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On Jan. 29, Asian American communities around the U.S. will ring in the Year of the Snake with community carnivals, family gatherings, parades, traditional food, fireworks and other festivities. In many Asian countries, it is a festival that is celebrated for several days. In diaspora communities, particularly in cultural enclaves, Lunar New Year is visibly and joyfully celebrated. In the Chinese zodiac, 2025 is the Year of the Snake. Different countries across Asia celebrate the new year in many ways and may follow a different zodiac. What is the Lunar New Year? The Lunar New Year known as the Spring Festival in China, Tet in Vietnam and Seollal in Korea is a major festival celebrated in several Asian countries. In Taiwan, this year, people have been drawn to the White Snake Temple to pay their respects. In Indonesia, it is celebrated with dragon puppets and drum displays. It is also widely observed by diaspora communities around the world. It begins with the first new moon of the lunar calendar and ends 15 days later on the first full moon. Because the lunar calendar is based on the cycles of the moon, the dates of the holiday vary slightly each year, falling between late January and mid-February. What are the animals of the zodiac? Each year honors an animal based on the Chinese zodiac. The circle of 12 animals the rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog and pig measure the cycles of time. Legend has it that a god beckoned all animals to bid him farewell before his departure from Earth and only 12 of them showed up. The Vietnamese zodiac is slightly different, honoring the cat instead of the rabbit and the buffalo instead of the ox. What does the Year of the Snake mean? Snakes are viewed with both fear and reverence in Chinese culture. On the one hand, venomous snakes are associated with darkness. But in Chinese mythology, snakes are also known as little dragons, and the skin they shed is known as the dragon’s coat, symbolizing good luck, rebirth and regeneration. The snake also symbolizes the pursuit of love and happiness. In Chinese culture, they are grouped with the turtle and crane as a symbol of longevity. This year, merchants in China and elsewhere are producing lanterns, soft toys and other products where the snakes have googly eyes and goofy smiles so they appear cute and cuddly, and don’t scare away young celebrants. What are some beliefs and traditions around the Lunar New Year? One well-known ancient legend speaks of Nian, a hideous monster that feasted on human flesh on New Years Day. Because the beast feared the color red, loud noises and fire, people put up red paper dragons on their doors, burned red lanterns all night and set off firecrackers to frighten and chase away the monster. To this day, the Lunar New Year celebration is centered around removing bad luck and welcoming all that is good and prosperous. Red is considered an auspicious color to ring in the new year. In many Asian cultures, the color symbolizes good fortune and joy. People dress in red attire, decorate their homes with red paper lanterns and use red envelopes to give loved ones and friends money for the new year. Gambling and playing traditional games is common during this time across cultures. Ancestor worship is also common. Many Korean families participate in a ritual called charye, where female family members prepare food and males serve it to ancestors. The final step of the ceremony, called eumbok, involves the entire family partaking the food and seeking blessings from their ancestors for the coming year. Vietnamese people cook traditional dishes and place them on a home altar as a mark of respect to their ancestors. Some Indigenous people also celebrate Lunar New Year this time of year, including members of Mexicos Purepecha Indigenous group. How do diaspora communities celebrate? Members of Asian American communities around the U.S. also organize parades, carnivals and festivities around the Lunar New Year featuring lion and dragon dances, fireworks, traditional food and cultural performances. In addition to cleaning their homes, many buy new things for their home such as furniture and decorate using orchids and other brightly colored flowers. Lunar New Year is also celebrated as a cultural event by some Asian American Christians and is observed by several Catholic dioceses across the U.S. as well as other churches. What are some special foods for the new year? Each culture has its own list of special foods during the new year, including dumplings, rice cakes, spring rolls, tangerines, fish and meats. In the Chinese culture, for example, changshou mian or long-life noodles are consumed with a wish for a long, healthy and happy life. In Vietnamese culture, banh chung and banh tet traditional dishes made from glutinous rice are a must. To make a banh tet, banana leaves are lined with rice, soft mung beans and pork belly and rolled into a tight log, which is then wrapped in the leaves and tied up with strings. Koreans celebrate with tteokguk, a brothy soup that contains thinly sliced rice cakes. Warm bowls of snake soup are also on the menu in some Hong Kong snake shops, as the Lunar New Year approaches. Deepa Bharath, Associated Press Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the APs collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.
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E-Commerce
Chinese tech startup DeepSeek s new artificial intelligence chatbot has sparked discussions about the competition between China and the U.S. in AI development, with many users flocking to test the rival of OpenAI‘s ChatGPT. DeepSeeks AI assistant was the No. 1 downloaded free app on Apples iPhone store on Tuesday afternoon and its launch made Wall Street tech superstars’ stocks tumble. Observers are eager to see whether the Chinese company has matched Americas leading AI companies at a fraction of the cost. The chatbot’s ultimate impact on the AI industry is still unclear, but it appears to censor answers on sensitive Chinese topics, a practice commonly seen on China’s internet. In 2023, China issued regulations requiring companies to conduct a security review and obtain approvals before their products can be publicly launched. Here are some answers The Associated Press received from DeepSeek’s new chatbot and ChatGPT: What does Winnie the Pooh mean in China? For many Chinese, the Winnie the Pooh character is a playful taunt of President Xi Jinping. Chinese censors in the past briefly banned social media searches for the bear in mainland China. ChatGPT got that idea right. It said Winnie the Pooh had become a symbol of political satire and resistance, often used to mock or criticize Xi. It explained that internet users compared Xi to the bear because of perceived similarities in their physical appearance. DeepSeek’s chatbot said the bear is a beloved cartoon character that is adored by countless children and families in China, symbolizing joy and friendship. Then, abruptly, it said the Chinese government is dedicated to providing a wholesome cyberspace for its citizens.” It added that all online content is managed under Chinese laws and socialist core values, with the aim of protecting national security and social stability. Who is the current US president? It might be easy for many people to answer, but both AI chatbots mistakenly said Joe Biden, whose term ended last week, because they said their data was last updated in October 2023. But they both tried to be responsible by reminding users to verify with updated sources. What happened during the military crackdown in Beijings Tiananmen Square in June 1989? The 1989 crackdown saw government troops open fire on student-led pro-democracy protesters in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square, resulting in hundreds, if not thousands, of deaths. The event remains a taboo subject in mainland China. DeepSeek’s chatbot answered, Sorry, that’s beyond my current scope. Let’s talk about something else. But ChatGPT gave a detailed answer on what it called one of the most significant and tragic events in modern Chinese history. The chatbot talked about the background of the massive protests, the estimated casualties and their legacy. What is the state of US-China relations? DeepSeek’s chatbot’s answer echoed China’s official statements, saying the relationship between the world’s two largest economies is one of the most important bilateral relationships globally. It said China is committed to developing ties with the U.S. based on mutual respect and win-win cooperation. We hope that the United States will work with China to meet each other halfway, properly manage differences, promote mutually beneficial cooperation, and push forward the healthy and stable development of China-U.S. relations, it said. Some of these phrases meet … halfway,” mutual respect and win-win cooperation mirror language used by a Chinese Foreign Ministry official in a 2021 news conference. ChatGPT’s answer was more nuanced. It said the state of the U.S.-China relationship is complex, characterized by a mix of economic interdependence, geopolitical rivalry and collaboration on global issues. It highlighted key topics including the two countries’ tensions over the South China Sea and Taiwan, their technological competition and more. The relationship between the U.S. and China remains tense but crucial, part of its answer said. Is Taiwan part of China? Again like the Chinese official narrative DeepSeek’s chatbot said Taiwan has been an integral part of China since ancient times. An example of a very similar statement is found in this government document issued in 2022. Compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Strait are connected by blood, jointly committed to the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, the chatbot said. ChatGPT said the answer depends on one’s perspective, while laying out China and Taiwan’s positions and the views of the international community. It said from a legal and political standpoint, China claims Taiwan is part of its territory and the island democracy operates as a de facto independent country with its own government, economy and military. Kanis Leung, Associated Press Associated Press writer Ken Moritsugu contributed to this story.
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E-Commerce
Anyone well-versed in internet lore will be familiar with the image of a slightly deflated childs ball pit on a hotel convention room floor. DashCon (originally called Tumbl-Con, although not officially affiliated with Tumblr) was a fan convention held in Schaumburg, Illinois, back in 2014. It was originally intended to bring the Tumblr community together and scheduled to feature vendors and special guests from fandoms like Doctor Who and Sherlock. After a string of disasters, the weekend culminated in the 17-year-old organizer, Nessie ONeil, going around with a paper bag asking attendees for donations to make up the roughly $17,000 needed to keep the convention afloat. After, it was immortalised as one of the internet’s most infamous failures. In the years since, people have tried and failed to bring DashCon back. And now another group is trying to revive DashCon once againnot as a Tumblr convention, but as an internet history con. In addition to honoring the original event, DashCon 2 will celebrate a very specific era of fandom culture, the co-directors wrote on their website. We want to bring people together to reminisce on an era long past, and to celebrate the local artists, performers, and creators of today. (The new DashCon website did not include the organizers’ last names. They are identified as Avis (literally assigned tumblr sexyman at birth) and Simone (“Goddess of audacious emailing.”) Why now? None of the DashCon 2 team is affiliated with DashCons original organizers, and ONeil is also not involved this time round. Details of DashCon 2 plans were released yesterday, when the team said they have no intention of repeating DashCons mistakes. Organizers say DashCon 2 will be held at the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre (JCCC) in Toronto on July 5. Tickets will go live on February 22 and vendor applications will be open on February 1. Our team of organizers actually have experience in event coordination, or fields with transferable skills, the organizers wrote on Substack. Weve taken our time to plan the road ahead carefully. Reactions online have been mixed, from cautious excitement to trepidation. I will be buying tickets for Dashcon 2 and if I get ripped off? Buddy you wont need to tell me so, I will know it was entirely my fault, one user posted on X. “I just found out DashCon 2 is occurring, another wrote. We cannot escape the curse. In fact, there have already been bumps along the road. In regards to the current venue, the organizers admitted, the JCCC wasnt our first pick. Our first pick, who we wont name, dropped us unexpectedly after months of negotiations. The date also had to be changed from the same weekend as the original DashCon to the day after the American Fourth of July celebrations. In our defense, we didnt really think of that, the team wrote. Were Canadian. Of course, the main question is will there be a ball pit? The answer is yes.
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