Jan 25, 2020
Lunar New Year 2020 (Multiple Countries)
This Doodle’s Key Themes
In parts of Asia, each lunar year is represented by one of twelve animals in the rotation of the zodiac calendar—and 2020 is the Year of the Rat!
Today’s Doodle commemorates one of the most significant cultural holidays for Asian communities, the observance of the Lunar New Year. It depicts the story of the grand race that earned the rat its premier spot in the calendar.
According to ancient legend, an emperor challenged different animals to race through the land to determine their order in the zodiac. Due to his size, the rat knew it could not cross a river on his own, so he hitched a ride on the ox’s back. But, just before reaching the opposite shore over a river, the rat then cleverly leapt off—winning first place in the race and thus the zodiac calendar!
Often viewed as an opportunity for new beginnings, this multi-day celebration gathers loved ones together to share some delectable nian gao, tang yuan, and jiao zhi as everyone wishes each other happiness and prosperity!
Happy Lunar New Year!
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