TheSpringFestivalisthemostimportantfestivalfortheChinesepeopleandiswhenallfamilymembersgettogether,justlikeChristmasintheWest.Allpeoplelivingawayfromhomegoback,becomingthebusiesttimefortransportationsystemsofabouthalfamonthfromtheSpringFestival.Airports,railwaystationsandlong-distancebusstationsarecrowdedwithhomereturnees.
TheSpringFestivalfallsonthe1stdayofthe1stlunarmonth,oftenonemonthlaterthantheGregoriancalendar.ItoriginatedintheShangDynasty(c.1600BC-c.1100BC)fromthepeople'ssacrificetogodsandancestorsattheendofanoldyearandthebeginningofanewone.
Strictlyspeaking,theSpringFestivalstartseveryyearintheearlydaysofthe12thlunarmonthandwilllasttillthemid1stlunarmonthofthenextyear.Ofthem,themostimportantdaysareSpringFestivalEveandthefirstthreedays.TheChinesegovernmentnowstipulatespeoplehavesevendaysofffortheChineseLunarNewYear.
ManycustomsaccompanytheSpringFestival.Somearestillfollowedtoday,butothershaveweakened.
Onthe8thdayofthe12thlunarmonth,manyfamiliesmakelabaporridge,adeliciouskindofporridgemadewithglutinousrice,millet,seedsofJob'stears,jujubeberries,lotusseeds,beans,longanandgingko.
The23rddayofthe12thlunarmonthiscalledPreliminaryEve.Atthistime,peopleoffersacrificetothekitchengod.Nowhowever,mostfamiliesmakedeliciousfoodtoenjoythemselves.
AfterthePreliminaryEve,peoplebeginpreparingforthecomingNewYear.Thisiscalled"SeeingtheNewYearin".
StoreownersarebusythenaseverybodygoesouttopurchasenecessitiesfortheNewYear.Materialsnotonlyincludeedibleoil,rice,flour,chicken,duck,fishandmeat,butalsofruit,candiesandkindsofnuts.What'smore,variousdecorations,newclothesandshoesforthechildrenaswellasgiftsfortheelderly,friendsandrelatives,areallonthelistofpurchasing.
BeforetheNewYearcomes,thepeoplecompletelycleantheindoorsandoutdoorsoftheirhomesaswellastheirclothes,bedclothesandalltheirutensils.
Thenpeoplebegindecoratingtheircleanroomsfeaturinganatmosphereofrejoicingandfestivity.AllthedoorpanelswillbepastedwithSpringFestivalcouplets,highlightingChinesecalligraphywithblackcharactersonredpaper.Thecontentvariesfromhouseowners'wishesforabrightfuturetogoodluckfortheNewYear.Also,picturesofthegodofdoorsandwealthwillbepostedonfrontdoorstowardoffevilspiritsandwelcomepeaceandabundance.
TheChinesecharacter"fu"(meaningblessingorhappiness)isamust.Thecharacterputonpapercanbepastednormallyorupsidedown,forinChinesethe"reversedfu"ishomophonicwith"fucomes",bothbeingpronouncedas"fudaole."What'smore,twobigredlanternscanberaisedonbothsidesofthefrontdoor.Redpaper-cuttingscanbeseenonwindowglassandbrightlycoloredNewYearpaintingswithauspiciousmeaningsmaybeputonthewall.
PeopleattachgreatimportancetoSpringFestivalEve.Atthattime,allfamilymemberseatdinnertogether.Themealismoreluxuriousthanusual.Dishessuchaschicken,fishandbeancurdcannotbeexcluded,forinChinese,theirpronunciations,respectively"ji","yu"and"doufu,"meanauspiciousness,abundanceandrichness.Afterthedinner,thewholefamilywillsittogether,chattingandwatchingTV.Inrecentyears,theSpringFestivalpartybroadcastonChinaCentralTelevisionStation(CCTV)isessentialentertainmentfortheChinesebothathomeandabroad.Accordingtocustom,eachfamilywillstayuptoseetheNewYearin.
WakinguponNewYear,everybodydressesup.Firsttheyextendgreetingstotheirparents.TheneachchildwillgetmoneyasaNewYeargift,wrappedupinredpaper.PeopleinnorthernChinawilleatjiaozi,ordumplings,forbreakfast,astheythink"jiaozi"insoundmeans"biddingfarewelltotheoldandusheringinthenew".Also,theshapeofthedumplingislikegoldingotfromancientChina.Sopeopleeatthemandwishformoneyandtreasure.
SouthernChineseeatniangao(NewYearcakemadeofglutinousriceflour)onthisoccasion,becauseasahomophone,niangaomeans"higherandhigher,oneyearafteranother."ThefirstfivedaysaftertheSpringFestivalareagoodtimeforrelatives,friends,andclassmatesaswellascolleaguestoexchangegreetings,giftsandchatleisurely.
BurningfireworkswasoncethemosttypicalcustomontheSpringFestival.Peoplethoughtthesplutteringsoundcouldhelpdriveawayevilspirits.However,suchanactivitywascompletelyorpartiallyforbiddeninbigcitiesoncethegovernmenttooksecurity,noiseandpollutionfactorsintoconsideration.Asareplacement,somebuytapeswithfirecrackersoundstolistento,somebreaklittleballoonstogetthesoundtoo,whileothersbuyfirecrackerhandicraftstohanginthelivingroom.
Thelivelyatmospherenotonlyfillseveryhousehold,butpermeatestostreetsandlanes.Aseriesofactivitiessuchasliondancing,dragonlanterndancing,lanternfestivalsandtemplefairswillbeheldfordays.TheSpringFestivalthencomestoanendwhentheLanternFestivalisfinished.
Chinahas56ethnicgroups.MinoritiescelebratetheirSpringFestivalalmostthesamedayastheHanpeople,andtheyhavedifferentcustoms.
