[EXCLUSIVE] UN refuses to change ‚Chinese Lunar Calendar‘ to more inclusive term on stamp sheet

U.N. stamp sheet marking the Yr of the Snake / Courtesy of United Nations Postal Administration

The United Nations mentioned it is not going to change the time period “Chinese language Lunar Calendar” to “Lunar Calendar“ on its official stamp sheet issued to commemorate the annual vacation celebrated by numerous Asian cultures.

This resolution comes after the special-event stamp sheet issued by the United Nations Postal Administration (UNPA) in January confronted scrutiny in Korea for utilizing the time period “Chinese language New Yr” as an alternative of “Lunar New Yr,” a extra inclusive identify that acknowledges the varied Asian nations, together with Korea, that observe the vacation.

„After our dialogue and preliminary analysis, we predict we must always preserve the title ‘Chinese language Lunar Calendar,’” an official at UNPA instructed The Korea Instances earlier this week, in response to an electronic mail inquiry about whether or not there have been plans to alter the time period sooner or later.

“It’s because there are lots of several types of lunar calendars used all over the world and they’re very totally different from these utilized in China, Korea, Vietnam and abroad Chinese language communities just like the Islamic Hijri calendar, Javanese calendar and Thai calendar. These lunar calendars don’t acknowledge the zodiac animals like those utilized by the Chinese language, Korean and Vietnam,” the official defined.

The official additionally famous, „Even the Korean and Vietnamese calendars, that are derived or influenced by the calendars, don’t acknowledge or use the identical zodiac animals because the Chinese language.“

In different phrases, the U.N. physique has determined to retain the time period as a result of its stamp sheet marking the Yr of the Snake particularly options Chinese language zodiac animals for the sequence.

Based on the UN Stamps website, the particular occasion stamp sheet issued on Jan. 17 options 10 stamps to have fun the Yr of the Snake in accordance with the Chinese language lunar calendar.

The paintings, which includes conventional Chinese language parts and shows the U.N. emblem, was illustrated by Chinese language artist Tiger Pan. The artist additionally designed earlier UNPA Lunar Calendar sequence stamps for the years of the canine in 2018, the tiger in 2022, the rabbit in 2023 and the dragon in 2024.

However Search engine marketing Kyoung-duk, a professor at Sungshin Ladies’s College and an activist selling Korean historical past and tradition, argued that the U.N.’s response „misses the purpose.“

„It is onerous to grasp the rationale for sticking to the time period because of the design. By calling it the ‚Chinese language‘ lunar calendar, the worldwide group is undermining the vacation’s regional range, which might result in misperceptions that the vacation is noticed solely in China, when different nations, corresponding to Korea, Vietnam and the Philippines, additionally have fun it,“ Search engine marketing mentioned.

„The U.N., as a significant worldwide group, ought to lead efforts to respect various Asian cultures and lift consciousness about this problem,“ mentioned the professor, including that he plans to lodge complaints with the worldwide group.

Notably, in December 2023, the U.N. designated Lunar New Yr as a versatile vacation, recognizing the significance of the competition that’s celebrated in a lot of its 193 member states.

This mixed picture exhibits Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse sporting conventional Korean apparel generally known as hanbok, throughout an occasion to have fun the Lunar New Yr at Disneyland, left, and feedback by Chinese language web customers urging the U.S. theme park to make use of the time period „Chinese language New Yr“ on its official Instagram account. Courtesy of Search engine marketing Kyoung-duk

The terminology surrounding “Chinese language New Yr” has lengthy been a topic of debate amongst Asian cultures.

The Lunar New Yr, which fell on Jan. 29 this 12 months, is called „Seollal“ in Korean and is noticed in Asian nations together with Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore — every with their very own distinctive traditions, meals and customs. Therefore, many argue that Lunar New Yr is a extra inclusive time period that acknowledges these various cultures.

Nonetheless, many supporters in China argue that the time period „Chinese language New Yr“ is acceptable, citing the vacation’s roots within the Chinese language lunar calendar.

This debate flared up once more this 12 months when Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse appeared at Disneyland in California wearing conventional Korean apparel generally known as hanbok, to ship New Yr greetings in January. The occasion was a part of Disneyland’s Lunar New Yr celebration, which the U.S. theme park described as „inspired by Chinese, Korean and Vietnamese traditions.“

This led to a backlash from some Chinese language web customers, who flooded Disneyland’s Instagram account with feedback insisting that solely „Chinese language New Yr“ needs to be used to explain the vacation.