The Spring Festival is the most important and the biggest traditional festival in China, the great holiday will be held on Sunday, February 9 and lasts for 15 days until the Lantern Festival on Sunday, February 24 during the Spring Festival, Chinese have a number of traditional activities to celebrate their reunion. But different parts of China is very different customs. These are the typical traditions.
Cleaning and Shopping
20130203traditionalactivities2On days before the New Year, Chinese families give their home a thorough cleaning. Traditionally, this is done before the New Year because the Chinese people consider it very important to sweep away any bad luck that may have accumulated in the past year.
In addition, dust and dirt associated with the "old" in Chinese culture, so cleaning the house and sweep the dust represent farewell to the past and ushering in the New Year.
Also, people are going to go shopping and buy new clothes for the festival. The Chinese believe that since this is a new year should buy a lot of new things. Buying new items symbolizing welcome new things and getting ready for a new year.
decoration
After cleaning, people will decorate the house for the Chinese New Year. Most of the decorations are red, a color typical festival traditionally representing the spirit happy to China. The most popular New Year decorations including Coplas Paper Cutting, Chinese character "Fu", the gods Gate, Chinese knots, and red paper lanterns.
couplets
20130203traditionalactivities4In Chinese poetry, a couplet (lián 对联 DUI) is a pair of lines of poetry that adhere to certain rules. Out of poems, usually seen on the sides of doors leading to people's homes or in a hanging scrolls inside. Though often called antithetical couplet, which can best be described as a written form of counterpoint. The two lines have a one-to-one in their metric length, and each pair of corresponding characters must have certain properties.
In addition to pasting couplets on both sides and above the front door, it is also common to hang calligraphic writing of the Chinese characters for "spring", "wealth" and "blessing". Some people even reverse the drawings of blessing as Chinese for "inverted" is a homonym in Chinese for "arrive," therefore means that spring, wealth or blessing has come.
Paper Cutting
20130203traditionalactivities5Paper cut (jiǎn zhǐ 剪纸) is one of the most popular Chinese decorative crafts. It is inexpensive and art. Rural women tend to cut paper in their spare time, when agriculture is not busy. As a reflection of its philosophical origins, paper cutting is as wide as attractive. Moreover, traditional paper cutting transmits the content and nature of traditional culture, with its own particular language. Paper cuts are popular because of their expression of wishes and hopes.
Chinese knots
20130203traditionalactivities6Chinese knots (zhōng guó jie 中国 结) are ready to decorate homes during the festival. Chinese knots were first used in jade pendants rope on clothing as decoration and these nodes were widely used in different places like the flute, Xiao (vertical bamboo flute), curtain and so on as decorations. However, these nodes are used as gifts containing the blessing to others or decorations during the festival.
The Chinese character "Fu"
20130203traditionalactivities7Fu (fu 福), one of the Chinese characters that best epitomize the traditional culture of China, is a must in the celebrations of the Spring Festival. Today, Fu, which literally means auspiciousness, blessing or happiness, usually appears as a cultural symbol to express people's wishes for the new year coming.
It is often displayed upside down on the front door of a house or property to signify good luck arrived because the phrase "upside Fu" sounds almost identical to the phrase "Good luck comes."
The Gods Gate
20130203traditionalactivities8In China had a common practice of placing paintings Gate gods (shen men 门神) at the gates during the Chinese New Year. According to their functions, are not the main gate of god, god side door, back door and room door god god wing.
The tradition of beating the door gods began during the Tang Dynasty and gradually people have created the gods of fortune too, as a door god bless people so they can have a new fortuneful year.
New Year Reunion Dinner
20130203traditionalactivities9Reunion dinner (nián yè fàn 年夜饭) takes place on the eve of New Year Chinese New Year, in which family members gather to celebrate. It is the most important for Chinese dinner and this is the best time for family gathering throughout the year, especially for those with a member of the family away from home. Children are supposed to return to their families, married couples will male relatives (and female relatives on the second day of the festival).
At dinner on New Year's Eve, fish are usually served. Dumplings are the most important in northern China disk. These two plates means prosperous. Other discs are based on personal preferences.
fireworks
20130203traditionalactivities10Firecrackers (Hua yān 烟花) always conform to midnight. In some places, people also set off firecrackers in the morning the first day. The use of fireworks dates back to 2,000 years ago, when people threw bamboo on fire to scare away a monster called "Nian". After the gunpowder was invented, replaced the bamboo firecrackers. Because fires can be easily caused by firecrackers, many places prohibit firecrackers, except in designated areas. However, people in small towns and rural areas still practice this tradition. Just as the clock strikes 12, starting a new year in the Chinese lunar calendar, the cities and towns were illuminated with the glow of the fireworks and the sound can be deafening.
Families are kept for this time of joy, children with firecrackers in one hand and a lighter in the other, celebrate joyfully throwing small explosives, one by one on the street, while plugging his ears.
Luck Money (on red)
Money 20130203traditionalactivities11Lucky prepares to children by adults and the elderly and given after the reunion dinner. There are no clear literary sources from which to discover the origin of the red envelope tradition. In China during the Qin Dynasty, the elderly would thread coins with a red string. The money was called Yasui Qian (ya sui qian 压岁钱) meaning "ward off evil spirits money," and was believed to protect the elderly from sickness and death. The lucky money was replaced by red envelopes when printing presses became more common and is now written using the homophone for generis means 'old age' instead of 'evil spirits'.
In popular culture, the children will live safely for the whole year if they get lucky money. This custom is still maintained and the amount of money that is increasing. Children use their money to buy books or other school supplies. Some families also save money for future use or use it to help their children cultivate the habit of saving.
Pay a call on New Year
20130203traditionalactivities12An important during the Spring Festival activity is a New Year's visit (BAI nián 拜年). People start to pay Lunar New Year calling from New Year's Day, ie, the first day of the first lunar month.
On the morning of Lunar New Year's Day, people get up early and ask others. The earlier you do, the more honest he is. Moreover, people wear new clothes and a new cap, symbolizing that a new year has begun. The younger generation should ask their elders first, as the grandfather, grandmother, father, mother, wishing them "good health" and "Long Life". The elders give children a little money into a red envelope as a new year gift. After that, people call their relatives, friends and neighbors. Today, people also use phones and e-mails to pay New Year calls.
Temple Fairs
20130203traditionalactivities13
Temple Fairs (miào Hui 庙会) are another tradition of the Spring Festival, especially in Beijing. Although they were originally a form of worship connected with the temples now are more like carnivals and sometimes are held in parks. Traditional cultural performances such as playing diabolo, Chinese traditional magic, puppet shows and so on can be seen. In addition, people can buy all sorts of everyday things used at very low prices.
Cleaning and Shopping
20130203traditionalactivities2On days before the New Year, Chinese families give their home a thorough cleaning. Traditionally, this is done before the New Year because the Chinese people consider it very important to sweep away any bad luck that may have accumulated in the past year.
In addition, dust and dirt associated with the "old" in Chinese culture, so cleaning the house and sweep the dust represent farewell to the past and ushering in the New Year.
Also, people are going to go shopping and buy new clothes for the festival. The Chinese believe that since this is a new year should buy a lot of new things. Buying new items symbolizing welcome new things and getting ready for a new year.
decoration
After cleaning, people will decorate the house for the Chinese New Year. Most of the decorations are red, a color typical festival traditionally representing the spirit happy to China. The most popular New Year decorations including Coplas Paper Cutting, Chinese character "Fu", the gods Gate, Chinese knots, and red paper lanterns.
couplets
20130203traditionalactivities4In Chinese poetry, a couplet (lián 对联 DUI) is a pair of lines of poetry that adhere to certain rules. Out of poems, usually seen on the sides of doors leading to people's homes or in a hanging scrolls inside. Though often called antithetical couplet, which can best be described as a written form of counterpoint. The two lines have a one-to-one in their metric length, and each pair of corresponding characters must have certain properties.
In addition to pasting couplets on both sides and above the front door, it is also common to hang calligraphic writing of the Chinese characters for "spring", "wealth" and "blessing". Some people even reverse the drawings of blessing as Chinese for "inverted" is a homonym in Chinese for "arrive," therefore means that spring, wealth or blessing has come.
Paper Cutting
20130203traditionalactivities5Paper cut (jiǎn zhǐ 剪纸) is one of the most popular Chinese decorative crafts. It is inexpensive and art. Rural women tend to cut paper in their spare time, when agriculture is not busy. As a reflection of its philosophical origins, paper cutting is as wide as attractive. Moreover, traditional paper cutting transmits the content and nature of traditional culture, with its own particular language. Paper cuts are popular because of their expression of wishes and hopes.
Chinese knots
20130203traditionalactivities6Chinese knots (zhōng guó jie 中国 结) are ready to decorate homes during the festival. Chinese knots were first used in jade pendants rope on clothing as decoration and these nodes were widely used in different places like the flute, Xiao (vertical bamboo flute), curtain and so on as decorations. However, these nodes are used as gifts containing the blessing to others or decorations during the festival.
The Chinese character "Fu"
20130203traditionalactivities7Fu (fu 福), one of the Chinese characters that best epitomize the traditional culture of China, is a must in the celebrations of the Spring Festival. Today, Fu, which literally means auspiciousness, blessing or happiness, usually appears as a cultural symbol to express people's wishes for the new year coming.
It is often displayed upside down on the front door of a house or property to signify good luck arrived because the phrase "upside Fu" sounds almost identical to the phrase "Good luck comes."
The Gods Gate
20130203traditionalactivities8In China had a common practice of placing paintings Gate gods (shen men 门神) at the gates during the Chinese New Year. According to their functions, are not the main gate of god, god side door, back door and room door god god wing.
The tradition of beating the door gods began during the Tang Dynasty and gradually people have created the gods of fortune too, as a door god bless people so they can have a new fortuneful year.
New Year Reunion Dinner
20130203traditionalactivities9Reunion dinner (nián yè fàn 年夜饭) takes place on the eve of New Year Chinese New Year, in which family members gather to celebrate. It is the most important for Chinese dinner and this is the best time for family gathering throughout the year, especially for those with a member of the family away from home. Children are supposed to return to their families, married couples will male relatives (and female relatives on the second day of the festival).
At dinner on New Year's Eve, fish are usually served. Dumplings are the most important in northern China disk. These two plates means prosperous. Other discs are based on personal preferences.
fireworks
20130203traditionalactivities10Firecrackers (Hua yān 烟花) always conform to midnight. In some places, people also set off firecrackers in the morning the first day. The use of fireworks dates back to 2,000 years ago, when people threw bamboo on fire to scare away a monster called "Nian". After the gunpowder was invented, replaced the bamboo firecrackers. Because fires can be easily caused by firecrackers, many places prohibit firecrackers, except in designated areas. However, people in small towns and rural areas still practice this tradition. Just as the clock strikes 12, starting a new year in the Chinese lunar calendar, the cities and towns were illuminated with the glow of the fireworks and the sound can be deafening.
Families are kept for this time of joy, children with firecrackers in one hand and a lighter in the other, celebrate joyfully throwing small explosives, one by one on the street, while plugging his ears.
Luck Money (on red)
Money 20130203traditionalactivities11Lucky prepares to children by adults and the elderly and given after the reunion dinner. There are no clear literary sources from which to discover the origin of the red envelope tradition. In China during the Qin Dynasty, the elderly would thread coins with a red string. The money was called Yasui Qian (ya sui qian 压岁钱) meaning "ward off evil spirits money," and was believed to protect the elderly from sickness and death. The lucky money was replaced by red envelopes when printing presses became more common and is now written using the homophone for generis means 'old age' instead of 'evil spirits'.
In popular culture, the children will live safely for the whole year if they get lucky money. This custom is still maintained and the amount of money that is increasing. Children use their money to buy books or other school supplies. Some families also save money for future use or use it to help their children cultivate the habit of saving.
Pay a call on New Year
20130203traditionalactivities12An important during the Spring Festival activity is a New Year's visit (BAI nián 拜年). People start to pay Lunar New Year calling from New Year's Day, ie, the first day of the first lunar month.
On the morning of Lunar New Year's Day, people get up early and ask others. The earlier you do, the more honest he is. Moreover, people wear new clothes and a new cap, symbolizing that a new year has begun. The younger generation should ask their elders first, as the grandfather, grandmother, father, mother, wishing them "good health" and "Long Life". The elders give children a little money into a red envelope as a new year gift. After that, people call their relatives, friends and neighbors. Today, people also use phones and e-mails to pay New Year calls.
Temple Fairs
20130203traditionalactivities13
Temple Fairs (miào Hui 庙会) are another tradition of the Spring Festival, especially in Beijing. Although they were originally a form of worship connected with the temples now are more like carnivals and sometimes are held in parks. Traditional cultural performances such as playing diabolo, Chinese traditional magic, puppet shows and so on can be seen. In addition, people can buy all sorts of everyday things used at very low prices.
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