn, translated: spring (time), vitality. youthful, Traditional Chinese: 節; Pinyin: jié, translated: festival; section; segment; point; part). The Chinese New Year is based on the Chinese Calendar which complies with the phases of the moon. According to this, Chinese New Year begins on the first day of the first lunar month of the Chinese Calendar (see table below).

Chinese New Year will be celebrated all around the world in areas where a sizable Chinese population resides. The festival has many traditions that may vary regional, the most common ones are described below.
Traditionally the festival is a family event, everybody travels back home to meet the family and to visit relatives and friends, a practice known as "new-year visits" (Chinese: 拜年; pinyin: bàinián).


Days before the new year

The Kitchen God ascends to Heaven
The Kitchen God is a popular deity most Chinese would worship every year. Many Chinese homes have a paper image or a picture of the deity hung throughout the year near the family's stove.
The Kitchen God not only watches over the domestic affairs of a family, but he is also a moral force in the lives of all family members.
On the 23rd day of the 12th lunar month, a week before the Chinese New Year, the Kitchen God, named Zao Jun or Zao Shen, ascends to Heaven to present his yearly report about each family member’s behaviour to the Jade Emperor. Special food offerings are provided for Zao Jun, so that he may speak well of the family. Zao Jun's ascent to heaven is accomplished by burning his image: The smoke rising to the heavens symbolically represents his journey to the Emperor of Heaven, while fire crackers are lit to speed up Zao Jun’s travel.

Spring cleaning
Red banners are hung down the doors to keep in good luck.
Photo: © nationsonline

Traditionally houses are cleaned on the 28th day (of the last month) of the (old) year, prior to the Chinese New Year, and red trimmings are placed on doorways and windows to scare away the monster Nian as it is afraid of the colour red. Red banners featuring words like ‘longevity’, good luck’, ‘happiness’ and such alike will be be displayed in homes. This practice diverted from hanging peach-wood charms on doors, since peach-wood is considered to keep away ghosts and evil spirits and enhance immortality.
Often bamboo leaves are used to clean the house, as bamboo is believed to drive out evil spirits. Cleaning the house symbolises sweeping out any misfortune or traces of bad luck.
During the Chinese New Year, sweeping the house should be avoided- especially during the first three days-, since otherwise upcoming good luck would be swept out. If one ought to sweep during the first three days of the New Year celebration (extremely superstitious Chinese say until the fifth day), it is important to collect the dust in a corner to keep the new arrived good luck inside the house.

Some people even hide their brooms and dust pans just to be sure not to be unlucky.
Offerings such as a Golden Flower with peacock feathers on house altars or shrines will be changed and burned, substituted by a new one in order to ‘blow out any bad luck of the past year and enhancing positive energies for the upcoming year'.

New cloth in the auspicious red colour are bought and will be worn for the first time in the early hours of the new year. Not only does the red colour scare the monster Nian, but new cloth symbolise a new start.
Visits to the barber for haircuts and hair-does will be necessary- a custom, gladly obeyed as it symbolises as well a fresh start.
Traditionally it is considered bad luck to wash one's hair during the first three days of the New Year as good fortune would be washed out.
Some people may take a bath with pomelo leaves the night before the new year, as the fruit is considered to enhance abundance, prosperity, having children, and good health in the year to come.
Symbolizing rebirth and new growth, live, fresh blooming plants, especially pots of kumquat representing gold, hence fortune and wealth or various other flowers can be found in Chinese homes.

Financial Matters
Lunar New Year is a time for settling debts. It is considered a loss of face for one to start a new year with unpaid debts, hence all financial debts will be settled on that day.

Preparing Food
The elaborate feast that is prepared for the celebration is also a way to show respect and pay tribute to the departed souls.
It has almost become obligatory to prepare food before the New Year's Day, as sharp instruments such as knives and scissors used for the preparation can be put away to avoid the 'cutting' effect of these. Lighting fires and using sharp utensils, knives or scissors is regarded to be bad luck on New Year's Day.

Year Associated Element Heavenly Stem Earthly Branch Associated Animal
Feb. 07 2008 - Jan. 25 2009 Yang Earth 戊 (wù) 子 (zǐ) Rat (鼠 - shǔ)
Jan. 26 2009 - Feb. 13 2010 Yin Earth 己 (jǐ) 丑 (chǒu) Ox (牛 - niú)
Feb. 14 2010 - Feb. 02 2011 Yang Metal 庚 (gēng) 寅 (yín) Tiger (虎 - hǔ)
Feb. 03 2011 - Jan. 22 2012 Yin Metal 辛 (xīn) 卯 (mǎo) Rabbit (兔 - tù)
Jan. 23 2012 - Feb. 09 2013 Yang Water 壬 (rén) 辰 (chén) Dragon (龍 - lóng)
Feb. 10 2013 - Jan. 30 2014 Yin Water 癸 (guǐ) 巳 (sì) Snake (蛇 - shé)
Jan. 31 2014 - Feb. 18 2015 Yang Wood 甲 (jiǎ) 午 (wǔ)
Horse (馬 - mǎ)
Feb. 19 2015 - Feb. 07 2016 Yin Wood 乙 (yǐ) 未 (wèi) Sheep (羊 - yáng)
Feb. 08 2016 - Jan. 27 2017 Yang Fire 丙 (bǐng) 申 (shēn) Monkey (猴 - hóu)
Jan. 28 2017 - Feb. 18 2018 Yin Fire 丁 (dīng) 酉 (yǒu) Rooster (雞 - jī)
Feb. 19 2018 - Feb. 04 2019 Yang Earth 戊 (wù) 戌 (xū) Dog (狗 - gǒu)
Feb. 05 2019 - Jan. 24 2020 Yin Earth 己 (jǐ) 亥 (hài) Pig (豬 - zhū)


Table of Chinese calendar dates with the associated 12 animal signs for the years 2008 until 2020.

http://www.nationsonline.org/oneworld/Chinese_Customs/chinese-new-year.htm

The 15 Day Celebration of Chinese New Year

___ Chinese New Year Festivities: The 15-Day Celebration of Chinese New Year
Chinese New Year starts with the new moon on the first day of the first lunar month and ends on the full moon 15 days later.


First day, zhengyue 1, ’Birthday of Chicken’
The festival traditionally begins on the first day of the first lunar month (Traditional Chinese: 正月; Pinyin: zhēngyuè) in the Chinese calendar and ends on the 15th; this day is called Lantern Festival.
The first day of the New Year is known as Yuan Dan (Chinese: 元旦; pinyin: yuándàn (First Morning of the year), New Year’s Day, First Day (or Duan Ri).

During the 15 day period new year visits (Traditional Chinese: 拜年; pinyin: bài nián, translated: pay respect, worship, salute the year) will be made to family and friends. On the first day, the oldest and most senior members will be visited, the visits serve to strengthen family kinship. Bài nián refers to both, pay a New Year's call as well as 'wishing somebody a Happy New Year'.

There is also the tradition of welcoming guests with tea and sweet treats, such as sugared fruits which are supposed to sweeten one’s upcoming year. Sweets and fruits are served on a round or octagonal tray - the form resembling togetherness and hence the tray is most commonly translated as the "Tray of Togetherness".
Most likely the amount of sweets will be arranged in eight units, as the number eight symbolises luck. At times, an arrangement of nine units can be found, the number represents wealth, good fortune and family unity (note that for the Chinese the number '8' is a lucky one and for the Thai- Chinese it is as well the number '9').
The visitor will bring a small gift to the household which will be visited- usually oranges, tangerines, mandarins or such alike, as the fruit symbolises gold, hence wealth and good fortune.

The day symbolises as well a new start in one’s life, refreshing hopes for prosperity, wealth and happiness.

The first day of the first lunar month is characterised by different names:
New Year: Traditional Chinese:新年, Pinyin: xīnnián
Spring Festival: Traditional Chinese: 春 節 Pinyin: chūn jié
Agricultural calendar new year, based on farmers' experiences (Traditional Chinese: 农历新年 , Pinyin: nóng lì xīnnián). Historically the calendar was sponsored by the Emperor. Not only did a calendar serve practical needs in agriculture as in when to plant to receive the best results, but even more did the calendar show the connection between the Heaven and the Imperial Court.

A traditional Buddhist vegetarian dish called "Jai" (Traditional Chinese: 羅漢齋 or 齋; pinyin: luóhàn zhāi) or Buddha's delight is prepared on the first day of Chinese New Year using eighteen different ingredients as the Chinese believe eighteen to be a lucky number signifying wealth and prosperity (Traditional Chinese: 羅漢全齋; pinyin: luóhàn quánzhā). Of course, each single one of the ingredient represents a certain symbolic meaning.
Abstaining from meat consumption on the first day is believed to enhance longevity. Additionally, a vegetarian dish helps to purify and cleanse out the body as well as it honors a Buddhist tradition that nothing living should be killed on the first day of the New Year.

According to a Chinese legend, Nüwa (Traditional Chinese: 女媧; Simplified Chinese: 女娲; Pinyin: nǚwā) is the goddess who created the world. She created certain animals on different days, hence each day is considered the birthday of the corresponding animal. Human beings were created from yellow clay on the seventh day after the creation of the world.

Lion Dances can be seen on the street, or a troupe might be invited to perform on private premises.
During the Chinese New Year Festivals, Chinese operas and Dragon Dances will be performed in the streets.

Second day, zhengyue 2, ‘Birthday of Dog’
People say that after being offered sacrifices, Tsai Shen, the God of Wealth, leaves for heaven on the second day of the lunar New Year. People will burn the picture they welcomed on the New Year’s Eve and see the deity off, wishing for a luckier and more prosperous year.
In honour of the deity, people will eat wonton, resembling the shape of a ingot.

Traditionally married women will visit and pay respect to their birth parents.
On the second day, the Chinese pray to their ancestors as well as to all the gods.
Since the day is characterised by the birthday of the dogs, pets and strays will be fed well.

Third day, zhengyue 3, ‘Birthday of Pig’
Families who had an immediate relative deceased in the past 3 years will not go house-visiting as a form of respect to the dead. The third day of the New Year is allocated to grave-visiting instead. Some people conclude it is inauspicious to do any house visiting at all, as it is believed that evil spirits roam the earth this day and hence it would be bad luck to be outdoors.

Businesses which had been closed during the prior festivities will be reopened and prayers will be held in order to be blessed with prosperity in the upcoming year. Conservative Chinese businesses do not open until after the fifth day due to priviously mentioned roaming ghosts.

Fourth Day, zhengyue 4, ‘Birthday of Sheep’
The fourth day is basically a continuity of the third day.

Fifth day, zhengyue 5, ‘Birthday of Ox, Cattle’
The day is regarded as the birthday of the God of Wealth and hence respect is payed to the god. Also, it is considered not too wise to leave the house for too long, just in case the God of Wealth should pay a visit to the family's house.
All businesses will be reopened on that day.
Sweeping the floor is not considered bad luck anymore.

In northern China, people eat Jiǎozi (dumplings) on the morning of pò wǔ (Traditional Chinese: 破五, Pinyin: pò wǔ, translated: break five).
Friends and classmates will be visited.
The day is as well considered to have a connection to the five basic colours, hence to the Five Elements Theory.

SIx day, zhengyue 6, ‘Birthday of Horse’
The sixth day marks a time to visit temples, relatives and friends.

Seventh day, zhengyue 7, ‘Birthday of Men’
The seventh day of the first lunar month is named renrì (Traditional Chinese: 人日, Pinyin: rén rì), literally Human Day and is considered to be the birthday of ordinary, or common men. The day is also called Day of Men or Men Day.

According to Chinese legends, Nüwa (Traditional Chinese: 女媧; Simplified Chinese: 女娲; Pinyin: nǚwā) is the goddess who created the world. Two legends refer to her creations.
Nüwa and her brother Fuxi survived a devastating calamity, which had wiped out all other life. Retired to Kunlun Mountain they prayed for a sign from the Emperor of Heaven. The divine being approved their union and the siblings set about procreating the human race.
Note: in some texts or according to other legends, Nüwa is considered to be Fuxi’s wife.

According to a different legend Nüwa created certain animals on different days as she was lonesome and wanted the animals as company. On the seventh day after the creation of the world, Nüwa created human beings from yellow clay. With the divine power entrusted to her, Nüwa made the clay figurines to become alive.

Renri is the day, when all common men are growing a year older and the day is celebrated with certain foods according to the origin of the people.
The ingredients of the dishes have a symbolic meaning and they should enhance health.

To honour Nüwa's creation of animals either vegetable dishes will be eaten or a raw fish and vegetable salad called yusheng (simplified Chinese: 鱼生; pinyin: yúshēng).
Yusheng literally means "raw fish" but since "fish (鱼)" is commonly conflated with its homophone "abundance (余)", Yúshēng (鱼生) is interpreted as a homonym for Yúshēng (余升) meaning an increase in abundance. Therefore, yusheng is considered a symbol of abundance, prosperity and vigor.

Traditional Chinese: 余, Pinyin: yú, translated: extra; surplus; remaining)
Traditional Chinese: 升, Pinyin: shēng, translated: to raise; to hoist; to promote)

Eighth day - The Completion Day
On the eighth day the Fujian people have another family reunion dinner, and at midnight they pray to the Jade Emperor.

Ninth day
The birthday of the Jade Emperor, highly revered in taoist believe. The Jade Emperor is also known as the Yù Huáng or Yù Dì, and is identified as the God of Heaven, the Ruler of all Heavens (of which the Chinese have over 30), Earth and the Underworld/ Hell, Creator of the Universe, later the Emperor of the Universe, and Lord of the Imperial Court. He is said to have been born several millennia before our era as the offspring of the King of the Pure Felicity Kingdom of Lofty Heavenly Majestic Lights and Ornaments and of the Empress of Precious Moonlight.

From the Tenth to the Twelfth Day
of New Year there is more feasting with friends and family.

Thirteenth day
A time to diet a bit after so much rich food, vegetarian food like rice and mustard greens are eaten to cleanse the digestive systems.

Forteenth day, The Lantern Decoration Day
Preparations will be made for the Lantern Festival.

Fifteenth day, Lantern Festival
(Traditional Chinese: 元宵節 , Pinyin: yuán xiāo jié, literally: first night festival)
The 15th day marks the first full moon after the Spring Festival and of the New Year, also known as yuán xiāo jié meaning "first night of the full moon". The day is as well known as Lantern Festival day.
Another reunion dinner is held with lanterns and oranges being a large part of the celebrations.
It is customary to eat special sweet dumplings called yuanxiao resembling the shape of the full moon. These round balls are made of glutinous rice flour stuffed with sugar fillings, symbolizing reunion.

Yuanxiao are also called tāngyuán (Traditional Chinese: 湯圓, Simplified Chinese: 汤圆 ) or tāngtuán (Traditional Chinese: 湯團, Simplified Chinese: 汤团).
Tāngyuán literally means "round balls in soup", tāngtuán translates to "round dumplings in soup".

During this festival lanterns are displayed, at times as lantern fairs, and children are carrying lanterns to temples.
The festival is associated with guiding lost and ill bred evil spirits home, while celebrating and cultivating positive relationship between people, families, nature and the higher beings as they are believed to be responsible for bringing and returning the light each year.

Another legend associates the Lantern Festival with Taoism. Tian Guan is the Taoist 'Ruler of Heaven' and the god responsible for good fortune, bestowing wealth and good luck. His birthday falls on the 15th day of the first lunar month. It is said that Tian Guan likes all types of entertainment, so followers prepare various kinds of activities during which they pray for good fortune.

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http://www.nationsonline.org/oneworld/Chinese_Customs/chinese-new-year-festivities.htm