KEY POINTS:
Pounding spices with mortar and pestle is usually an everyday activity at Janet Chan's Malaysian restaurant in Mt Albert - but not today.
Chinese New Year kicked off with a bang in Auckland, with lion dancing and firecrackers at SkyCity ushering in the Year of the Ox last night.
Firecrackers and the lion dance, and the use of gongs, drums and cymbals, are meant to dispel evil spirits and bring good luck.
Today's the first day of Chinese New Year (determined by the lunar calendar), and like millions of Chinese around the world, Mrs Chan will be avoiding doing things that could keep away good fortune and luck.
Mrs Chan, from Malaysia, believes that what she does today will have an impact on the whole year, which is why she has banned pounding spices as it could result in a year of "quarrels and absence of peace".
The owner of Sri Intan restaurant says she has also barred her staff from swearing or using any negative language, or even uttering the Chinese word for number four, because it sounds like "death".
Many Chinese New Zealanders say that although they are now living in a Western society, they still considered it important to keep Chinese New Year traditions alive.
Financial adviser Mimi Wang, originally from Liaoning, China, said Chinese in New Zealand still considered this to be "the real New Year", not January 1. "It is not only the more important of the two New Years, but it is the most important festival to us Chinese," she said.
Auckland businessman Tan Tee Seang engaged professional chefs to cook his family's reunion dinner at his home last night because he didn't want any mess to spill over to today and risk having to do housework.
Many Chinese believe that housework, especially sweeping and washing, could wash away good luck, and some even go to the extent of not washing their hair on Chinese New Year.
"It's not that I'm superstitious, but it's just better to be safe than sorry," Mr Tan said.
Therese Chiang, from Taiwan, says she is often more careful when handling things on Chinese New Year because breaking anything today would mean bad luck ahead.
"As a mother, I have to try a lot harder here to pass on these traditions to my children," Mrs Chiang said.
* Things to avoid
Housework and washing your hair, or you risk washing or sweeping away good luck.
Using knives, scissors and even nail clippers or you risk cutting the threads of good fortune brought in at New Year.
Negative language and arguments.
Words related to sickness and death
Stumbling or breaking anything.
Source: Asia New Zealand Foundation
