Hardly anyone loves the New Year more than the Chinese, because they celebrate it several times. First, according to the Gregorian calendar (on the night of January 1), and then also according to the Eastern. Chinese New Year 2021 - twice a holiday!
Chinese New Year has long been the main and longest holiday in the Middle Kingdom and other countries of East Asia. Unlike its Western counterpart, there is no fixed date for the start of the Chinese New Year, and it is set at a different time each year.
The first day of the holiday in China falls on the second new moon after the winter solstice (that is, after December 21). In the Gregorian calendar, this usually corresponds to one of the days between January 21st and February 21st. The celebration usually lasts 15 days.
Thus, the next year according to the Chinese calendar will come on February 12, 2021. And it is planned to celebrate its offensive in China from February 12 to February 27. However, the Chinese will officially rest for only seven days - from 12 to 18 February.
The exact time of the Chinese New Year
The second new moon after the winter solstice will occur on February 12, 2021 at 00:03 Moscow time or 05:03 Beijing time. This time will be considered the beginning of the New Year according to the Eastern calendar. By the way, in China they will not celebrate 2021, as we will do very soon, but 4719.
Symbol of the year
Each year in China is symbolized by a combination that is repeated only once every 60 years. This combination represents one of the 12 zodiac animals of a certain color, corresponding to one of the five elements (water, earth, metal, fire and wood). Chinese New Year 2021 will symbolize the animal Ox and the elements of Metal, and the main color of the year will be white.
By the way, every 60-year circle begins with a wooden Rat and ends with a water Pig. Another such circle started on February 2, 1984, and it will end on January 29, 2044.
Preparing for Chinese New Year
According to an ancient myth, at the beginning of each new year, the Chinese are forced to hide from a monster named Nian (translated from Chinese as "Year"), which is believed to appear on the first day of the holiday in order to ravage all settlements: to eat all the livestock and the harvest, and at the same time a couple of villagers.
To protect their homes from this monster, the Chinese decorate them in advance: they glue them on the outside with beautiful patterns of red paper, paired inscriptions and pictures with wishes of happiness, health and longevity, and also hang red lanterns everywhere. The legend about the origin of the holiday will again help to understand what such a love for red is connected with. So, this legend says that one day people noticed how Nian, who usually loves to feast on children, was frightened by a child in red clothes. Without thinking twice, eyewitnesses of this amazing incident came to the conclusion that it was the color that scared the monster away.
In addition, on the eve of the holiday, each family carefully cleans their homes, believing that in this way they cleanse their lives from any failures and make room for happiness.
Festive feast
On New Year's Eve, Chinese families usually gather around the table. By the way, in the Celestial Empire it is customary to richly set the table for a festive dinner. Housewives, as a rule, prepare the most favorite dishes in the family. Traditionally, meat and fish must be on the table, as well as dumplings (jiaozi), which are the figurative embodiment of one of the main wishes - the birth of sons.
Moreover, for a festive dinner, even those family members who work or study in other cities or countries return home. All Chinese strive to celebrate the New Year with their parents, which is why on the eve of the holiday all transport in the country is overcrowded and it is simply impossible to buy tickets.
The festive night ends with fireworks and firecrackers, which are believed to scare away evil spirits and attract the spirit of peace and happiness to the family.
The first days of Chinese New Year
In the early morning of the next day, children congratulate their parents, wishing them health and a happy New Year, and in return they receive wishes for future success and red envelopes with money.
After that, the whole family goes to congratulate relatives and neighbors. Such visits to guests usually completely take the first five days of the new year.
And, of course, it cannot do without gifts. So, in the Celestial Empire, it is customary to give gifts from paired objects symbolizing unity and family harmony (while the number four is not recommended, since the Chinese associate it with death).
In addition, when visiting, it is customary for the owners to present two tangerines, and when leaving, they receive two other tangerines from them. Thus, the hosts and guests exchange symbols of financial well-being, which, according to the Chinese, are tangerines.
Holiday performances
Having visited all relatives and neighbors, the Chinese go out to festivities with traditional dances. As a rule, the traditional ones include the lion dance (dancers, being inside the figure of a lion, imitate the movements of this animal) and the dragon dance (a special team of people, holding a dragon made of paper on poles, moves in such a way that the snake-like body makes undulating movements).
For most, New Year's Day is a global holiday that takes place on January 1st with a slight time shift depending on time zones. The first day of the calendar year plays an important role in different cultures and marks a kind of reset or a moment when everything can be started over. And what about those countries where the New Year is not celebrated on January 1 at all? For many countries in Asia, as well as for the Asian diaspora, present in almost all countries of the world, the New Year takes place from late January to mid-February. The Chinese New Year or Spring Festival is the most important event in the Chinese calendar.
If January 1 can simply be remembered as a given, then the date of the Chinese New Year is much more difficult to predict. The day is calculated according to the lunar calendar, an ancient Chinese invention - it all depends on the phase of the moon. Despite the fact that most Chinese use the Gregorian calendar in everyday life, the traditional lunar calendar remains an important part of their lives. Since the date depends on the moon, the holiday is celebrated at different times from the end of January to the middle or end of February. February 12th in 2021 and 1st February in 2022. Don't forget to congratulate your Chinese friends!
In Chinese culture, each year corresponds to one of the 12 zodiac animals, as well as a color according to the Wu Xing (Five Elements) system. You can view your Chinese zodiac sign by year of birth! Those born in 2022 are associated with the sign of the tiger, the color of the year is blue, and the element is water. The Chinese believe that if the sign of the upcoming year coincides with the personal sign of the zodiac, then this year may not be very successful. But do not worry, there is a fairly simple way to avoid these failures. It is believed that red is a lucky color that scares away all the bad luck that your zodiac sign can bring. Wear red clothes and you'll be fine!
Bemorepanda collected some really interesting facts about Chinese New Year 2022!
1. Chinese New Year comes at different times: the date of the holiday varies between January 21 and February 20 and depends on the Chinese lunar calendar. This year, Chinese New Year is on 1st February.
2. Each Chinese New Year begins with a new "animal" zodiac sign.
3. The Chinese zodiac signs are a very ancient tradition, which involves naming each new year as the year of one of the twelve animals.
4. Chinese New Year is celebrated in many Asian countries: China, Hong Kong, Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, South Korea, Taiwan, Vietnam and, of course, Singapore.
5. On Chinese New Year, it is customary to give Eng Bao - red envelopes with money. Billions of envelopes will be donated during the holiday. In many companies, this is how bosses present their annual bonus to subordinates.
6. 200 million Chinese travel long distances on New Year's holidays. In China, approximately 3.5 billion trips were recorded during this period! By comparison, less than 100 million US residents travel more than 50 miles during the Christmas holidays.
7. Most of the fireworks take place in China: according to statistics, this is 90% of all fireworks in the world! The ancient Chinese believed that the light and explosion from fireworks frightened demons and evil spirits.
8. During the Chinese New Year, many Chinese people who are not in a relationship are afraid of a big family holiday where every relative wants to know "why you haven't got married yet." For this reason, there are many websites and agencies in China through which you can "rent" yourself a girlfriend or boyfriend - just to avoid annoying questions from relatives.
9. Although the new year comes in winter, the Chinese call it the "Spring Festival" (春节 chūnjié /chwn-jyeah/) because the "beginning of spring" (February 4-18) is the first period in the traditional solar calendar. While winter weather prevails, the "beginning of spring" marks the end of the coldest part of winter, when the Chinese have traditionally looked forward to the beginning of spring.
10. The Chinese zodiac years are a very old custom. Years are called one of the 12 animals in the zodiac cycle. For example, 2022 is the Year of the Tiger. Many Chinese still believe in astrology and other New Year superstitions.
11. The Chinese have a proverb, "the whole year is planned in the spring" 一年之计在于春 yinyan zhiji caiyuchun. This reflects the attitude of Chinese tradition towards the New Year period. It is still very cold, but the holiday marks the end of the coldest days.
12. People welcome spring and what it brings with it: crops and harvests, new beginnings, the hope of a better life, a better job, that everything will be fine during the year.
13. Also, the Chinese New Year is often informally referred to as the "lunar new year" because its date is determined based on the phases of the moon. And since the Chinese New Year is calculated using the lunar calendar, its celebration falls each time on different dates from January 21 to February 21.
14. And although China has officially switched to the Gregorian calendar, like the rest of the world, the lunar calendar is still very important. Many traditional holidays are calculated to be celebrated according to the lunar calendar.
15. The Spring Festival lasts exactly 15 days. During this time, working life in the Middle Kingdom freezes, the people of China have fun, relax and celebrate the holiday with their families.
16. Chinese New Year is one of the most important and revered holidays. The most important component of this holiday is family reunion. Everyone has to go home for New Year's Eve dinner.
17. In today's China, most elderly parents live in rural areas while their children work in cities. Moving around the country back home and on vacation is called chunyun 春运, or spring migration.
18. Even on ordinary days, the subway is packed. Imagine what happens during the Chunyun period. Also, the earliest you can buy train tickets is 60 days. This leads to crazy excitement, there are real battles for tickets. Thousands of tickets are sold per second.
19. The Spring Festival was originally a ceremonial day. On this day, they prayed to the gods, asked for good weather, a plentiful harvest, etc. Also, people prayed to their ancestors and addressed them as gods.
20. Following the customs of their ancestors, the Chinese do not sleep on New Year's Eve and set off fireworks and explode firecrackers at midnight, scaring away monsters and bad luck. In the morning they blow up the firecrackers again to welcome the New Year and the good luck that comes with it.
21. On the same night, families also burned counterfeit paper money in honor of their deceased loved ones. They believe that the offerings will bring good luck and fortune to their ancestors in the afterlife.
22. Due to safety concerns and air pollution concerns, many Chinese cities have banned fireworks, and more than 500 cities also have restrictions on their use.
23. But many look at it through their fingers and still fire salutes. In Beijing, the ban was lifted in 2006 due to an angry public.
24. If you are in China during this time, you will watch fireworks and hear firecrackers go off for at least three nights, if not for several weeks.
25. In the New Year, you can not take a shower, so as not to wash away good luck. Sweeping the floor and throwing garbage is also not allowed.
26. However, before the Spring Festival there is a day during which you can put your house and yourself in order. On this day, everyone should get rid of bad luck and make room for good luck.
27. What else is taboo during Chinese New Year?
Cut hair;
Use scissors, knives and other sharp objects;
Argue, quarrel;
Saying negative words (such as "death" and "sickness");
Break and ruin things.
28. During the Spring Festival, gifts are exchanged. But Chinese children also receive something else: red envelopes.
29. The so-called red hongbao (红包, hóngbāo) envelopes are a very popular way to give a gift in China. Paper money is placed in an envelope and presented with wishes of well-being and good luck.
30. Red envelopes can also be given to relatives, friends, employees and colleagues.
31. With the New Year holidays approaching, many single people in China are starting to feel uncomfortable. The fact is that in the Celestial Empire a sense of family is very developed. It is very important for a Chinese person to raise a child and leave him his last name.
32. There are even special apps to help single adults who live and work in big cities find a soul mate... temporarily. Such applications are especially in demand during the New Year holiday period, when single men and women tend to feel acute pressure from family and relatives in order to settle down and get married.
33. Dumplings 饺子, Jiǎozi, jiaozi are the favorite food of the Chinese on holidays and according to Chinese tradition, if there are a lot of dumplings on the table, then good luck awaits you in the New Year.
34. Therefore, dumplings are an indispensable attribute of the festive table, and their joint production is a good tradition. Modeling dumplings is a rather painstaking and lengthy process, which is accompanied by lively communication of the audience. Therefore, for many Chinese, dumplings symbolize happiness and harmony in the family, as well as the unity of all its members.
35. In Chinese, the word "dumplings" - "jiaozi" sounds the same as the word "changing hieroglyphs", only pronounced in a different tone. On the night of the New Year, from 12 o'clock to 1 o'clock, there is a change of two symbols - the new year and the old one. For example, this time the year of the Pig is replaced by the year of the Rat.
36. Also, dumplings look like a copper coin "yuanbao", so eating dumplings is considered "reception of capital."
37. Traditionally, the first few dumplings are sacrificed to the ancestors, the second ones are sacrificed to various deities. At this time, older family members offer a prayer for the happiness and well-being of the whole family in the new year.
38. In fairness, it should be noted that the tradition of eating dumplings on New Year's holidays is more common in northern China. In the south, people prefer to eat Chūnjuǎn spring rolls (Chinese pancakes with various fillings) and glutinous rice balls in a soup called Tang Yuan 汤圆 tāngyuán - dumplings, dumplings (rice flour balls stuffed with sweet or meat, in soup).
39. Remember the legend about the horned monster named Nian? He was frightened by the loud explosions of firecrackers, the bright light of fireworks and the red paint on the houses. Since then, fireworks and the color red have been an important part of New Year's celebrations. It is customary to celebrate the Spring Festival in red robes, even if it is the year of the blue water Tiger.
40. In the Western horoscope, each sign of the zodiac corresponds to its own animal. There are 12 in total for each month. There are also 12 animals in the Chinese horoscope, but each animal symbolizes one year. These are: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig.
41. All the positive features of these animals are bestowed on people born in the corresponding year. The Chinese horoscope plays a much larger role than in Western cultures. Your pet can decide your career, health and success. Make sure you know which animal you were born into!
42. Traditionally, several generations live under one roof in China. And when a guy brings his wife into the house, she settles in this house too. And accordingly they celebrate the New Year as one big family. Visiting her parents' house on New Year's holidays would mean problems in marriage, which could bring trouble to her husband's entire extended family.
43. It will hardly surprise you, but the Chinese eat dumplings (jiaozi) on New Year's Eve as well, because this is the most popular traditional Chinese dish. It is worth noting that China is a fairly large and very diverse country, so the menu of the New Year's table will differ significantly from region to region.
44. For example, someone may choose niangao (年糕) - glutinous rice cookies, and someone - spring rolls with poultry or fish. All these dishes are associated with something positive and bright, energizing for the year ahead.
45. The TV show Chunwang is somewhat reminiscent of our Blue Light. This is a fairly young tradition, which gradually spread throughout the country.
46. The TV show "Chun Wan" or "Spring Gala Festival" is an annual entertainment show on China Central TV (CCTV) with music, dance, comedy shows and other performances.
47. The first show was released in 1983, and gradually Chunwang became the most watched TV program in the world.
48. Over the years, it has become part of the mandatory New Year's program, and many Chinese people stay at home with their families specifically to watch this TV show.
49. However, the younger generation is not so interested in watching TV shows and prefers to leave this business to their parents, skipping family viewing if possible. Be sure to ask your Chinese tandem partners about this show - someone loves it, someone hates it, no one is indifferent. This will definitely be an interesting topic for discussion.
50. As the name suggests, Chinese New Year is a 100% Chinese holiday. In fact, this holiday has become popular in many countries due to the spread of the Chinese community outside of China. Western countries are full of Chinese markets and areas (Chinatowns), where the New Year is celebrated exactly according to the lunar calendar.
New Year's holidays are a time to take stock of the outgoing year and celebrate the arrival of a new one. That means it's time to share your hopeful wishes for a Happy New Year with everyone around you in your life, including friends, family, colleagues, and neighbors. After all, these are the people that you have incredible memories with in 2022 and who will continue to make your life in 2023.
Congratulations and wishes - New Year 2023
Show them how much you care about them by sharing these uplifting wishes, greetings, New Year quotes and touching messages. You can write them on a beautiful postcard, send them by message, send them by email, or even say them in person at a fun New Year's Eve party!
Happy New Year greetings to friends
1. May 2023 be the best year of your life for you.
2. I hope 2023 brings you lots of love, laughter and positivity.
3. Happy New Year! May it be filled with new adventures and good luck.
4. Know that whatever 2023 brings, I will be by your side. I can't wait to see together what the coming year has in store for us. It will be interesting!
5. The New Year comes and goes, but our bond will last a lifetime. Congratulations, dear friend, on 2023!
6. I am grateful for all that we have done together in the past year, and I am grateful in advance for what we will create in the new year.
7. I could not even dream of a better person to meet the New Year. I have a feeling that 2023 will be our best year yet.
8. I hasten to congratulate a one-of-a-kind friend on the New Year. I hope 2023 will shine as brightly as you!
9. Down with the old, use the new. May the new year bring you prosperity and good luck.
10. New Year means a new chapter. I hope 2023 is an incredibly positive part of your story.
11. Meet the New Year with an open heart and a strong spirit! With new horizons!
12. Happy New Year! In the New Year, I wish you good health, lots of love and lots and lots of laughter.
13. Last year was difficult. But I can't wait to see what adventures await us in 2023! We are built to overcome problems! Together we are stronger!
14. Thank you for being with me all year. Let's make 2023 an unforgettable year together. We can!
15. Happy New Year! Good health, good impressions and good people in life.
16. 2023 is your year, I can feel it. Happy New Year and New Opportunities!
17. Well, another year is coming to an end. Our friendship is very strong and dear to my heart - may it continue to flourish in the new year.
18. Here is the New Year, my friend. I wish you only happiness and more money in 2023.
19. Happy New Year to someone I'm proud to call my friend. Let's celebrate!
20. I am so grateful that we are celebrating 2023 together. Happy New Year my friend!
Happy New Year greetings for family
21. Thank you for being my source of inspiration and motivation today and every day. I can't wait to spend the whole of 2023 with you, my beloved and dearest people.
22. Thank you for being with me all the time, Happy New Year to you!
23. I am always grateful to you for everything. For an unforgettable new year filled with love and family happiness.
24. New Year - which means new memories await us at the end of 2023! Looking forward to next year and all that it has to offer us.
25. Thank you for being by my side - not only this New Year, but every New Year. You are best!
26. There is nothing better than celebrating the New Year with the best people in the world. Love you!
27. A wonderful holiday season filled with love and happiness has come to an end. So excited to see what 2023 has in store for our family.
28. My only wish in the new year is that we continue to create our positive memories together. Have a fabulous holiday!
29. My dear [parent/brother/child], I am so proud of everything you have accomplished over the past year. I know that you will continue to do phenomenal things in 2023. Have a nice holiday break.
30. I always look forward to meeting you in the New Year. Thank you for what you did for me in 2022, which made it great - looking forward to 2023!
31. New Year is a time to reflect on the things that made our year special. All the time we spent together in 2022 is priceless to me. Looking forward to all the good things that we will have next year.
32. Let the good times come! Grateful for celebrating the New Year with you [parent/sibling/child]. I love you very much!
33. As 2023 approaches, I can't help but reflect on past New Year's holidays. They were so alive and full of love, just like this one. I'm so glad to meet 2023 with you!
34. We have been through a lot together over the years. I don't know what I would do without you. Thank you for always being there. Have a magical New Year's Eve.
35. There are two things in the world that are most important - family and love. Enjoy what's left of the good of 2022 and get ready for a great 2023 that will make our family even happier.
36. I can't help but smile at everything we've been through together in 2022. Thank you for making this year one of the best for us together. I wish you a happy and healthy new year!
37. New year, new opportunities. May the new year bring you nothing but the best, [parent/sibling/child]. Sending warm wishes for the whole of 2023!
38. Happy new year to the best [parent/brother/child] in the world. Your kindness and generosity are beacons of light in this world. May the coming year bring you everything you deserve.
39. 2022 has come and gone, and now we will focus on the year ahead. I just know that 2023 is going to be a memorable and cool year for our family.
40. Happy New Year to my wonderful [parent/brother/child]. I love you endlessly and can't wait until we all celebrate the New Year together.
Happy New Year greetings to colleagues
41. Happy New Year! I can't wait to see you all in the new year 2023.
42. Wishing you all the best as the new year approaches. To your health!
43. Thank you for being great colleagues in 2022. May your new year be prosperous and joyful.
44. Warmest congratulations to you and your loved ones on the New Year.
45. Happy New Year! I don't know what I would do without you this year. Thank you for beeing!
46. We have successfully passed 2022. I can't wait to work together in 2023. Happy New Year!
47. I am so glad that this year we have become closer as colleagues. I wish you a happy and carefree New Year!
48. This year you were a lifeguard at work. Thank you for everything you have done and continue to do! For a prosperous 2023.
49. You are a real superstar at our job. May the new year bring you only happiness!
50. Enjoy the New Year - see you in 2023!
51. I am amazed at all the great work you have done this year. So excited to see everything you achieve in 2023.
52. Happy New Year to the cool colleague I could only dream of. I wish you and your family a wonderful holiday!
53. You made this year! Without your hard work and selfless dedication, none of this would have been possible. Thank you for giving it your all - enjoy the New Year.
54. When I think about your work this year, one word comes to mind: WOW! Enjoy your holiday - see you next year.
55. You are the glue that holds our entire team together. I appreciate you and all that you have done for us in 2022. Wish you have a good time in 2023!
56. Happy New Year! Thank you for always doing your best. I wish you a pleasant and healthy time in 2023.
57. As the end of the year approaches, I can't help but think of all the great things that our (your) team has done. You have done so much and I am grateful that I have such colleagues. Happy New Year!
58. 2023 is going to be a hell of a year for our team. Glad to work with you further - Happy New Year!
59. I wish the most wonderful colleague a wonderful New Year!
60. I am forever grateful to you for everything that I have learned thanks to you. I wish you and your loved ones a bright start to 2023!
Short congratulations on the New Year
61. Just Happy New Year!
62. I wish you a happy and healthy 2023.
May love and laughter fill your new year.
63. Until 2023!
64. Congratulations on the New Year, which will be filled with new good events.
65. I hope the new year brings you endless joy.
66. Have a good New Year celebration and new beginnings.
67. Let's make the most of the new year 2023.
68. New year, new us. 2023 - new everything!
69. 2023 will be our year. Let's do it.
70. We welcome 2023, which is sure to be the best of the best. I raise a toast to your health!
71. My warm wishes for the whole year 2023.
72. Goodbye 2022, hello 2023. Happy holiday!
73. Sending you the warmest New Year wishes!
74. Happy New Year to you and your family.
75. Let's make 2023 a year of accomplishments and achievements.
76. Time to have fun, Happy New Year 2023!
Congratulations in quotes and aphorisms
77. "Mark endings - for they precede new beginnings" - Jonathan Lockwood Huey
78. “An optimist stays up until midnight to celebrate the New Year. The pessimist stays behind to make sure the old year is gone." — William E. Vaughn, journalist and writer
79. “The end of the year is not the end or the beginning, but the continuation.” — Hal Borland, writer, journalist and naturalist
80. “There is such a book in life, and it is called “Opportunity”, and its first chapter is “New Year”. — Edith Lovejoy Pierce, poet
81. “Inspiration can be found in everything. If you can't, then you're looking badly." — Paul Smith, fashion designer. “I wish you to find something in the new year that was not found in the past!”
82. “Don't wait your turn. Bet on yourself and have the courage to stand up and say, "My time has come." — Robert F. Smith, businessman "I'm sure your time has come - act in the new year!"
83. “Age is not the enemy. Stagnation is the enemy. Complacency is the enemy." — Twyla Tharp, dancer. “I wish you new achievements and moving forward!”
50 facts and details from the "Harry Potter" movies and books that we still can't tear ourselves away from
Those who have read the books and watched the Harry Potter movies and are fascinated by the magical theme will surely want to learn something new about everything related to the Harry Potter. Moreover, some things still remain a mystery to fans of this franchise.
Facts about the Potterian, from the author to the characters
We at Bemorepanda have collected facts that may be of interest to you, if you are one of them. After all, what could be more exciting than learning the secrets and moments associated with your favorite characters. So if this is your topic, then you definitely won’t waste your time by looking at our selection of facts.
1. No one could portray Severus Snape the way Alan Rickman did. He was able to portray the image of this lost man with the help of some of his techniques. To make the role more realistic, author J.K. Rowling gave Rickman spoilers that no one else knew about. This prepared him to portray Snape as best he could.
2. While Harry Potter was played by babies or Daniel Radcliffe, Voldemort was played by several different actors. While we know Ralph Fiennes played Voldemort, he has also been portrayed by Richard Bremmer, Christian Coulson, Hero Fiennes-Tiffin (Ralph Fiennes' nephew), and Frank Dillane.
3. Gloucester Cathedral was used as a backdrop for filming Hogwarts School outside. This was filmed in Gloucestershire, England, where Moaning Myrtle's lamentations were also caught on camera. However, the Great Hall at Hogwarts was modeled after the Great Hall of Christ Church in Oxford, England.
4. In Harry Potter, Daniel Radcliffe and his character Harry Potter go through a lot and are in great pain throughout the film. The make-up department had to work hard to give the character the necessary look. Over 100 pairs of glasses were replaced and makeup artists had to scar Harry's face 2,000 times.
5. On November 16, 2001, the first Harry Potter film was released. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone opened in 3,762 theaters in the United States and earned $90 million in its opening weekend. With a total of £16 million in its opening weekend, it also broke records in the UK.
6. In the Harry Potter universe, colors have a deeper meaning. Because red is associated with kindness, Gryffindor's robes are red and the Weasley family's hair is red. When Harry's parents passed away, he noticed a flash of green that is usually associated with sad events.
7. All episodes of platform 9 3/4 were filmed at King's Cross station in London, in particular on platforms 4 and 5. The pictures outside were taken in the meantime at St Pancras station. The bridge that Harry and Hagrid crossed was at York railway station.
8. Ron and Hermione are destined for each other. Not only in the friendship that exists between them, but also in the Patronuses they can call upon. While Hermione can summon an otter, Ron can summon a Jack Russell Terrier. Bonus Animal Fact: Jack Russell Terriers are known for chasing otters.
9. We are all afraid of something. This is what protects us from the dangers of the world. In Harry Potter, fears can sometimes take on a physical form thanks to boggarts. Voldemort, the series' villain, also has one. Since his greatest fear is death, his boggart is his corpse. Even the most evil people fear the inevitable.
10. The most iconic feature of the Harry Potter series and the Harry Potter character is the lightning bolt on his forehead. There is a lot of meaning to this mysterious lightning bolt scar.
11. While the Harry Potter books have captured the hearts of fans around the world, the films have not been so lucky to win the minds of Hollywood critics. Although the Harry Potter films have been nominated for twelve Oscars, they have not won a single one. Most of these nominations were in the Art Direction, Original Soundtrack and other categories.
12. After a heated argument with JK Rowling's ex-boyfriend, the idea of Quidditch came up. She claimed that other than the thought that "deep down I wished he'd been hit by a Bludger", she couldn't remember the connection between the fight and the game.
13. Just like the real world we live in is bound by the rules of science and law, the world of Harry Potter and wizardry is also bound by its own set of special rules. To create the best possible setting, J.K. Rowling spent 5 years creating and honing the rules/laws in Harry Potter to make sure the story makes sense even in a fantasy setting.
14. The entrance to the Leaky Cauldron was filmed at Leadenhall Market in London. The market, which opened in the late 19th century, served as a prime example of the Victorian market. As a result, it became an ideal location for filming Diagon Alley's exterior sequences.
15. The London City Market served as the backdrop for some scenes from The Leaky Cauldron. He was portrayed in the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. But at Leavesden Film Studios, some of the images were created using computers.
16. For the filming of the Harry Potter films, filmmakers used different locations in England. Some of them only once or twice, while others were used for filming much more often. Lacock Abbey in Wiltshire served as a filming location for the corridors of Hogwarts. In addition to the corridors, Snape's Potions lesson was also filmed there.
17. A careful eye might notice that the scars in the Harry Potter books and the movies are different. In the books, it's roughly in the middle of the forehead, but in the movies, it's more off-center.
18. The Harry Potter series has 7 books, all written by JK Rowling. With so much information, it's hard to imagine how the author managed to fit so much of it into just 7 books.
19. It's easy to see that one of the movie's most iconic characters, Albus Dumbledore, is played by two different actors. The first version of Dumbledore was played by Richard Harris, but unfortunately he passed away in 2002. He was replaced in this role by another actor, Michael Gambon.
20. "Avada Kedavra" may seem funny now, because all the fans of the series throw it around, but this curse brings its victim the most terrible side effect - instant death. Only one person could survive this - the main character Harry Potter.
21. Spell "Expecto Patronum" - one of the most advanced spells. With it, the caster can summon a guardian spirit that will protect him from many dark creatures. This spell is unique to each person.
22. The Hogwarts infirmary was filmed at Oxford's Bodleian School of Divinity. This area, often referred to as the hospital wing, was run by Madame Poppy Pomfrey, the school's head nurse. The petrified victims of the basilisk also received help here.
23. The Hogwarts Express crosses the real Glenfinnan Viaduct in Scotland. Students traveling by train to and from Hogwarts cross this bridge throughout the Harry Potter films. The Glenfinnan Monument and the waters of Loch Shiel can be seen from the bridge due to its location on the West Highlands line in Glenfinnan, Inverness.
24. Livraria Lello, the real-life bookstore in Porto, Portugal where J.K. Rowling spent several years, is said to be the inspiration for her work.
25. Hermione from books and films is completely different. In the books, Hermione had protruding teeth. During the filming of films, the directors really tried to use special prostheses for this, but after Emma Watson could not speak normally, it was decided to abandon them.
26. Although "Avada Kedavra" sounds intimidating in itself, its true meaning comes from a certain phrase in Aramaic culture. The phrase "bhadda kedhabhra" sounds like gibberish at first, but when you translate it as "disappear like that word," you see how related the incantation and phrase are.
27. Moaning Myrtle was played by Shirley Henderson, who at the time was 35 years old. She was the oldest actress to play a student.
28. The idea to write a book about a boy who didn't know he was a wizard came to JK Rowling in the 1990s while on a train ride. After five years of planning, the Harry Potter books were born, and the rest is history.
29. If you're a fan of the books, you may have noticed that one character is missing from the movies - a poltergeist named Peeves. This poltergeist has been around since 993 and has given Hogwarts caretaker Argus Filch a huge headache.
30. Alnwick Castle in Northumberland served as the backdrop for the Hogwarts interior scenes. He also appears in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. It was also where Harry learned how to use a broomstick.
31. Clachaig Ravine served as a filming location for Hagrid's cabin and its surroundings. Glencoe, Argyll, Scotland is known for its stunning scenery; however, the hut no longer exists there.
32. When you create an iconic character, you probably put a part of yourself into it. JK Rowling and Harry Potter have one thing that both of them have in common - their birthday. Both J.K. Rowling and Harry Potter were born on July 31st. So if you're celebrating the birth of Harry Potter, know that J.K. Rowling is celebrating it too.
33. Literary works are good because you can change the appearance and names of the characters, and no one will blink an eye. In Harry Potter, not every name we know is the first name that popped into JK Rowling's head. Try to guess the real names of the characters: Hermione Puckle, Draco Spinks, Neville Puff and Lily Moon.
34. Although in the movies, wands are strong and difficult to break, they are actually quite fragile. It's just a stick with extra material attached to it, that's all. They are also quite fun to use, not only for magic spells and curses, but also for games. Radcliffe alone broke about 60 sticks due to the fact that he played drums with them.
35. You can always leave your family's mark on the artwork you create. In the Harry Potter books, J.K. Rowling included not only a couple of details from her life, but also a little about other members of her family. For example, the characters Ernie and Stanley, the conductor and driver of the Knight Bus, are named after J.K. Rowling's grandparents.
36. It's easy to refuse the help of any other person, but when we talk about Michael Jackson, only JK Rowling could refuse his help so openly. Harry Potter fan Michael Jackson suggested creating a Harry Potter musical, but J.K. Rowling did not support the idea. It would be interesting to see what kind of music will be in this fantasy musical.
37. Even in a fantasy world, love can sometimes blossom into something more beautiful. Harry Potter was able to find his true love in Ginevra Molly Weasley. Harry married his best friend Ron's sister in the 2000s, with whom they had three children, naming them after the most important people in their lives.
38. Hagrid wouldn't be a standout character in a movie if it wasn't for the superb performance of the actor behind him. Robbie Coltrane, the actor who played Hagrid, was able to show the nature and essence of the character in front of the camera. This Scottish actor has played roles in all 8 adaptations of the works of J. K. Rowling.
39. While Robin Williams was able to win the hearts of the American audience, unfortunately he was unable to do so with the British. When he auditioned for the role of Hagrid, Williams didn't get the role, for obvious reasons - J.K. Rowling had a strict rule to cast only British or Irish actors for the lead roles.
40. Justin Finch-Fletchl, a young wizard and Hogwarts student, encountered so many snakes in his school days that it would not be strange if he developed a phobia of snakes. Not only did he have to fight several snakes during his training, he also encountered a basilisk, a giant snake. So ophidiophobia is quite understandable.
41. JK Rowling was a writer before Harry Potter. Her first "novel" was a story about a rabbit called "Rabbit" written when she was about 6 years old. This is a story about diamonds and the people who own them.
42. The real name of the author is JK Rowling. While this explains the J part and Rowling, what does the K stand for? The letter K stands for her paternal grandmother Kathleen and was added to create more mystique around the author.
43. Not every sequel can evoke that initial "Wow!" that the first films were capable of. The same goes for the third part of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. This film is the highest grossing part of the Harry Potter series. While the film itself is beautiful and unique, the other adaptations are considered much better.
44. In Edinburgh, the Elephant House tea and coffee house is called the "birthplace of Harry Potter." In the 1990s, J.K. Rowling began writing down her ideas there. At the time, she frequented a cafe on one of Edinburgh's main avenues to keep warm, as she still found it difficult to make ends meet.
45. There is a "wall" in the Elephant House that belongs to Rowling. It contains photographs of the author of the Harry Potter books, as well as her thoughts and quotes. Other coffee shops in the city also claim to have hosted Rowling, but only Elephant House has such conclusive evidence.
46. When you imagine the world of Harry Potter, England immediately comes to mind. England is home to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and Harry did live in England, but JK Rowling actually drew inspiration from Edinburgh, Scotland where she lived for a while.
47. It is easy for an author to draw inspiration from the saddest period of his life. As for JK Rowling, she remembered the feeling of depression, despondency and used it to create Dementors. Described as cold and empty, Dementors are the epitome of the most destructive thing that can happen to a human being.
48. Nothing says more about reality than the fact that the elements in the books are based on real life things. In the magical world, plants have names based on real ones. According to Rowling, they are taken from Nicholas Culpeper's Complete Herbs, a work by an English botanist and herbalist published in the 17th century.
49. Sometimes the role you are auditioning for is just not for you. Tom Felton could have been a good actor, but the only role that suited him was that of Draco Malfoy. He originally auditioned for the roles of Harry and Ron. One can be glad that even after the failure of these tests, he was offered the role of Draco Malfoy.
50. Voldemort is probably etched into the minds of many fans as a man without a nose, but he wasn't always like that. Voldemort, or Tom Marvolo Riddle, was once a normal person, with a nose and everything. But his journey through the magical world soon turned his attention to the darker arts.
India is one of the oldest countries on the planet. The history and culture of India are rooted in such a deep past that even professional scientists, culturologists and historians still cannot fully understand them. True, the real picture is less rosy. India is an overpopulated, poor and sometimes rather polluted country, not at all reminiscent of the wonderful place that is usually described in fairy tales and shown in films.
India is a country with a rich culture and amazing traditions, Bemorepanda presents some interesting facts.
1. India ranks second in the world in terms of the number of people living on its territory after China (the country's population is about 1.3 billion people).
2. The territory of modern India was inhabited by the ancestors of modern people about 500 thousand years ago. Just think - half a million years ago!
3. In the 2014 elections, 668 women and five transsexuals were elected to the Indian Parliament.
4. India has an amazing variety of animal and plant species. At the same time, about 33% of the plant varieties growing in Indian forests are not found anywhere else on the planet.
5. The Indians were the first to season food with black pepper.
6. The national sport in India is field hockey, and the most popular is cricket, inherited by the Indians from the British colonialists. India has won more Olympic medals in field hockey than any other country in the world.
7. India is the birthplace of yoga.
8.In the Indian capital New Delhi, every year there is International Mango Festival.
9. One of the main architectural symbols of India, the Taj Mahal mausoleum, was built for almost 30 years by more than 20 thousand workers and artisans. Now this unique structure is gradually covered with cracks and turns yellow due to extremely dirty air - the complex has to be regularly cleaned using special white clay.
10. In 2010, a luxury train called the Maharajah Train began operating between New Delhi and Mumbai. Passengers on the train can admire India's most famous landmarks from the cool of the five-star carriages.
11. India leads among all countries in the world in the number of homicides and abortions per thousand population.
12. People in India speak 780 languages and more than a thousand dialects derived from these languages (see interesting facts about languages).
13. The Indian authorities have legally banned the import of its national currency, the Indian rupee, across the border. Both the import of rupees into India and the export of local money from it are prohibited. True, usually no one checks anything anyway.
14. In India, it is customary to celebrate weddings on a grand scale - even not too wealthy families invite up to one and a half thousand guests to the wedding and organize a festive feast for them.
15. Indians consider cows to be sacred animals, so they do not eat beef and allow cattle to roam freely along the city streets and beaches. However, this does not apply to the state of Goa - they even eat beef here, since the overwhelming majority of the inhabitants of Goa are Christians, not Hindus.
16. More than a million people in India are dollar millionaires.
17. In India, practically no one uses washing machines - wealthy Indians prefer to hire a housekeeper who takes care of the laundry, while poor families simply wash their clothes in a nearby pond.
18. Indian women do not address their husbands by their first names, as this is considered disrespectful.
19. India has more vegetarians than any other country in the world.
20. Indian Post has the largest mail delivery network in the world. On the territory of the country there is a post office located at an altitude of 4400 meters above sea level, there is also a floating post office, and several decades ago, the Indians were served by mobile postmen on camels.
21. The sacred city of Varanasi is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world.
22. India ranks second after the United States in terms of the number of English-speaking residents.
23. The Indian town of Cherrapunji is considered one of the wettest places on Earth.
24. Jaipur has the world's largest sundial.
25. Indians prepare over 140 types of traditional national desserts.
