Spring Festival, also known as Chinese New Year, is the most important traditional festival in China. It falls on the first day of the lunar calendar, which usually occurs between late January and mid-February. The Spring Festival celebration lasts for 15 days and is filled with a variety of traditions and customs.
One of the most important traditions of the Spring Festival is the family reunion dinner. On New Year's Eve, family members from far and near gather together for a big feast, sharing delicious food and good wishes for the coming year. For those who can't make it home for the reunion dinner, they will make a phone or video call to their family to express their love and gratitude.
Another tradition is to decorate the house with various kinds of red decorations, called "Chunlian" in Chinese, which symbolize happiness, wealth, and good luck. The most popular Chunlian decorations are paper-cuts, red lanterns, and couplets, which are pasted on both sides of the door. People also clean their houses thoroughly before the Spring Festival to sweep away bad luck and welcome good fortune.
During the Spring Festival, people also wear new clothes, usually in red, which represents good luck and prosperity. They also visit friends and relatives, giving them red envelopes containing money as a symbol of good luck and blessings.
Moreover, people participate in various traditional activities to celebrate the festival, such as dragon and lion dances, fireworks display, and temple fairs. The dragon and lion dance is a vibrant and colorful performance accompanied by loud drum beats and cymbals. It is believed that the dragon and lion can scare away evil spirits and bring good fortune. Fireworks are also an essential part of the Spring Festival celebration, as they represent the wishes for a bright future.
Finally, the Spring Festival ends on the 15th day of the lunar calendar with the Lantern Festival. People light lanterns of various shapes and colors, which are usually hung in public places such as parks and streets. Eating sweet glutinous rice balls, called "Tangyuan" in Chinese, is also a tradition on this day.
In conclusion, the Spring Festival is not only a time for celebration but also a time for family reunion, reflection, and renewal. It reflects the Chinese culture's emphasis on family values, good fortune, and harmony. It is a wonderful festival that everyone should experience at least once in their lifetime.