Review: 80108 Lunar New Year Traditions
Posted by Huw,
80108 Lunar New Year Traditions is one of two new Chinese Traditional Festival (CTF) sets that are now available at LEGO.com.
It's an interesting and unusual looking set that depicts six Chinese traditions associated with the lunar new year and, in common with other CTF sets, is packed full of recoloured parts and a generous number of minifigs, 12 in this case.
I reviewed it without any knowledge of the activities it portrays or Mandarin, so I am indebted to Jay at Jay's Brick Blog for allowing me to quote information and translations from his review, which I encourage you to read if you'd like to know more about the scenes and traditions.
Like other CTF sets, this one has a no expense spared feel to it, but it seems that some has been, because unfortunately there are two sticker sheets.
Some elements are printed, though, and I'll point them out in the review.
I'm not going to dwell on the new and recoloured parts in it, instead please see the inventory in which the unique parts can be easily identified.
The set is designed to be built simultaneously by up to six people and to facilitate that there are six instruction manuals, one for each of the scenes.
The core
The six vignettes are arranged in a circle and affixed to a central core by way of Technic connectors.
The round/hexagonal core itself is very decorative, almost needlessly so given it's mostly hidden away from view once the scenes are connected.
The Mandarin phrases on the top loosely translate to Welcoming Chinese New Year and Family Reunion.
The rear of each scene has two axle connectors in the corner which are firmly bound to it to prevent them coming detached when pulling it away from the core. Only the top one is used: when the model is picked up the bottom ones help to support the weight of the scenes by pressing against the core's frame, thus preventing them from drooping downwards and detaching unintentionally.
Spring-cleaning
Each vignette is 9x9 studs in size and has three rounded corners. The Mandarin text on the front corner relates to the scene and in this case it translates to “out with the old, and in with the new”.
Two minifigures are busy cleaning windows and dusting the balcony of a flat (or condo) in this one.
It's a busy scene: washing is hanging out to dry next to an air-conditioning unit, plants are growing in a trough below, and a white bird is perched on the ledge.
The minifigs are dressed in orange overalls which feature a new torso print.
Food shopping
The text on this one translates to "Chinese New Year shopping". The street vendor is pedalling everything from chicken drumsticks and sausages -- appearing for the first time here in brown -- to toys on sticks from his small market stall, which has a roof clad in sand blue ingots, new in this set and 80109 Lunar New Year Ice Festival.
A stack of cardboard boxes fills the space to the right of the stall
The minifigure's torso, printed with a belt bag, is new in this and 80109 Lunar New Year Ice Festival.
Making good luck decorations
The adult and child minifigs in this scene are making paper decorations. Red packets, printed 1x2 tiles, that form an important part of the lunar new year celebrations are hanging on a mandarin tree, the fruit of which are made using 67692 3.2 SHAFT W/ 5.9 BALL, new here in orange.
The text around the door, which printed rather than stickers, is Chinese poetry while that on the front translates to "opening the door to welcome blessings in".
I must admit I did not notice myself, but I read in Jay's review that the parcel on the doorstep has a label with BLL on it: the IATA code for Billund airport, home of the brick. The family's latest LEGO.com order, perhaps...
The girl's torso, decorated with a quilted jacket with embroidered flowers pattern is new, one of five that are unique to the set.
Staying up to ring in the new year
A family are huddled around a television "staying up late on New Year’s Eve", according to the Mandarin on the front of this scene. The clock on the wall is about to show midnight.
The picture on the wall shows what they were up to during the last lunar new year celebrations.
The window in the wall is actually a fish tank, I've now realised. When I built it I thought it was a fish cooking in an oven, although I'm not sure why you'd have such a thing in in the lounge!
The father is holding a 1x1 tile decorated with an orange slice pattern which is new, and interesting.
The girl is attired in the same pyjamas as the one in10293 Santa's Visit.
Visiting grandparents
According to Jay this is the most important tradition, perhaps not least because it involves the receiving of red envelopes!
The boy is visiting his grandparents at home, and it looks as if he's not only going to receive a couple of the coveted packets but also the even more coveted contents of a bag with a LEGO logo on it!
The text at the front reads "Spring Greetings".
A bookshelf, a tall vase containing pink flowers and an attractive picture of a tiger on the wall complete the scene.
The God of Prosperity
This vignette, "wealth and treasure", which looks to be perched on a bed of clouds, is dedicated to Caishen, or Choy San, the God of Prosperity. This is the first minifigure of a deity and given the company's stance on not featuring religious subject matter in sets, its appearance here is surprising.
He's surrounded with gold ingots, both square ones and yuanbao, ancient Chinese ones that resemble a boat with a lump in the middle. They've been ingeniously created using gold hot-dog buns.
The lantern on the wall is decorated with a tiger, which is of course the zodiac animal for 2022. The red 2x4 tile on the wall is printed and for some reason there were two in my set.
As you will have noticed all the vignettes use the same colour pieces at the bottom of the bases and the walls of the scenes are uniformly finished off with light orange surroundings. This makes them all match, of course, but does perhaps make them slightly boring: I think I would have preferred some variety, some blues and greens perhaps, although I guess red and something resembling gold have been used because they are the colours that are traditionally associated with the event.
The god's torso, almost all of which is obscured with his beard, and his 'skirt' are very finely and attractively decorated with gold flourishes, and are both new.
I'm sure there must be a reason why he's winking!
Verdict
There's no doubt that for the price (£59.99 / $79.99 / €69.99) this is a great value and outstanding set. However. I don't think it's as appealing to those of us in the west that are not familiar with the traditions depicted as some of the other CTF sets to which we can more easily relate.
With one exception, the twelve minifigs are generic enough to fit right in to any LEGO city which makes it a great buy for those wanting to bolster their population of plastic people.
The scenes are all packed with fun details and brought to life with the generous number of figures. However, while I understand the reasons for the uniformity of colours, it does make them all look very similar at first glance.
If I had to pick a favourite I think it would be the spring-cleaning one: I love the half-washed window sticker, the authentic details on the balcony, the colourful duster, and the figures' overalls. After all, everyone can relate to housework!
The set is available now at LEGO.com in the UK, Europe and Australasia, and will be released in North America on 10th January.
Thanks to LEGO for providing the set for review. All opinions expressed are my own. Thanks again to Jay's Brick Blog for providing translations and background information.
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39 comments on this article
Completely agree w/ Huw's conclusions - great for the minifigs so still a buy for me and some of the scenes are definitely well done. Good price point too!
I think it's a lovely set. The format will likely be polarizing for buyers. I think Lego has executed it well and it's a prime candidate for "Build Together".
Agree. Not as attractive as the ice rink/ frozen pond and a bit repetitive, but the vignettes are kinda nice each on its own and I'm sure I'll like it once i have the real thing in my hand. I shall find out for both sets now that my order is finally being packaged and should arrive next week. ;-)
Great review & set.
Now that Lego has ignored its own restrictions on depicting deities i would like to see Tu'er Shen in 2023 for the Chinese year of the rabbit.
This would also match nicely with Lego's inclusivity stance seen in sets like Everyone is Awsome 40516.
God of wealth isn’t a religious figure. According to legends, he rains money from the heaven on the 5th day of the new year. Not too different from Santa, both hand out free stuff.
Great value. The minifigs alone would run you about $40 if you managed to find all the parts in the Build-a-Minifig bin at the LEGO store, leaving the remaining $40 of the price of the set dedicated to the cost of the remaining 1000 or so parts. If I can find “thematic space” in my collection, I might consider picking it up!
The reason for the citrus fruit plant and the orange slice is that oranges and similar fruit are associated with good fortune in Chinese culture and especially at CNY.
I’m disappointed that even the LEGO logo is a sticker. You would imagine that LEGO would be able to find multiple uses for that as a print and therefore could justify its cost/logistic resourcing.
The amount of stickers is a shame, but the concept is fun! Agree that this set is less interesting for someone who isn’t celebrating CNY compared to the other CNY sets. This set could maybe be adapted to some kind of lego comic?
Just got this today to build as a family, really like the fact that it is basically 6 mini builds. We also enjoyed trying to google what the scenes show (this review helped a lot, thanks!). Think the togetherness of this set will appeal to everyone after the last two years.
Tiago Catarino’s review of this points out that booklet one uses bags no 1&2, so that the five other book and bag numbers are out of sync… a bit like 2021 has been for me, let’s hope 2022 is an improvement…
^ That is true but hardly worth noting.
Seeing as the six sections come together to create a star, I think I'm going to use this set as a template to celebrate my own heritage with a MOC of the Jewish holidays.
Not a fan of so many stickers for this one.
Good review! Honestly, it's not too surprising to find stickers in a set like this when the number of unique decorations is so high. I remember some folks questioning why, if a set like 21309 NASA Apollo Saturn V could have printed bricks for all its decorations, did other sets that size still end up using sticker sheets? But that set also only had eleven unique printed elements altogether, a number that other sets often meet or exceed with minifigures alone!
Despite this set's much lower price, piece count, and target age, it includes 16 brand-new printed parts between the minifigures and the build itself. That's certainly nothing to sneeze at in a set this size, and it's not hard to see why including 24 additional printed parts in place of just one sticker sheet would be excessive!
Remember, one major factor that pushed LEGO to the brink of bankruptcy in the early 2000s was producing WAY too many set-specific elements. LEGO's internal survey in early 2004 found that over 94% of sets in their portfolio at that time weren't actually making any money, and around 90% of new elements were only being used once. The number of set-specific printed elements back then was almost certainly a big part of that!
All in all, the vignettes in this set are adorable even to a person like me who doesn't celebrate the Lunar New Year. Portraying these traditions in the form of vignettes instead of cramming them together into a single scene is a great way to capture these sorts of close-knit moments of family celebration and togetherness without them feeling cluttered or disjointed. Plus, it encourages families to turn the building experience into a group activity rather than a solitary one, which is very in keeping with the spirit of the holiday!
I'm impressed not only with the scenes themselves but the elegant, curvy base and backdrop for each one. The way that the six scenes can connect together on a central "hub" is just the icing on the cake. On a shelf, it'd be just as charming to display them in a row, a pyramid, or even a vertical stack, but connecting them to the hub allows them to be displayed as a table centerpiece and appreciated from all angles! Which, again, is a nice way to tailor it to family gatherings.
Thanks for reviewing this set in such great detail!
@aanchir, as always, thanks for your positive comments.
@lisqr said:
"God of wealth isn’t a religious figure. According to legends, he rains money from the heaven on the 5th day of the new year. Not too different from Santa, both hand out free stuff."
I have no idea who he is, to be honest, although articles such as this, https://supchina.com/2020/05/18/all-about-the-chinese-god-of-money/ , suggest people pray to him, which I don't think we do to Santa, and Jay's Brick Blog (I believe Jay is of Asian heritage) suggests he's a god, too.
I'm glad they are going back to small books for separate builds. I didn't like the thick & bulky single instruction book they were putting in sets. I like the vignettes & the different ways this set can be displayed. I really like the vignette style and this set has 6 in it. Looks like a fun build.
That “fanny pack” torso isn’t a perfect fit for a minifig of The Rock, but it’ll have to do!
@Aanchir said:
"Good review! Honestly, it's not too surprising to find stickers in a set like this when the number of unique decorations is so high. I remember some folks questioning why, if a set like 21309 NASA Apollo Saturn V could have printed bricks for all its decorations, did other sets that size still end up using sticker sheets? But that set also only had eleven unique printed elements altogether, a number that other sets often meet or exceed with minifigures alone!
Despite this set's much lower price, piece count, and target age, it includes 16 brand-new printed parts between the minifigures and the build itself. That's certainly nothing to sneeze at in a set this size, and it's not hard to see why including 24 additional printed parts in place of just one sticker sheet would be excessive!
Remember, one major factor that pushed LEGO to the brink of bankruptcy in the early 2000s was producing WAY too many set-specific elements. LEGO's internal survey in early 2004 found that over 94% of sets in their portfolio at that time weren't actually making any money, and around 90% of new elements were only being used once. The number of set-specific printed elements back then was almost certainly a big part of that!
All in all, the vignettes in this set are adorable even to a person like me who doesn't celebrate the Lunar New Year. Portraying these traditions in the form of vignettes instead of cramming them together into a single scene is a great way to capture these sorts of close-knit moments of family celebration and togetherness without them feeling cluttered or disjointed. Plus, it encourages families to turn the building experience into a group activity rather than a solitary one, which is very in keeping with the spirit of the holiday!
I'm impressed not only with the scenes themselves but the elegant, curvy base and backdrop for each one. The way that the six scenes can connect together on a central "hub" is just the icing on the cake. On a shelf, it'd be just as charming to display them in a row, a pyramid, or even a vertical stack, but connecting them to the hub allows them to be displayed as a table centerpiece and appreciated from all angles! Which, again, is a nice way to tailor it to family gatherings.
Thanks for reviewing this set in such great detail!"
Thank you for all the additional information you put in your comments. They are always very informative and quite enjoyable to read.
@lisqr said:
"God of wealth isn’t a religious figure. According to legends, he rains money from the heaven on the 5th day of the new year. Not too different from Santa, both hand out free stuff."
God of wealth can be classified as a god from Chinese folk religion. Some other similar gods including God of Earth and God of Dragon.
@Huw said:
" @lisqr said:
"God of wealth isn’t a religious figure. According to legends, he rains money from the heaven on the 5th day of the new year. Not too different from Santa, both hand out free stuff."
......suggest people pray to him, which I don't think we do to Santa, and Jay's Brick Blog (I believe Jay is of Asian heritage) suggests he's a god, too."
I pray to santa all year round, haha.
@Chilis_no said:
" @Huw said:
" @lisqr said:
"God of wealth isn’t a religious figure. According to legends, he rains money from the heaven on the 5th day of the new year. Not too different from Santa, both hand out free stuff."
......suggest people pray to him, which I don't think we do to Santa, and Jay's Brick Blog (I believe Jay is of Asian heritage) suggests he's a god, too."
I pray to santa all year round, haha.
"
That's perfect! Absolutely right. We need to keep on our toes or it's coal in the stocking. Although, apparently LEGO doesn't believe we can handle the Naughty List. Ha!
What I'd like to know is where's the culprit gone to that made those dirty paw prints on the glass door in the first vignette? If they were left by the zodiac Tiger why wash them away, unless that's some sort of metaphor and anticipation of another challenging year in store with 2022 that'll need some 'removing from memory'?
Also noting the reference to 80012 Monkey King Warrior Mech in that golden statuette on top of the shelf shown on the glass door sticker.
I was today years old when I found out "Australasia" was a thing.
Nice review! Regarding the God of Prosperity, it is not the first minifigure of a deity that LEGO has released - Thor and Loki, although inspired by their Marvel renditions, are also deities in the Germanic mythology.
Chang'e in 80032 : Chang'e Moon Cake Factory is based on the Chinese / Taoism Goddess of the Moon named Chang'e
The Chinese moon mission is also called the Chang'e Project, with the vehicles so far named Chang'e 1 to 5.
The last one, 5 , returning samples from the moon in 2020, which might be partly why this Monkie Kid set is returning "moon cakes" from the moon.
Huh
When the 2022 CTF sets were first announced I thought this would be an easy pass and its companion piece was much more attractive, but this review is making me reconsider my position. The vignettes are all so charming! Thank you for such a detailed and well-photographed exploration of an unexpectedly interesting set!
@Huw said:
" @lisqr said:
"God of wealth isn’t a religious figure. According to legends, he rains money from the heaven on the 5th day of the new year. Not too different from Santa, both hand out free stuff."
I have no idea who he is, to be honest, although articles such as this, https://supchina.com/2020/05/18/all-about-the-chinese-god-of-money/ , suggest people pray to him, which I don't think we do to Santa, and Jay's Brick Blog (I believe Jay is of Asian heritage) suggests he's a god, too."
Thanks Huw for the excellent review.
If I may add my to cents, the concept of Deities in Taoist and Chinese folk religion is very different from Western idea of omnipotent creator God or Gods. It's more like Greek and Norse mythology Gods, but many were actually historical humans that did something extraordinary in life and got elevated to deity after their death. And different geographical regions may have different idea of who were sainted into what Deity position. So more like saints, than deities, but with some conceptual difference.
So depend on which part of Chinese speaking world you are in, the actual "CaiShen" can be different individuals. So it's more of a concept or "deity post", if you will, rather than a specific God. Wikipedia Chinese version actually has a brief explanation and list of individuals who are considered "CaiShen" (if the link and Google translate works :P) https://zh.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E8%B2%A1%E7%A5%9E
And although some followers of folk religion do worship some version of him, many businesses keep images of him as good luck for good business, kinda like the Lucky Cat that Lego already made in brickheadz form. So I think these give Lego enough wiggle room to say this is a Cultural/Legend character, rather than a God.
I'm more curious that I don't read many comments from readers in East Asia (I'm Taiwanese but I live in Canada for far too long now :P), what does the Chinese speaking market actually think about Lego's interpretations of Lunar New Years?
All gold for the Hotdog god!
Maybe coincidence but the four sausages will go well with the four golden hot dog buns, while licking a micro-fig Popsicle ice stick.
Mine was delivered this morning and I suspect I will build it tonight (assuming I can actually get the children to bed at a reasonable time for once!!)
The God of Prosperity is kinda like their Santa so don't freak out about it being 'too religious'
@DrJax1986 said:
"I'm more curious that I don't read many comments from readers in East Asia (I'm Taiwanese but I live in Canada for far too long now :P), what does the Chinese speaking market actually think about Lego's interpretations of Lunar New Years? "
Me too! If I could figure out how to do so, I'd love to get this set for my step-nephew/niece in Taiwan and get their parents' reactions. Otherwise my impressions are all from emigrants / diaspora including my own. Speaking of which:
@Huw said:
" I don't think it's as appealing to those of us in the west that are not familiar with the traditions depicted as some of the other CTF sets to which we can more easily relate."
...which is what's so appealing to me. In fact I kinda have to stop myself from getting all these sets because I'm really not into displaying Lego yet my main motivation is their symbolic value.
And on the flip side, Christmas isn't celebrated in most of the world.
Nice review. I really like this and like this more than 80109 in terms of CNY set. The whole traditions in the sequence it is happening is such a smart move. I did some more detailed explanations on the Chinese characters on my detailed thought https://youtu.be/Ntue57y5Aqw
@anastasia666 said:
"Mine was delivered this morning"
Mine too but, slightly worryingly, my Lunar New Year Ice Festival, which I ordered 30 seconds earlier, is still 'in warehouse'!
@sjr60 said:
" @anastasia666 said:
"Mine was delivered this morning"
Mine too but, slightly worryingly, my Lunar New Year Ice Festival, which I ordered 30 seconds earlier, is still 'in warehouse'!"
How fast do you expect them to deliver?
seems to be a pretty good set.
also I find it interesting how in these Chinese sets the minifigures are yellow and have black hair.
I've only just got this set. Love how it has been assigned a set number embellished with two lucky 8s!