An introduction to Chinese New Year

The Chinese New Year, also called Spring Festival, is the most important and widely celebrated festival of all in China. It traditionally begins on the first day of the first lunar month in the Chinese calendar and ends on the 15th; The night before the 1st day is called Chinese New Year’s Eve. The dinner gathering of Chinese New Year’s Eve is the most important family occasion of the year. This is a time for family reunions, visiting relatives and friends and exchanging greetings for the coming New Year. The last day of the Spring festival which is on15th day is called Lantern Festival and celebrated at night with lantern displays and children carrying lanterns in a parade.

Traditional Culture

– House Cleaning

Cleaning the house is a long-observed Chinese New Year tradition. The ground, the walls, and every corner of the house need to be cleaned.In Chinese, “Dust” is a homophone for the word “Chen”, meaning the old. Therefore a year-end cleaning is needed to drive the old things or the bad luck away from the house, and get ready for a brand new start.

– Putting Up New Year Decorations

Houses are decorated with red lanterns, red couplets, paper Cutouts, and New Year’s paintings.

Putting up those decorations are thought to keep evil away and pray for blessing, longevity, health, and peace. 2019 is the Year of the Pig, so pig images will appear on decorations.

– Giving Red Envelopes (Lucky Money) to Kids

Parents usually give their children red envelopeson the first day, which means wishing them can be healthy, lucky in the coming new year. Red envelopes always havesomemoney in. Money in red envelopes is believed to bring good luck, as red is China’s lucky colour, so it’s called lucky money.

介绍

春节是中国的最隆重最热闹的一个传统节日。从大年初一开始一直到正月十五。正月初一的前夕就是除夕，这天全家人都会在一起吃年夜饭，对于整个家庭来说都是十分重要，有着特殊意义的。此刻人们都会除旧迎新，期待着崭新的一年。正月十五是元宵节，人们会以热烈喜庆的观灯习俗为主。

传统习俗

扫尘

扫尘是年前忙年主要是以除旧布新为活动主题，扫尘是年节除旧布新习俗之一。家家户户都要打扫环境，清洗各种器具，拆洗被褥窗帘，到处洋溢着欢欢喜喜搞卫生、干干净净迎新春的欢乐气氛。因“尘”与“陈”谐音，新春扫尘有“除陈布新”的涵义，其用意是要把一切“穷运”、“晦气” 统统扫出门，这一习俗寄托着人们辞旧迎新的祈求与愿望。