Chinese New Year Customs in Guangzhou

廣東實驗中學 陳瀅瀅 指導教師：陳光偉

People in Guangzhou,or Cantonese,observe many customs during Chinese New Year.Some customs are common,like doing the spring cleaning,pasting Spring Festival scrolls（春聯）,and paying New Year calls.But some are quite different.If you plan to spend the festival in Guangzhou,try to remember the following customs.

Cantonese traditionally enjoy visiting Spring Festival flower fairs（花市）,so that they can take home a few auspicious（吉祥的）plants before Chinese New Year.Businesspeople usually buy kumquats（金橘）which symbolize good luck and riches,while single people prefer peach blossoms which they think will bring love.

Cantonese also buy food with auspicious Chinese meanings,hoping for a good start to the new year.For example,lettuce（生菜）,which sounds like making money in Cantonese,and celery（芹菜）,which sounds like diligent,etc.During the New Year’s Eve dinner,they enjoy so many dishes with auspicious names,all representing good wishes for the New Year.

Follow these customs and traditions,and you can shake off the “tourist” tag and fit right in Guangzhou.