Chinese New Year (Spring Festival)

Chinese New Year, also known as the Spring Festival, is the most significant traditional holiday in China, with a history spanning over 4,000 years. Its origins are deeply rooted in ancient agrarian society, where people celebrated the end of winter and the beginning of spring. According to legend, the festival began as a way to scare away a mythical beast called Nian, which would come on New Year's Eve to devour livestock and villagers. The Chinese calendar is lunisolar, so the date varies each year; in 2026, it falls on February 17, marking the Year of the Horse, the seventh animal in the 12-year zodiac cycle. The horse symbolizes speed, perseverance, and vitality in Chinese culture.

Celebrations typically last 15 days, beginning with family reunions on New Year's Eve. Homes are thoroughly cleaned to sweep away bad luck, then decorated with red paper cutouts, couplets, and lanterns symbolizing good fortune. The most important tradition is the New Year's Eve dinner, featuring auspicious dishes like dumplings (representing wealth), fish (symbolizing surplus), and niangao (glutinous rice cake for prosperity). Adults give children red envelopes (hongbao) filled with money for luck. Fireworks and firecrackers are set off to scare away evil spirits, while lion and dragon dances fill the streets. On the first day, people visit elders and exchange greetings such as 'Xin Nian Kuai Le' (Happy New Year) or 'Gong Xi Fa Cai' (Wishing You Wealth). The festival culminates with the Lantern Festival on the 15th night, where colorful lanterns are displayed and tangyuan (sweet rice balls) are eaten.