Spring Festival (春节)

Synopsis

The Spring Festival (Chinese New Year) is China's most important traditional festival with over 3,000 years of history. Inscribed on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list in 2024.

Overview

The Spring Festival (春节), also known as Chinese New Year or Lunar New Year, is the first day of the Chinese traditional calendar (lunar calendar) and the most important traditional festival for Chinese people and the broader Sinosphere. The Spring Festival has a long history, originating from ancient humans' primitive beliefs and nature worship, evolving from the year-beginning prayer ceremonies of ancient times. It has been celebrated in China for at least 3,000 years.

In ancient times, the first day of the first lunar month was called "Sui Shou," "Zheng Dan," "Yuan Ri," and other names. The official naming of the first day of the lunar new year as "Spring Festival" (春节) only began after the founding of the Republic of China in 1912. Celebrations typically begin on the 23rd day of the 12th lunar month (Little New Year) and continue until the 15th day of the first lunar month (Lantern Festival), with New Year's Eve and the first day of the new year being the most important.

In December 2024, "Spring Festival — Social Practices of the Chinese People in Celebrating the Traditional New Year" was inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

History

Main Customs

Reunion Dinner

The reunion dinner (年夜饭) is the most important family meal during the Spring Festival. The entire family gathers to share a lavish feast. The dishes vary by region, but typically include foods with auspicious meanings:

• Fish: Symbolizes "abundance year after year" (the word for fish, 鱼, sounds like "surplus")
• Dumplings (Jiaozi): Traditional in northern China, shaped like ancient Chinese gold ingots, symbolizing wealth
• Tangyuan (Glutinous Rice Balls): Traditional in southern China, symbolizing family reunion
• Nian Gao (New Year Cake): Symbolizes "progress and growth year after year"
• Longevity Noodles: Symbolizes long life

Spring Couplets and "Fu" Character

Spring couplets (春联) are the most iconic decoration during the Spring Festival. They are typically written on red paper with black or golden ink in matching poetic lines. Spring couplets are pasted on both sides of the door — the upper line on the right, the lower line on the left, with a horizontal scroll above.

The character "Fu" (福, meaning "blessing" or "good fortune") is the most common auspicious symbol during the Spring Festival. People often paste the "Fu" character upside down, as "upside down" (倒) sounds like "arrive" (到), meaning "good fortune has arrived."

CCTV Spring Festival Gala

Since 1983, China Central Television (CCTV) has broadcast the Spring Festival Gala (春晚) every New Year's Eve. This has become a new tradition for Chinese people celebrating the New Year. The Gala is the most-watched television program in China, with a global audience exceeding one billion viewers.

Cultural Significance

The Spring Festival holds a special place in Chinese culture:

• Family Reunion: The Spring Festival is the most important time for Chinese family reunions; during the festival period, billions of trips are made during the "Chunyun" (Spring Festival travel rush)
• Cultural Heritage: The Spring Festival is an important vehicle for excellent traditional Chinese culture, carrying rich cultural connotations
• Spiritual Aspirations: The Spring Festival reflects the Chinese people's yearning for a better life and their hopes for the new year
• Global Influence: The Spring Festival has become a global cultural event, with many countries and regions recognizing it as an official holiday

Practical Information

World Heritage

In December 2024, "Spring Festival — Social Practices of the Chinese People in Celebrating the Traditional New Year" was inscribed by UNESCO on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. UNESCO's evaluation noted:

• The Spring Festival is an important component of excellent traditional Chinese culture
• The social practices of the Spring Festival embody the concepts of family reunion, social harmony, and harmony between humans and nature
• The spread of the Spring Festival has promoted exchanges and mutual learning among different civilizations

References

1. Baidu Baike: https://baike.baidu.com/item/春节/136876
2. Wikipedia: https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/中国新年
3. Guangming Online: https://www.gmw.cn/xueshu/2025-01/21/content_37813207.htm
4. UNESCO: https://ich.unesco.org