A Time of Joy and Merrymaking

To the Chinese people， the Spring Festival， or nian， is the most important festival of the year. For centuries， this day has been celebrated wherever Chinese live. When firecrackers bang， it is time to see off the old year and usher in the new one. It is a time of joy and merry-making， whether in modern cities or ancient villages， in northeastern forests with temperatures of -40 degrees Celsius or southwestern towns with evergreen vegetation， on northern snow-covered Inner Mongolia grasslands or by the southern Yangtze River where spring is already much in the air.

What are Chinese memories about their Lunar New Year？ They can be anything from the journey back home for family reunion to happy smiles at table， from brilliant fireworks and lingering smoke to new couplets on the doors of every household， from goods of all kinds at temple fairs to the deafening sound of gongs and drums， from bouquets in the markets to red lanterns in the streets. The experience may differ， but the feeling is the same. It is all about happiness.

Temple Fairs and Village Parades

Visiting miaohui （temple fairs） is a Lunar New Year tradition， a sweet memory to almost every Chinese since childhood. Miaohui originated from religious rituals at Buddhist or Taoist temples， when monks and priests performed services to deities， and laymen came to make vows， redeem their vows or pray for blessings. Lion dances， dragon dances， “land boat” dances or stilt walking were performed to set the joyful mood， and stalls selling snacks and handicrafts also attracted a lot of visitors.

Nowadays， many temple fairs are held in parks and other open spaces. They are more like venues of marketing and entertainment shows， with less religious function.

In villages， people perform shehuo to entertain themselves. When gongs and drums are struck， the villagers will dance to the beats of the music， and the procession will wind its way through village lanes and stop at every household to bring blessings. At this moment， the whole village is permeated with a joyous atmosphere.

Shehuo originated from the worship of the God of Land （she） and the God of Fire （huo）. In an agricultural country， land is the most precious asset to people. Land produces materials to sustain the nation， and fire brings people warmth and cooked food， both essential for survival. In China’s ancient past， people worshipped land and fire and developed rituals to make offerings. As time goes by， the rituals of worship have evolved into grand self-entertaining activities for people to celebrate New Year’s Day on the Chinese lunar calendar.

Like at temple fairs， various folk dances and waist-drum performances are also popular shehuo shows.

Flower Markets

In southern China， people like to decorate their homes with flowers and plants for the New Year. Flower markets in the southern city of Guangzhou are the most bustling at this time.

Auctions begin months in advance. One week before the festival， racks display the flowers， potted or in bouquets. Promotional activities and lively music fuel the joyful atmosphere as the festival approaches.

Many flowers have symbolic meanings， especially for the Spring Festival. For instance， kumquat is believed to bring good luck， as its Chinese name jinju is homophonic to the word meaning “good luck”.Peaches are also very popular， as in Chinese culture peaches are associated with fortune. Daffodil， which is often in full bloom around this time， is favored as a good omen.

Flower fairs are also held in Ho Chi Minh City of Vietnam to welcome the Lunar New Year. The residents there like local peaches， yellow plums， chrysanthemum and kumquats.

Festive Feasts

The Spring Festival is a cultural symbol in China. In addition to praying for peace and good luck in the coming year， the Chinese feast themselves with food and drink in abundance. Eating is the major activity for most people during the holiday. There is overwhelming happiness with the family and relatives sitting round the table with steaming dishes.

Spring Festival delicacies are numerous. The sour-sweet frozen pears and crystal sugar-coated haws are sweet memories to many who grew up in North China， and to those living by the southern coast， the magic of shrimp slices puffing up in boiling oil has always been associated with the Spring Festival period.

“Finally I am home！” exclaims Lu Jianzhong as he arrives home at midnight on the eve of the Spring Festival. Greeting him is the smell of dumplings and rice cakes his mother prepared for the family. He picks one up and stuffs it in his mouth before even washing his hands.

“You cannot call it a perfect family reunion dinner if without dumplings and rice cakes my mother has made，” he says. The smell of home has been deeply imprinted in him since childhood.

Worldwide Jubilation

As more and more Chinese travel around the world to spend their Spring Festival holiday， they bring the festival to every corner of the globe， making it a day of celebration of the whole world.

On the first day of the Chinese Year of the Rooster， a ribbon-cutting ceremony marked the beginning of celebration in Chinatown in Yangon， Myanmar’s largest city. The event was attended by a large number of Chinese nationals living in Myanmar， who were joined by Chinese Ambassador Hong Liang， Yangon Region Chief Minister U Phyo Min Thein and Patron of the ruling National League for Democracy Party U Tin Oo.

Red lanterns and brightly painted archways decorated the streets. Teachers of Chinese language schools displayed their works of calligraphy， painting and decorative Chinese knots. They also taught visitors from around the world to make tea， paper-cuts and other Chinese handicrafts.

Joining the festivities were 60 lion dance groups and six dragon dance teams. Teachers and students of Chinese language schools dressed up in elaborate costume and paraded down the streets， attracting crowds of watchers on the sides. This was the grandest celebration in Chinatown in decades.

In Thailand， the Spring Festival is also an important day. The Tourism Authority of Thailand supported the Chinese communities who celebrated the Year of the Rooster in their own way. Celebrations of all kinds continued from Jan. 21 to Feb. 5.

Similar activities included a tourism festival organized by Chinese Ministry of Culture and Embassy in Thailand as well as Thai authorities of tourism and sports. A “2017 Spring Festival Temple Fair” and piano concert were sponsored by the Chinese Cultural Center and Central World Plaza in Bangkok and the Department of Culture of China’s Henan Province.

Chinese customs of celebration were also exhibited at 15 Confucius Institutes and 11 Confucius Classes in Thailand， and special activities were organized for the students to personally experience the Spring Festival atmosphere.