The Spring Festival, or Chinese New Year, is the biggest holiday celebrated in China. I was very unprepared for how big this celebration really is!Here is a little background on the holiday: According to the traditional Chinese calendar, Spring Festival is celebrated around the time of Lichun, or the beginning of Spring; it follows the lunar calendar. The first three days of the lunar calendar are legal holidays where all government agencies and businesses are closed. Most Chinese celebrate by getting together with family, exchanging "lucky money", setting off fireworks, and feasting. Many grandparents, aunts, uncles, and parents will give the children money in red envelopes which is called "lucky money". The Chinese believe that if you give money to others the fortune will be returned to you later; the act of giving brings good luck.
Fireworks are a huge part of celebrating the Chinese New Year. The Chinese believe that fireworks ward off evil spirits. People will buy bundles of fireworks to set off throughout the fifteen day celebration. At midnight on New Years Eve, the entire country of China will set off a majority of the fireworks, filling the night sky with beautiful explosions. I have never see more fireworks set off at one time in my entire life. The Chinese New Year puts the American 4th of July to shame. I was visiting Beijing and went out in Sanlitun, a street lined with many bars and restaurants. At midnight my friend and I went outside to enjoy the show but realized we were surrounded by people setting off fireworks; we were stuck in the alleyway! They would light the fireworks ten feet from our feet. As they exploded, pellets would fly throughout the air followed by loud explosions that made your ears ring. It felt like a war zone! Words cannot describe the insane madness that took place; it was a crazy experience.
2012 is the Year of the Dragon. The dragon symbolizes royalty, fortune, and power. According to China Daily, this year will spike in marriages and births because of the symbolism of the dragon. The Chinese will also purchase more luxury items, such as vehicles and jewelry. I have posted the article below for more information.
My experience of the Spring Festival exceeded my expectation of celebration. I heard that stores will close and many people will be in their homes celebrating but I thought, "how deserted can a city actually be in China?". I realized the holiday is taken way more seriously than I anticipated. I traveled to Beijing to see a friend, as well as to finally see the hot spots of China. The subways were empty, the streets had no traffic, and everything was shut down. This may seem like no big deal but Beijing has approximately 20 million people, which makes it seem too eerie for them to all just "disappear". We were able to see many of the sights, such as Tiananmen Square and the Great Wall, but as for non-Westernized restaurants and shopping, they were completely shut down. A few major restaurants did stay open to host feasts for the celebration. We were able to eat lunch at a wonderful Dim Sum restaurant but the wait for a table was maddening and chaotic. We attended a temple festival where hundreds of people came to see dances, play games, and pray for the upcoming year.
The holiday was a wonderful experience. I enjoyed seeing a culture come together and celebrate with so much cheer. The Chinese are very proud and excited about the Spring Festival. I really enjoyed hearing about the different beliefs and symbolism that the Chinese New Year represents. Happy New Year to all and I hope the Year of the Dragon treats you well!
Pictures shown (top to bottom):
Chinese praying at a temple for the New Year.
Dancers performing at a festival
People waiting at the Dim Sum restaurant for a table
Chinese New Year decorations
