1. Chinese New Year, also known as the Spring Festival, is the most important traditional festival in China, celebrated according to the lunar calendar.
2. The festival begins with the Laba Festival on the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month and reaches its peak on New Year's Eve and the first day of the new year.
3. Preparations for the Spring Festival include cleaning homes to symbolize the removal of the old and welcoming the new, as well as purchasing gifts and decorations.
4. On New Year's Eve, families gather for a reunion dinner, sharing a festive meal and expressing gratitude for the past year.
5. Fireworks and firecrackers are set off to scare away evil spirits and welcome the incoming year with a bang.
6. The first day of the Chinese New Year is marked by visits to family and friends, exchanging red envelopes filled with money for good luck, and enjoying various traditional activities.
7. The Spring Festival concludes with the Lantern Festival on the 15th day of the first lunar month, featuring lantern displays and dragon and lion dances.
8. Besides the Han majority, some other ethnic minorities in China also celebrate the Spring Festival with their unique customs and traditions.
9. The Spring Festival is not only a time for celebration but also a period for paying respects to ancestors and seeking blessings for a prosperous year ahead.
10. The festival's cultural significance extends beyond China, with some countries and ethnic groups in the Sinosphere also embracing the tradition of celebrating the Spring Festival, demonstrating the profound influence of Chinese culture.
