Chinese New Year, also known as Spring Festival or Lunar New Year, is the grandest and the most important annual event in China. It is not just a simple festival but a comprehensive and substantial feast which reflects rich historical references and profound cultural implications. It symbolizes an opportunity for Chinese to honor household, heavenly deities, as well as ancestors, and to bring families together in celebration of the passing of a year and welcoming a new one.
Chinese New Year typically begins with the new moon that appears between 21 January and 20 February. A variety of activities such as decorative festivities, dragon and lion dances, lantern processions, and firecracker displays are carried out during the 15-day long celebration. The holiday concludes on the night of the full moon with the Lantern Festival, where colorful lanterns are hung in temples and participants often engage in a parade carrying paper lanterns.
The Chinese New Year is also characterized by a set of fascinating traditions. 'Red envelopes' containing money are traditionally exchanged between family members and close friends as a symbol of good luck and prosperity in the coming year. The family reunion dinner, also known as 'Nian Ye Fan', represents a key highlight where families gather and share meals together. Throughout the holiday period, certain foods are consumed due to their symbolic meanings. For instance, fish is eaten to ensure long-lasting prosperity, and dumplings are cooked for wealth due to their resemblance to Chinese gold ingots.