Di Zhao, dressed in costume as God of Fortune, in the Chinese gardens outside SkyCity. Photo / Jason Oxenham
Di Zhao, dressed in costume as God of Fortune, in the Chinese gardens outside SkyCity. Photo / Jason Oxenham
At midnight on Thursday New Zealand's Chinese community will be among the first of the world's 1.4 billion Chinese people to welcome in the Year of the Dog.
Celebrations are well underway in Auckland, kicking off with a Chinese New Year festival market at the ASB showgrounds and the annual Auckland Lantern Festival will close the 15-day celebrations.
Chinese New Year - which follows the lunar calendar - falls on Friday, Feb 16 and this will be the Year of the Dog.
The dog is the 11th of the 12 animal Chinese zodiac signs, and is considered to be the most loyal, faithful and friendly of all.
But Auckland feng shui master Francis Lui, however, is predicting it to be a challenging year for New Zealand.
"The year comes with 'double earth' elements which would present significant difficulties or feeling stagnant, especially in the real estate and construction industries," Lui said.
"The elements offer plenty of resources and opportunities but lacks the depth and strength to make things happen."
Lui said Kiwis may face more stress and pressure, more challenges and uncertainties and needed to "triple their efforts" to see any success this year.
"We are going to see a glut of resources and property, making it not a good year for investing in a house," said Lui.
"You will definitely see a significant slowdown in the property market, especially in the northern part of New Zealand."
Lui said feng shui isn't "superstitious beliefs" but a proven science of metaphysics, using the five elements of metal, wood, water, earth and fire - which can be used also to suppress negative energies.
Janet Chan, a feng shui chef from Mt Albert, said a way to harness good tidings and good luck is by having auspicious food.
"Eating right to mark the start of the new year will not only bring good health, but also good luck and prosperity," Chan said.
"Health is wealth in feng shui, so the bottom line of the lucky food is that it brings good health."
Chan said the lunar dog year will be lacking in metal element and food with high iron content, like oysters, mussels and prawns should be eaten during the two weeks of the new year, the official observance period.
Special "lucky food menus" will also be on offer at many Chinese restaurants across New Zealand. Some will also be throwing in lion dances to enhance the luck.
Auckland feng shui master Francis Lui is predicting the Year of the Dog to be a challenging year for New Zealand in the fields of real estate and construction. Photo / File
At SkyCity's Huami Restaurant, which is observing its first Chinese New Year, executive chef Jeff Tan has created a special set menu which will be available between February 16 and 19.
Chinese happiness yee sang salad, fruit-roasted Peking duck, braised supreme seafood treasure soup, double boiled sweetened ginger tea and prosperity sticky rice cake will be some of the dishes featured on the menu.
Thousands of Chinese families here will gather for reunion dinners on new year's eve, Thursday night.
On Friday, the "God of Fortune" or Cai Shenye will perform a sky jump from the Sky Tower to mark his arrival, and will be met by lion and dragon dancing and firecrackers.
The lantern festival, now Auckland's biggest cultural festival, is expected to draw about 200,000 people to the Domain between March 1 and 4.
The free festival will again feature local and international performers, street food stalls, art and craft displays, roaming musicians and street walkers.
Chinese rock group Lao Qiang will be headlining the international performers, which include a shadow puppet troupe from Xi'an, saxophonist Hua Jin, throat-singing or khoomei artist Song Baihua and the Xingguang Acrobatic Troupe.
For the first time this year, the Harbour Bridge will be included as part of the festivities.
"From the Auckland Lantern Festival is the Auckland Domain and the Sky Tower in its Chinese New Year colours to the Vector Lights illuminating the Harbour Bridge to wrap up Chinese New Year, Auckland will be aglow," said Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development general manager Steve Armitage.
Famous people born in the year of the dog include Donald Trump, Michael Jackson, Elvis Presley and Winston Churchill.
Celebrating the Year of the Dog in Auckland:
• SkyCity (Chinese New Year Feb 16, 7pm): God of Fortune sky jump, lion dancing, dragon dancing and firecrackers.
• SkyCity (Until Mar 2): Chinese pop-up village, Chinese New Year night markets and New Year performances featuring lion dancers, dragon dancers and Chinese acrobats every Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
• Botany Town Centre (Feb 17, 3-6pm): Centre will be transformed into the streets of Beijing, with a street festival, traditional food, arts and crafts vendors and cultural performances.
• Pakuranga Plaza (Feb 18, 3-6pm): Chinese New Year food and market stalls, cultural performances.
• Parnell (Feb 16 to Mar 8): Dogs of Art exhibition at selected retailers and galleries with live auction at Jonathan Grant Galleries on March 8.
• Remuera shopping precinct (Feb 23, 6-9pm): Food stalls, lantern making, cultural performances featuring bian lian (face changing), dragon stiltwalkers, kung fu demonstrations and tea tasting.
• Whau Chinese New Year (Feb 25, 2.30-8.30pm): Dance and cultural performances, food stalls, children's entertainment, family picnics, art displays, bonsai, calligraphy and lantern making at Olympic Park, New Lynn.
• Auckland Lantern Festival (Mar 1 to 4): Auckland Domain, featuring local and international performers, street food stalls, art and craft, roaming musicians and stilt-walkers.
