Chinese New Year
Chinese New Year, also known as the Spring Festival, is the most important traditional holiday in Chinese culture, marking the beginning of the lunar new year with family reunions and centuries-old customs.
Unlike its fixed-date Western counterpart, this holiday's timing shifts every year with the lunar calendar, and its opening feast triggers what's often described as the largest annual human migration on Earth.
Following the Lunar Calendar
Unlike the fixed date of the Western New Year, Chinese New Year's date shifts annually according to the lunar calendar, typically falling somewhere between late January and mid-February, traditionally marking the transition from winter toward spring in Chinese agricultural tradition.
A Season of Celebration
Celebrations traditionally span 15 days, beginning with New Year's Eve and concluding with the Lantern Festival, during which communities release glowing paper lanterns into the sky or set them afloat on water in a striking, widely photographed tradition.
Family Reunion Traditions
The holiday centers heavily on family reunion, with the New Year's Eve dinner considered the most important meal of the year, drawing family members back to their hometowns from across the country and around the world in what is often described as the largest annual human migration on Earth.
Customs and Symbols
Traditional customs include giving red envelopes containing money to children and unmarried younger relatives, setting off fireworks believed to ward off evil spirits, and performing dragon and lion dances in public celebrations.
The Zodiac Cycle
Each year is associated with one of twelve zodiac animals in a repeating twelve-year cycle, a tradition believed to influence the characteristics of those born during that year. The holiday is celebrated not only across China but throughout many countries with significant Chinese diaspora communities worldwide.
