ion dinner, the whole family welcomes a lunar new year happily. The most important food in this dinner is the dumpling, which is very popular in the northern part of the country. Niangao and rice dumplings are eaten by people in southern part of the country. Besides, various Chinese New Year foods are served on that night such as fish, spring rolls and so on.
After the dinner, it is the happiest time for the younger generations, because they can get red envelopes from the older generations. At midnight, many places will strike bells to pray for the next smooth year, and people will set off fireworks.
Jan. 1st of Chinese New Year (Feb. 5, 2019)
Setting off firecrackers to chase off bad spirits is the first thing to do after people get up on the first day. After the firecrackers, it is time for the first meal of the year, which is as important as the reunion dinner for most Chinese people. Most people choose to eat dumplings, in hope of making fortune in the future, because the shape of the dumpling is similar to the gold ingots used as currency in ancient time. People in Fujian prefer to eat noodles, because the noodle is the symbol of longevity in local culture.
The first day is also a time to pay a New Year’s visit as well as send blessing to the senior members of extended families and other relatives. Now the methods of sending blessing are changing and many modern methods are used such as text messages and e-mails, as well as phone calls.
Jan. 2nd (Feb. 6, 2019)
People will worship the God of Wealth on this day. It is also the time for married daughters to visit their birth parents and relatives, because in daily life in ancient China they could not go back to their birth families. Even though daughters now can go to visit their birth parents at any time, this custom remains.
Jan. 3rd (Feb. 7, 2019)
This day is also called Goat Day, on which people cannot kill the sheep or goats. In southern China, people think quarrels can easily happen, so they do not visit each other on this day.
Jan. 5th (Feb. 9, 2019)
This day is also called Po Wu, on which people will eat dumplings and set off firecrackers.
Jan. 7th (Feb. 11, 2019)
In Chinese mythology mankind was created on this day, so this day is the birthday of humanity. On this day, people will use seven kinds of vegetables and rice to make porridge in celebrating their birthday.
|Shehuo Parade || |
|Xian City Wall Lantern Show |
Jan 15th (Feb. 19, 2019)
The fifteenth day, also referred to Lantern Festival
, is the end of the Spring Festival activities and all things are back to normal after that day. It is also the first full moon day after the grand event. On this day, people will go to enjoy different shapes of lanterns and guess lantern riddles.
In some areas in northern part of the country, Shehuo is another activity which can be seen and it attracts many people to participate and enjoy. This is a costume parade which includes different kinds of performance such as lion dance, yangko (a popular rural folk dance), land boat shows and so on. The parade is warmly welcomed by the local people.
Rice dumplings, sweet glutinous rice balls, are eaten on this day. The rice dumpling, traced back to the Song Dynasty (960-1279), has a meaning of reunion in Chinese custom and belief.
Further Reading:When is Chinese New Year?Chinese New Year Gift Ideas10 Traditions You Don't KnowPresnet-day Chinese New Year - Modern Activities