Among China’s traditional holidays and celebrations, none ranks higher in importance than the Lunar New Year (農曆新年). Also known as the Spring Festival (春節), or simply Chinese New Year, it marks the beginning of the year according to the traditional lunar calendar.
The Lunar New Year usually starts sometime between late January and mid-February. In 2022, it falls on Feb. 1. In mainland China, official celebrations last for seven days as a public holiday.
As a scholar of Chinese religious history and culture, what fascinates me the most is how the celebrations are a reminder of the longevity and vibrancy of traditional Chinese culture.
Food, gifts and celebrations
At its core, the Lunar New Year is a celebration that brings the family together. Preparations start a week in advance and include cleaning and decorating the home, as well as shopping, especially for gifts and provisions, and food preparation.
A central event is the family dinner at the New Year’s eve. The choice of dishes varies, reflecting family customs and local culinary traditions. Often it includes dumplings, spring rolls, cakes, fish and pork dishes. There is also a fair amount of drinking, especially traditional wines or liquor. Many of the dishes are assigned symbolic meanings. For instance, dumplings are given the shape of gold ingots, to invoke good fortune.
Other customs associated with the New Year celebrations include the giving of red envelopes containing money, usually by elders to younger members of the family. The red color, which is also featured prominently in New Year decorations, symbolize prosperity and good fortune.
Traditionally, families and local communities burn firecrackers to mark the new year and ward off monsters. According to legend, the origin of the practice goes back to a story about a monster called Nian, who is believed to have been causing great harm to some villages. In response, the villagers are said to have started off explosions to scare off the monster, and the practice caught on. However, more recently the government has been cracking down on this traditional practice, on the grounds of it being dangerous and polluting.
Year of the tiger
This new year is known as the year of the tiger. In Chinese culture, the tiger is considered to be the foremost among all beasts and serves as a potent symbol of power, majesty, vigor and bravery.
According to the Chinese zodiac signs, each year in the lunar cycle is associated with a particular animal. This is a 12-year cycle that repeats itself. Thus, there are 12 animals associated with each year in the cycle. These are the rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog and pig.
Among the popular myths about the origins of the Chinese zodiac, there is one about a great race initiated by the Jade Emperor, the ruler of heaven, in order to measure time. As the rat won the race, it came to be listed as first among the 12 animals of the zodiac. The order of the other 11 animals reflected their final position in the race.
Each of the 12 zodiac animals came to represent certain characteristics believed to shape the personalities of individuals born in those years. For the tiger, the positive qualities noted above can also mix with negative traits, such as a propensity to be thoughtless or overly ambitious.
Origins of the lunar calendar
Traditionally, the Chinese have followed their native lunar calendar, which is based on observations and measurements of astronomical phenomena. While modern China adopted the Gregorian calendar in 1912, traditional festivals such as the New Year still follow the old lunar calendar.
The origins of the lunar calendar may go back to the dawn of Chinese civilization, traditionally associated with the legendary Xia dynasty that ruled from 2070 to 1600 B.C. The origins of the actual New Year celebrations are also not entirely clear; some scholars believe they likely go back to the rule of the Shang dynasty from 1600 to 1050 B.C.
Religiosity and New Year’s gala
While the New Year is generally centered around the general theme of family bonding, religious observances are also an integral part of the festivities. These include domestically oriented rituals associated with popular Chinese deities, such as the Kitchen God and the God of Wealth. Family members also make offerings and engage in other rituals related to ancestor worship. Commonly, these include food offerings and the burning of incense at home altars.
During this period, many people go to Buddhist or Taoist temples, as well as other places of worship. They engage in traditional forms of piety, including offering incense and praying for good luck and fortune. Large temples tend to become very busy, with long lines of worshipers often waiting for hours in order to offer their first incense of the year.
A modern element in ushering the New Year is watching the New Year’s Gala, a popular variety show that features singing, dancing, comedy and drama. It first aired in 1983, and ever since it has been broadcast to a countrywide audience by CCTV, the national TV broadcaster. It is the most watched television program in the world, with an audience that can reach as high as a billion viewers.
Largest human migration
Over the recent decades, China has experienced drastic demographic changes, especially the migration of large rural populations into big urban centers. China’s one-child policy also brought about major changes in family structure, as most families were restricted to having only one child, which in turn made each child a center of attention and hope for the family.
This has had far-reaching effects on traditional customs and observances. Among the primary drivers of these developments are the significant changes in family structure and function. Millions of rural children are living with their grandparents or relatives, while their parents work in faraway cities.
Consequently, the Lunar New Year brings about the largest human migration in the world, as millions of students and migrant workers do their best to get back to their homes and families. During this period, trains, buses and planes are packed with travelers, and tickets must be booked well in advance.
This year’s celebrations have been impacted by travel restrictions and other strict measures imposed by the Chinese government in its efforts to control the COVID-19 pandemic. China is also hosting the Winter Olympics, which bring further restrictions to the movement of people due to a heightened emphasis on preventing incidents that might reflect negatively on China’s international image.
Celebrations outside of China
The Lunar New Year is also celebrated in other parts of Asia, including Vietnam and Singapore, as well as across the world. Usually, these celebrations have some unique features or assume local character. For instance, in Vietnam, where the festival is known as Tết, there is the preparation of various local dishes, along with the holding of parades and public performances.
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In the U.S. and Australia, where there are substantial ethnically Chinese populations in cities such as San Francisco, New York and Sydney, Chinese New Year festivals and parades are held each year. Some of them feature the traditional Dragon Dances, which highlight the communal aspect of New Year festivities.
Over the centuries, the coming together for the New Year celebration has remained an important part of the cultural heritage for Chinese families, connecting the past to the present, wherever they might happen to be.
Mario Poceski does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license.
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China’s biggest holiday: The Lunar New Year and how it is celebrated
Jeff J Mitchell // Getty Images
Also known as the Lunar New Year, Chinese New Year celebrations are a 15-day extravaganza of cultural events and traditions that are celebrated worldwide. While many regard it as a Chinese tradition, the Lunar New Year is celebrated across a variety of Asian cultures, including Korean, Thai, Singaporean, Taiwanese, Malaysian, Indonesian, and Filipino cultures. Additionally, Lunar New Year celebrations happen in Chinatowns across the world, with notable events in New York City, London, Sydney, and Vancouver. Chinese New Year festivities have become an attraction around the world, drawing tourists who are eager to partake in celebrations.
For observers of the lunar calendar, the new year marks a point of growth, a chance to reset, and renewed hope for a prosperous future. The tradition of celebrating the Chinese New Year is believed to have begun during the Shang dynasty as a spring carnival that welcomed the season and paid tribute to the gods and ancestors. Since then, the holiday has developed robust traditions that include special foods, vibrant performances, and firework shows. While some customs have become synonymous with the celebration of the Chinese New Year, such as red decorations and the famous lantern festival, others focus on the unique traditions of the individual locales and cultures. Though these customs can vary by region, the spirit of hope and good fortune unites all cultures that celebrate the Lunar New Year.
In celebration of the Chinese New Year, Stacker compiled a collection of 30 incredible images showcasing the diverse traditions of the celebration. Keep reading to learn more about these traditions in practice.
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Jeff J Mitchell // Getty Images
Also known as the Lunar New Year, Chinese New Year celebrations are a 15-day extravaganza of cultural events and traditions that are celebrated worldwide. While many regard it as a Chinese tradition, the Lunar New Year is celebrated across a variety of Asian cultures, including Korean, Thai, Singaporean, Taiwanese, Malaysian, Indonesian, and Filipino cultures. Additionally, Lunar New Year celebrations happen in Chinatowns across the world, with notable events in New York City, London, Sydney, and Vancouver. Chinese New Year festivities have become an attraction around the world, drawing tourists who are eager to partake in celebrations.
For observers of the lunar calendar, the new year marks a point of growth, a chance to reset, and renewed hope for a prosperous future. The tradition of celebrating the Chinese New Year is believed to have begun during the Shang dynasty as a spring carnival that welcomed the season and paid tribute to the gods and ancestors. Since then, the holiday has developed robust traditions that include special foods, vibrant performances, and firework shows. While some customs have become synonymous with the celebration of the Chinese New Year, such as red decorations and the famous lantern festival, others focus on the unique traditions of the individual locales and cultures. Though these customs can vary by region, the spirit of hope and good fortune unites all cultures that celebrate the Lunar New Year.
In celebration of the Chinese New Year, Stacker compiled a collection of 30 incredible images showcasing the diverse traditions of the celebration. Keep reading to learn more about these traditions in practice.
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China’s biggest holiday: The Lunar New Year and how it is celebrated
Kevin Frayer // Getty Images
Red is the color of luck in Chinese culture, and these traditional red lanterns are an essential decoration when ushering in the new year. The lanterns feature hand-painted characters wishing health, peace, and prosperity for the upcoming year. Hanging lanterns for the Chinese New Year is a 500-year-old tradition, originating during the Han dynasty. Here, a Chinese worker hangs freshly hand-painted red lanterns up to dry in the village of Tuntou in Hebei province, China. Tuntou is a village famous for its production of red lanterns.
Kevin Frayer // Getty Images
Red is the color of luck in Chinese culture, and these traditional red lanterns are an essential decoration when ushering in the new year. The lanterns feature hand-painted characters wishing health, peace, and prosperity for the upcoming year. Hanging lanterns for the Chinese New Year is a 500-year-old tradition, originating during the Han dynasty. Here, a Chinese worker hangs freshly hand-painted red lanterns up to dry in the village of Tuntou in Hebei province, China. Tuntou is a village famous for its production of red lanterns.
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China’s biggest holiday: The Lunar New Year and how it is celebrated
STR/AFP // Getty Images
As the new year approaches, the New Year’s markets open annually in the streets with stalls offering red envelopes with custom calligraphy, decorations, flowers, and other traditional wears for New Year’s celebrations. These markets are usually open a few days in advance of New Year’s Eve. Pictured here, two women consider decorations for their Lunar New Year celebrations at a market in Yiwu in China’s eastern Zhejiang province.
STR/AFP // Getty Images
As the new year approaches, the New Year’s markets open annually in the streets with stalls offering red envelopes with custom calligraphy, decorations, flowers, and other traditional wears for New Year’s celebrations. These markets are usually open a few days in advance of New Year’s Eve. Pictured here, two women consider decorations for their Lunar New Year celebrations at a market in Yiwu in China’s eastern Zhejiang province.
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China’s biggest holiday: The Lunar New Year and how it is celebrated
HOANG DINH NAM/AFP // Getty Images
The Chinese culture, as well as other Asian cultures, including Vietnamese culture, observe the lunar calendar. For millennia, the passage of time has been closely linked in the Chinese culture to the cyclical pattern of agriculture. For this reason, the lunar calendar is also referred to as the agriculture calendar or the old calendar. This picture shows customers shopping for a variety of lunar calendars in front of a bookstore in downtown Hanoi in Vietnam.
HOANG DINH NAM/AFP // Getty Images
The Chinese culture, as well as other Asian cultures, including Vietnamese culture, observe the lunar calendar. For millennia, the passage of time has been closely linked in the Chinese culture to the cyclical pattern of agriculture. For this reason, the lunar calendar is also referred to as the agriculture calendar or the old calendar. This picture shows customers shopping for a variety of lunar calendars in front of a bookstore in downtown Hanoi in Vietnam.
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China’s biggest holiday: The Lunar New Year and how it is celebrated
ELAINE YU/AFP // Getty Images
An incoming new year is a time to start anticipating what is ahead. Feng shui consultations are called upon during this time to predict and navigate the new Chinese zodiac year. In large cities like Hong Kong, people from all socioeconomic backgrounds consult Feng shui practitioners to consult about the new year. Here, Feng shui master Thierry Chow uses a luopan, or Chinese compass, at her office in Hong Kong ahead of the new year.
ELAINE YU/AFP // Getty Images
An incoming new year is a time to start anticipating what is ahead. Feng shui consultations are called upon during this time to predict and navigate the new Chinese zodiac year. In large cities like Hong Kong, people from all socioeconomic backgrounds consult Feng shui practitioners to consult about the new year. Here, Feng shui master Thierry Chow uses a luopan, or Chinese compass, at her office in Hong Kong ahead of the new year.
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China’s biggest holiday: The Lunar New Year and how it is celebrated
HOANG DINH NAM/AFP // Getty Images
At the New Year’s markets, calligraphers sell decorative banners and envelopes with couplets wishing luck, prosperity, and good health for the new year. This photo is of a calligrapher outside the Temple of Literature in downtown Hanoi in Vietnam in preparation for the Vietnamese Lunar New Year or Tet.
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HOANG DINH NAM/AFP // Getty Images
At the New Year’s markets, calligraphers sell decorative banners and envelopes with couplets wishing luck, prosperity, and good health for the new year. This photo is of a calligrapher outside the Temple of Literature in downtown Hanoi in Vietnam in preparation for the Vietnamese Lunar New Year or Tet.
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China’s biggest holiday: The Lunar New Year and how it is celebrated
Alex Ogle/AFP // Getty Images
Money-filled red envelopes, known as ang pows, are a customary gift given out primarily to children and teenagers at familial New Year’s Day feasts. They can also be given out to friends and family as a celebratory gift. Above is a photo of Hong Kong Exchange Chairman Chow Chung-kong handing out a red envelope after the first day of trading began after the Lunar New Year holiday in Hong Kong in 2014.
Alex Ogle/AFP // Getty Images
Money-filled red envelopes, known as ang pows, are a customary gift given out primarily to children and teenagers at familial New Year’s Day feasts. They can also be given out to friends and family as a celebratory gift. Above is a photo of Hong Kong Exchange Chairman Chow Chung-kong handing out a red envelope after the first day of trading began after the Lunar New Year holiday in Hong Kong in 2014.
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China’s biggest holiday: The Lunar New Year and how it is celebrated
STR/AFP // Getty Images
The Lunar New Year is the world’s largest annual mass migration, and Chinese residents rush to train stations to secure tickets to see friends and family (as seen in the photo of a Beijing railway station above). The 40-day travel rush, also known as Chunyun, begins in mid-January and goes through to mid-February.
STR/AFP // Getty Images
The Lunar New Year is the world’s largest annual mass migration, and Chinese residents rush to train stations to secure tickets to see friends and family (as seen in the photo of a Beijing railway station above). The 40-day travel rush, also known as Chunyun, begins in mid-January and goes through to mid-February.
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China’s biggest holiday: The Lunar New Year and how it is celebrated
Carl Court // Getty Images
Preparing special New Year’s foods is an essential tradition in Chinese culture. Customary foods, like many of the other New Year’s traditions, are meant to give blessings for the new year. Here, a London Chinatown restaurant prepares for New Year’s Day customers by making customary dumplings. Along with dumplings, spring rolls, noodles, and steamed fish are traditional foods prepared for the large annual feasts.
Carl Court // Getty Images
Preparing special New Year’s foods is an essential tradition in Chinese culture. Customary foods, like many of the other New Year’s traditions, are meant to give blessings for the new year. Here, a London Chinatown restaurant prepares for New Year’s Day customers by making customary dumplings. Along with dumplings, spring rolls, noodles, and steamed fish are traditional foods prepared for the large annual feasts.
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China’s biggest holiday: The Lunar New Year and how it is celebrated
Chris McGrath // Getty Images
Oranges and tangerines are a symbol of luck and good fortune and make great gifts for loved ones for the new year. The gold color of their skin is symbolic of prosperity in Chinese culture. Above, Singaporeans shop for tangerines and oranges at a street stall ahead of their New Year’s celebrations.
Chris McGrath // Getty Images
Oranges and tangerines are a symbol of luck and good fortune and make great gifts for loved ones for the new year. The gold color of their skin is symbolic of prosperity in Chinese culture. Above, Singaporeans shop for tangerines and oranges at a street stall ahead of their New Year’s celebrations.
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China’s biggest holiday: The Lunar New Year and how it is celebrated
TANG CHHIN SOTHY/AFP // Getty Images
In some countries, it is traditional to burn sugarcane stalks with paper offerings for the dead on the ninth day of celebrations. On this ninth day, families either gather at the temple or their home’s alter to burn the stalks of long uncut sugarcane along with paper offerings and other fruits as a tribute to their ancestors. Pictured above, shoppers buy sugarcane in front of a temple to mark the start of the Lunar New Year in Kandal, Cambodia.
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TANG CHHIN SOTHY/AFP // Getty Images
In some countries, it is traditional to burn sugarcane stalks with paper offerings for the dead on the ninth day of celebrations. On this ninth day, families either gather at the temple or their home’s alter to burn the stalks of long uncut sugarcane along with paper offerings and other fruits as a tribute to their ancestors. Pictured above, shoppers buy sugarcane in front of a temple to mark the start of the Lunar New Year in Kandal, Cambodia.
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China’s biggest holiday: The Lunar New Year and how it is celebrated
David McNew // Getty Images
The tradition of honoring gods and ancestors typically starts at 11 p.m. on New Year’s Eve, followed by a celebratory feast. Honoring gods and ancestors are a way for people to honor their heritage and is based on the belief that deceased family members look over their family and have an influence on their future prosperity. Here, Los Angeles celebrants welcome the new year with offerings of blessings to the deities during a midnight ceremony at the Chua Thien Hau Temple in Chinatown.
David McNew // Getty Images
The tradition of honoring gods and ancestors typically starts at 11 p.m. on New Year’s Eve, followed by a celebratory feast. Honoring gods and ancestors are a way for people to honor their heritage and is based on the belief that deceased family members look over their family and have an influence on their future prosperity. Here, Los Angeles celebrants welcome the new year with offerings of blessings to the deities during a midnight ceremony at the Chua Thien Hau Temple in Chinatown.
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China’s biggest holiday: The Lunar New Year and how it is celebrated
Wang He // Getty Images
The reunion feast is regarded as one of the most important traditions during the Lunar New Year. Also called Tuan Nian or Wei Lu, the reunion feast is named as such because all children are to return to their families for a meal of symbolic food to usher in a prosperous new year. Photographed is a feast made up of traditional dishes during a Lunar New Year gathering in Wuhan, Hubei province, China.
Wang He // Getty Images
The reunion feast is regarded as one of the most important traditions during the Lunar New Year. Also called Tuan Nian or Wei Lu, the reunion feast is named as such because all children are to return to their families for a meal of symbolic food to usher in a prosperous new year. Photographed is a feast made up of traditional dishes during a Lunar New Year gathering in Wuhan, Hubei province, China.
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China’s biggest holiday: The Lunar New Year and how it is celebrated
China Photos // Getty Images
On the night of New Year’s Eve, in Chinese tradition, children are allowed to stay up late, and all of the lights in the homes are to be on through the night. At midnight, a big show of fireworks bids the past year farewell and ushers in the new year. Pictured above, people watch firework displays to mark the Chinese New Year beside the Pearl River in Guangzhou, China.
China Photos // Getty Images
On the night of New Year’s Eve, in Chinese tradition, children are allowed to stay up late, and all of the lights in the homes are to be on through the night. At midnight, a big show of fireworks bids the past year farewell and ushers in the new year. Pictured above, people watch firework displays to mark the Chinese New Year beside the Pearl River in Guangzhou, China.
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China’s biggest holiday: The Lunar New Year and how it is celebrated
Kevin Frayer // Getty Images
The dragon dance dates back to the Han dynasty, initially for the purpose of worshipping ancestors. However, by the Tang dynasty, the dragon dance became a celebratory dance for the new year, symbolizing wisdom, power, wealth, and, most importantly, luck. In this photo, Chinese dragon dancers perform at a fair at a local park on the fifth day of the Chinese Lunar New Year in Beijing, China.
Kevin Frayer // Getty Images
The dragon dance dates back to the Han dynasty, initially for the purpose of worshipping ancestors. However, by the Tang dynasty, the dragon dance became a celebratory dance for the new year, symbolizing wisdom, power, wealth, and, most importantly, luck. In this photo, Chinese dragon dancers perform at a fair at a local park on the fifth day of the Chinese Lunar New Year in Beijing, China.
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China’s biggest holiday: The Lunar New Year and how it is celebrated
Cancan Chu // Getty Images
The tradition of lighting firecrackers during Chinese New Year celebrations is intended to scare off an evil monster named Nian, who would come out to eat villagers and destroy their houses on New Year’s Eve. Here, a firework goes off on the eve of the Chinese New Year in Jinzhai County, Anhui province of China.
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Cancan Chu // Getty Images
The tradition of lighting firecrackers during Chinese New Year celebrations is intended to scare off an evil monster named Nian, who would come out to eat villagers and destroy their houses on New Year’s Eve. Here, a firework goes off on the eve of the Chinese New Year in Jinzhai County, Anhui province of China.
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China’s biggest holiday: The Lunar New Year and how it is celebrated
Alex Ogle/AFP // Getty Images
Early on the morning of New Year’s Day, children awaken to open their red envelopes, and the family goes door to door, greeting their relatives and neighbors. After this, many families head to the temple to pray. As shown above, a man prays at the Tin Hau Temple in the Yau Ma Tei area of Hong Kong on the fourth day of the Lunar New Year holiday.
Alex Ogle/AFP // Getty Images
Early on the morning of New Year’s Day, children awaken to open their red envelopes, and the family goes door to door, greeting their relatives and neighbors. After this, many families head to the temple to pray. As shown above, a man prays at the Tin Hau Temple in the Yau Ma Tei area of Hong Kong on the fourth day of the Lunar New Year holiday.
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China’s biggest holiday: The Lunar New Year and how it is celebrated
GREG BAKER/AFP // Getty Images
On New Year’s Day morning, families visit the temple to pray to the god of wealth, Tsai Shen, offering incense and inviting the god into their homes. Firecrackers are lit again to welcome Tsai Shen in the new year. Pictured above, people pray and burn incense for good luck at the Lama Temple in Beijing.
GREG BAKER/AFP // Getty Images
On New Year’s Day morning, families visit the temple to pray to the god of wealth, Tsai Shen, offering incense and inviting the god into their homes. Firecrackers are lit again to welcome Tsai Shen in the new year. Pictured above, people pray and burn incense for good luck at the Lama Temple in Beijing.
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China’s biggest holiday: The Lunar New Year and how it is celebrated
MARK RALSTON/AFP // Getty Images
It is customary for worshippers to hang red ribbons on their temple doors to bring luck and prosperity. Here, Chinese prayer ribbons hang from a door at the Baoshan Temple in the Chinese border, Dandong.
MARK RALSTON/AFP // Getty Images
It is customary for worshippers to hang red ribbons on their temple doors to bring luck and prosperity. Here, Chinese prayer ribbons hang from a door at the Baoshan Temple in the Chinese border, Dandong.
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China’s biggest holiday: The Lunar New Year and how it is celebrated
China Photos // Getty Images
During celebrations at temples, it’s customary to throw coins into a well to wish for a year of good fortune and to please the god of wealth. Even tourists can participate in the tradition, with many coin vendors selling coins nearby. Above, a tourist buys coins at the White Cloud Temple in Beijing, China.
China Photos // Getty Images
During celebrations at temples, it’s customary to throw coins into a well to wish for a year of good fortune and to please the god of wealth. Even tourists can participate in the tradition, with many coin vendors selling coins nearby. Above, a tourist buys coins at the White Cloud Temple in Beijing, China.
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China’s biggest holiday: The Lunar New Year and how it is celebrated
Jack Taylor // Getty Images
This traditional dance is performed on big occasions, including New Year’s. This dance is intended to bring luck while also chasing away evil spirits. The lion itself symbolizes power, wisdom, and superiority. Here, performers take part in a lion dance during the Chinese New Year parade in London, England.
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Jack Taylor // Getty Images
This traditional dance is performed on big occasions, including New Year’s. This dance is intended to bring luck while also chasing away evil spirits. The lion itself symbolizes power, wisdom, and superiority. Here, performers take part in a lion dance during the Chinese New Year parade in London, England.
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China’s biggest holiday: The Lunar New Year and how it is celebrated
Jeff J Mitchell // Getty Images
New Year’s brings with it various parades over approximately 15 days of celebrations. Chinese New Year parades happen across the world, with performers dressing up to represent the incoming zodiac year or performing lion and dragon dances. Pictured above, parade performers dress up to welcome the Year of the Monkey in 2016 in Glasgow, Scotland.
Jeff J Mitchell // Getty Images
New Year’s brings with it various parades over approximately 15 days of celebrations. Chinese New Year parades happen across the world, with performers dressing up to represent the incoming zodiac year or performing lion and dragon dances. Pictured above, parade performers dress up to welcome the Year of the Monkey in 2016 in Glasgow, Scotland.
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China’s biggest holiday: The Lunar New Year and how it is celebrated
Robertus Pudyanto // Getty Images
One way that celebrating countries pay tribute to their ancient folklore is by performing reenactments during celebrations. Folk pageantry customs can vary depending on the culture, but it’s a fun way for people to celebrate their ancient stories. As shown above, Cai Shen Ye (God of Fortune) gives red pockets to worshipers at the Hong San Ko Tee Temple during celebrations in Surabaya, Indonesia.
Robertus Pudyanto // Getty Images
One way that celebrating countries pay tribute to their ancient folklore is by performing reenactments during celebrations. Folk pageantry customs can vary depending on the culture, but it’s a fun way for people to celebrate their ancient stories. As shown above, Cai Shen Ye (God of Fortune) gives red pockets to worshipers at the Hong San Ko Tee Temple during celebrations in Surabaya, Indonesia.
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China’s biggest holiday: The Lunar New Year and how it is celebrated
Ulet Ifansasti // Getty Images
The wishing tree is another Chinese tradition that is intended to usher in good luck for the year. Both tourists and locals flock to temples to write down their wishes for the new year on paper. The paper is then tied to an orange (for extra luck) and thrown onto the tree’s branches. According to legend, if the orange successfully sticks in the branches, the wish will come true. Above, people throw their wishes at a wishing tree as the community celebrates in Semarang, Indonesia.
Ulet Ifansasti // Getty Images
The wishing tree is another Chinese tradition that is intended to usher in good luck for the year. Both tourists and locals flock to temples to write down their wishes for the new year on paper. The paper is then tied to an orange (for extra luck) and thrown onto the tree’s branches. According to legend, if the orange successfully sticks in the branches, the wish will come true. Above, people throw their wishes at a wishing tree as the community celebrates in Semarang, Indonesia.
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China’s biggest holiday: The Lunar New Year and how it is celebrated
Guang Niu // Getty Images
The night market is a temporary market that allows all who celebrate to gather and share meals, enjoy performances, and shop. In this photo, residents visit a night market to mark the Chinese New Year in Guangzhou, Guangdong province, China.
Guang Niu // Getty Images
The night market is a temporary market that allows all who celebrate to gather and share meals, enjoy performances, and shop. In this photo, residents visit a night market to mark the Chinese New Year in Guangzhou, Guangdong province, China.
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China’s biggest holiday: The Lunar New Year and how it is celebrated
MANAN VATSYAYANA/AFP // Getty Images
Chinese New Year has several cultural attractions that draw in tourists from around the world, keen to participate in the ancient traditions of the Lunar New Year. In Singapore, pineapple tarts attract hungry travelers, while Malaysia boasts one of the oldest and largest temples. Pictured above, devotees arrive to offer prayers at Malaysia’s famous Thean Hou temple decorated with red lanterns in Kuala Lumpur.
[Pictured: Devotees arrive to offer prayers at the Thean Hou temple decorated with red lanterns in Kuala Lumpur.]
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MANAN VATSYAYANA/AFP // Getty Images
Chinese New Year has several cultural attractions that draw in tourists from around the world, keen to participate in the ancient traditions of the Lunar New Year. In Singapore, pineapple tarts attract hungry travelers, while Malaysia boasts one of the oldest and largest temples. Pictured above, devotees arrive to offer prayers at Malaysia’s famous Thean Hou temple decorated with red lanterns in Kuala Lumpur.
[Pictured: Devotees arrive to offer prayers at the Thean Hou temple decorated with red lanterns in Kuala Lumpur.]
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China’s biggest holiday: The Lunar New Year and how it is celebrated
PHILIPPE LOPEZ/AFP // Getty Images
In addition to the many parades and dances performed within the days-long celebrations, there are also cultural performances, including operas, stilts acts, and ballets. Here, an actor performs a Cantonese opera in Hong Kong during New Year Celebrations.
PHILIPPE LOPEZ/AFP // Getty Images
In addition to the many parades and dances performed within the days-long celebrations, there are also cultural performances, including operas, stilts acts, and ballets. Here, an actor performs a Cantonese opera in Hong Kong during New Year Celebrations.
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China’s biggest holiday: The Lunar New Year and how it is celebrated
Lintao Zhang // Getty Images
While the Chinese New Year is celebrated worldwide, every country and region has its own unique traditions. This Chinese blacksmith, pictured above, is preparing to throw the molten metal against a cold stone wall to create sparks that appear like fireworks in Nuanquan, Hebei Province, China. This is just one example of a regional tradition to bring in the new year.
Lintao Zhang // Getty Images
While the Chinese New Year is celebrated worldwide, every country and region has its own unique traditions. This Chinese blacksmith, pictured above, is preparing to throw the molten metal against a cold stone wall to create sparks that appear like fireworks in Nuanquan, Hebei Province, China. This is just one example of a regional tradition to bring in the new year.
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China’s biggest holiday: The Lunar New Year and how it is celebrated
FRED DUFOUR/AFP // Getty Images
New Year’s is nothing if not a time to spend with the whole family. Because of this, many of the celebratory traditions involve children, including the maze at the Tang Paradise Park (pictured above) in Xi’an, China. Parades, markets, and performances are often intended to include the whole family.
FRED DUFOUR/AFP // Getty Images
New Year’s is nothing if not a time to spend with the whole family. Because of this, many of the celebratory traditions involve children, including the maze at the Tang Paradise Park (pictured above) in Xi’an, China. Parades, markets, and performances are often intended to include the whole family.
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China’s biggest holiday: The Lunar New Year and how it is celebrated
AFP // Getty Images
In some cultures, as the celebrations wind down, people participate in the tradition of jumping over a bonfire. This signifies leaping into the new year and leaving the old year behind. Pictured here are people jumping over the bonfire to celebrate the lantern festival in Haikou, China.
AFP // Getty Images
In some cultures, as the celebrations wind down, people participate in the tradition of jumping over a bonfire. This signifies leaping into the new year and leaving the old year behind. Pictured here are people jumping over the bonfire to celebrate the lantern festival in Haikou, China.
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China’s biggest holiday: The Lunar New Year and how it is celebrated
PATRICK LIN/AFP // Getty Images
The last day of Chinese New Year is marked with the lantern festival on the first full moon of the new year. The festival marks the reunion of family and the return of spring and can be traced back to 2,000 years ago during the Han dynasty. Lanterns are decorated with drawings and wishes for the new year and then lit to float off into the sky. Above, Taiwanese bystanders watch as a string of sky lanterns are released in Taipei, Taiwan.
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PATRICK LIN/AFP // Getty Images
The last day of Chinese New Year is marked with the lantern festival on the first full moon of the new year. The festival marks the reunion of family and the return of spring and can be traced back to 2,000 years ago during the Han dynasty. Lanterns are decorated with drawings and wishes for the new year and then lit to float off into the sky. Above, Taiwanese bystanders watch as a string of sky lanterns are released in Taipei, Taiwan.
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