The Spring Festival
The Spring Festival
The Spring Festival is a time-honored and significant traditional festival in China, brimming with rich and diverse customs. Here are some of the most common ones:
1. Spring Cleaning (扫尘)
Before the Spring Festival, it is a long-standing tradition for Chinese families to thoroughly clean their houses. This is known as “sweeping the dust”. The purpose is not only to remove dirt and filth but also to sweep away any bad luck from the previous year, making way for good fortune in the new year. People clean every corner of their homes, including furniture, windows, and floors, and wash clothes and bedding. It is believed that a clean and tidy home will bring happiness and prosperity.
2. Paste Spring Festival Couplets (贴春联)
Spring Festival couplets are a pair of red scrolls with couplet-style Chinese characters written on them. These characters usually convey good wishes, such as blessings for prosperity, health, and harmony. The couplets are pasted on both sides of the front door of the house. Red is a color symbolizing good luck and happiness in Chinese culture, and the couplets add a festive and joyful atmosphere to the home. For example, a common couplet might read “上联: 一帆风顺年年好 (Shànglián: Yī fān fēng shùn nián nián hǎo - Everything goes well year after year) and 下联: 万事如意步步高 (Xiàlián: Wàn shì rú yì bù bù gāo - All wishes come true and things get better step by step)”.
3. Put up New Year Pictures and Paper-cuts (贴年画和剪纸)
New Year pictures often depict traditional Chinese themes like gods, historical stories, or scenes of prosperity. They are pasted on walls or doors to bring good luck and ward off evil spirits. Paper-cuts, another form of traditional art, are intricate and beautiful works made from red paper. They are usually in the shapes of animals, flowers, or auspicious symbols and are also used to decorate the house, enhancing the festive mood.
4. Family Reunion Dinner (年夜饭)
The most important event on New Year’s Eve is the family reunion dinner. Family members, no matter how far away they are, try their best to come back home for this special meal. The dinner is a sumptuous feast with a variety of dishes, each carrying its own symbolic meaning. For example, fish is an essential dish because the Chinese word for fish “鱼 (yú)” sounds similar to the word for “surplus”, symbolizing an abundant and prosperous life. Dumplings are also a popular choice, especially in northern China. They are shaped like ancient gold and silver ingots, representing wealth.
5. Stay Up Late on New Year’s Eve (守岁)
Staying up late on New Year’s Eve, known as “shousui” in Chinese, is a widespread custom. People believe that by staying up late, they can extend the life of their parents and grandparents. Families sit together, chatting, watching the Spring Festival Gala on TV, and waiting for the arrival of the new year. As the clock strikes midnight, firecrackers and fireworks are set off to celebrate the beginning of the new year and to scare away evil spirits.
6. Give Red Envelopes (发红包)
Red envelopes, or “hongbao” in Chinese, are small red packets filled with money. They are given by elders to children or unmarried adults as a New Year’s gift. The money inside is a symbol of good luck and blessings. Children look forward to receiving red envelopes as it is not only a source of pocket money but also a token of love and good wishes from their elders.
7. Pay New Year’s Calls (拜年)
Starting from the first day of the lunar new year, people visit their relatives, friends, and neighbors to exchange greetings and wishes. They say “Happy New Year” (“新年快乐 - xīn nián kuài lè”) and wish each other good health, success, and happiness. When visiting, people usually bring small gifts, such as fruits, candies, or special local products. This is a time to strengthen relationships and show respect for others.
8. Lion and Dragon Dances (舞狮和舞龙)
Lion and dragon dances are exciting performances often seen during the Spring Festival. The lion dance is believed to bring good luck and drive away evil spirits. The lion, usually performed by two people, mimics various actions like jumping, rolling, and playing with a ball. The dragon dance, on the other hand, is a grander performance with a long dragon made of cloth or other materials. A group of people hold the dragon and make it move in a coordinated way, symbolizing power, strength, and good fortune. These dances are accompanied by the beating of drums, gongs, and the setting off of firecrackers, creating a lively and festive atmosphere.