Spring Festival, the most important holiday for the Chinese, marking the start of the lunar New Year, is built on tradition and an array of centuries old customs.
Just as people spend weeks, and sometimes months, preparing for Christmas, the Chinese prepare for this family reunion festival a long time in advance. They hit the shops, clean their homes and stock up on everything from oil and rice to fruit, candies, nuts, new clothes and shoes for the children and gifts for the elderly, friends and relatives.
People decorate their homes to create a festival atmosphere. Two things that should never be forgotten are spring couplets (chunlian) and firecrackers. In a typical Chinese home, you will see all the door panels pasted with spring couplets, Chinese calligraphy on red paper, as well as fireworks in bunches resting in the corner of the room. These are two basic tools required to expel evil, especially the Nian monster.
Chinese use the term guonian (pass the year) to describe their happiness at celebrating the year, as guo means "passing" and "survival". Nian was originally the name of a beast that came to the village to prey on humans on New Year’s Eve.
Family members lay on a large spread for the new year banquet. Traditional food is prepared for family and friends. Although food and dishes vary according to where you are in China, dishes such as chicken (ji), fish (yu) and tofu (doufu) are essential elements in any new year feast as, in Chinese, these words sound like auspiciousness (ji), abundance (yu), and rich blessings (duofu). People in the north of China traditionally eat jiaozi, or dumplings, on New Year’s Eve.
Family members lay on a large spread for the new year banquet. Traditional food is prepared for family and friends. Although food and dishes vary according to where you are in China, dishes such as chicken (ji), fish (yu) and tofu (doufu) are essential elements in any new year feast as, in Chinese, these words sound like auspiciousness (ji), abundance (yu), and rich blessings (duofu). People in the north of China traditionally eat jiaozi, or dumplings, on New Year’s Eve.
The first five days of the lunar month are considered a good time for relatives and friends to visit each other's homes, exchange greetings, gifts and chat, as well as going out socializing, taking part in fun activities like lion dances, lantern shows and temple fairs.
