First Letter to an apartment in Australia about Chinese Calendar

##To Whom It May Concern,

I appreciate the goal of being inclusive and respectful of the many cultures in our community.

At the same time, I would like to share a perspective regarding cultural accuracy and visual representation.

The main imagery used in the promotion is the lion dance (as shown in the picture), which is historically and culturally a traditional Chinese folk performance and is most closely associated with Chinese New Year celebrations. Because this symbol is specifically Chinese in origin, using the broader term “Lunar New Year” may create a small mismatch between the imagery and the terminology. When the visuals clearly represent one particular culture, using that culture’s established name can feel more precise and authentic.

In addition, in official English usage, the festival is most commonly referred to as “Spring Festival” or “Chinese New Year.” The traditional calendar is technically lunisolar (based on both the moon and the sun), so “lunar” is a broader and less exact descriptor. While “Lunar New Year” can work well as an umbrella term when multiple cultures are equally represented, it may unintentionally dilute the specific cultural origin when the activities and symbols are distinctly Chinese. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_New_Year

Here are examples in Australia and around the world https://dashinggroup.com.au/dashing-folio/opsm-chinese-new-year-window-display/

• Aussie shopping centres celebrate Chinese New Year decorations https://insideretail.com.au/news/aussie-shopping-centres-celebrate-the-chinese-lunar-new-year-201902 https://www.sbs.com.au/language/chinese/en/article/as-long-as-were-recognised-chinese-community-reacts-to-new-year-festival-renaming/u08ussptl https://party.alibaba.com/newyear/how-do-we-celebrate-chinese-new-year-in-australia https://www.cntraveler.com/gallery/chinese-new-year-celebrations-around-the-world

Here is the impact of name changing https://www.sbs.com.au/language/chinese/zh-hans/article/chinese-new-year-or-lunar-new-year-australian-chinese-have-different-views-but-consistent-in-multicultural/ox3js4eun With this in mind, I would respectfully suggest considering alternatives such as: – Chinese New Year – Chinese Lunar New Year – Spring Festival (Chinese New Year)

These options could maintain inclusivity while also preserving cultural specificity and historical accuracy.

Thank you again for being open to feedback and for the care you put into representing different traditions within the community. By the way，as they can be searched online, many airports and shopping centers in Australia have already change into CNY.

Here are some extra resources: • Lion dance history and cultural origin https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lion_dance • Explanation of Chinese New Year vs Lunar New Year terminology https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/why-lunar-new-year-same-chinese-isabel-zhang-%E5%BC%B5-qvpnf • Chinese calendar as lunisolar (not purely lunar) https://eng.yidaiyilu.gov.cn/p/0OGT9CKM.html