Festival introduction–Chinese New Year

Chinese New Year, also known as Spring Festival, is one of the most important traditional festivals in China. The festival is celebrated throughout the China and in many parts of the world where there are Chinese communities. According to the lunar calendar, the festival usually falls between late January and mid-February and lasts for 15 days.

History and origins:

The origins of the Spring Festival are shrouded in numerous legends, all of which contain deep cultural connotations. According to one of these legends, the history of the Chinese New Year dates back over 4,000 years to a time when a vicious beast called "Nian" would appear once a year and would eat people at midnight. In response, the ancient Chinese ancestors banded together to fight the beast. They discovered that the beast was afraid of the colour red, fire and loud noises. Therefore, every family put spring festival couplets on their doors and lit firecrackers in front of their homes to chase away the beast. Since then, these traditions have become a significant part of the New Year celebrations.

Beast Nian

Firecracker

Spring Festival couplets

Customs and traditions:

Chinese New Year is a time of family reunions, feasting and gift-giving. It is customary to thoroughly clean the home before the festival to sweep away bad luck and open the way for good fortune. Red decorations, including paper cutting, lanterns and couplets, are hung throughout the house to bring good luck and happiness. The Chinese New Year period is also full of activities, such as dragon and lion dances, temple fairs, fireworks, and lantern watching.

Chinese paper cutting

Dragon Dance

Firework

One of the most important events during the Chinese New Year is the reunion dinner held on New Year's Eve. Families gather together to enjoy a sumptuous feast which includes traditional dishes such as dumplings, fish and rice cakes. It is believed that eating these foods will bring good luck and prosperity in the new year.

Reunion dinner

Another popular tradition during the Chinese New Year is giving red envelopes filled with money to children and unmarried adults. The red envelopes symbolise good luck and prosperity, and it is believed that the money inside will bring fortune.

Red envelope

Chinese New Year is a fascinating and colourful festival full of tradition and history. It is a time for families to gather, enjoy food and celebrate the start of a new year. From the red decorations to the reunion dinner, every aspect of this festival has its own unique meaning and significance. This festival is not only a time of joy and celebration, but also a time to reflect on the past year and look to the future with a spirit of hope and optimism.

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