Chinese festivals and holidays. Holidays in China. Founding Day of the Communist Party of the People's Republic of China

The Founding Day of the People's Republic of China is the country's main holiday. Every year on October 1, China celebrates the anniversary of this significant event in the history of the country. On October 1, 1947, an end was put in the struggle between the Communist Party of China, led by Mao Zedong, and the Kuomintang Party, led by Chiang Kai-shek. A whole milestone in Chinese history ended with the great victory of Mao, which became the beginning of a new period in history for China.

In the first decade after the founding of the People's Republic of China, grandiose military parades were held on the day of the holiday, taking place in the central Square of Heaven in Beijing. In the early 60s of the 20th century, parades began to be held only on round dates.

After the Cultural Revolution, parades in honor of the founding of the People's Republic of China were completely canceled, but at the present stage this tradition has been resumed.

If you visit China at the beginning of October, you will not only be able to see the parade in honor of the founding of the country, but also enjoy unforgettable performances and celebrations that take place over 7 days, starting on October 1st. This so-called “golden week” is one of three that are held annually in China in honor of important holidays and are considered days off for the entire country.

Over the course of five days, various celebrations, folk festivals, and street performances take place throughout the country. There are magnificent fireworks displays all over China, but the most unforgettable spectacle awaits you in Beijing. Here, literally all the streets are decorated with traditional Chinese lanterns, figures of mythical dragons and flower arrangements. In the main Tiananmen Square, after the parade, colorful and spectacular traditional Chinese performances are given.

1. Spring Festival.. 4

1.1 Components of the Spring Festival.. 4

1.2 Holiday "Laba". 5

1.3 Jizao Festival. 5

1.4 Spring Festival Day... 6

1.5 Chinese culture and the place of holidays in it. 6

2. Lantern Festival (Yuanxiao) 9

2.1 Traditions of celebrating the Lantern Festival. 9

2.2 "Duanwu" holiday. 9

2.3 Zongzi food. 10

2.4 Dragon boat racing. 10

2.5 Moon Festival (Zongqiu) 14

2.5.1 Legend of the origin of the Moon Festival..

2.5.2 Sacrifice to the Moon and admiration of the Moon. 15

2.6 Day of the founding of the republic.

3. New Year in China. 23

3.1 Holiday "Tsushi". 23

3.2 Preparing for the New Year celebration in China. 24

3.3 Traditions of celebrating the New Year. 26

Conclusion. 29

References.. 31

Introduction

Each season in China has its own holidays. But the following four traditional folk holidays are especially loved by the people: Spring Festival, Yuanxiao Festival, Duanwu Festival and Zhongqiu Festival. They are the embodiment of traditional Chinese culture.

Currently, there are two parallel calendars in China. One of them is based on the solar calendar, and the other on the lunar calendar. And this is due to the traditional routine of agricultural work. Traditional folk holidays are associated with the lunar calendar.

In China, almost every holiday is associated with its own culinary traditions and images of celebration. Each holiday has its own special food.

The Chinese, including compatriots living in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau, and Chinese emigrants in different countries of the world, are very fond of these traditionally Chinese folk holidays.

The biggest national holiday in China is the Spring Festival.

National holidays in Taiwan are the performance of sacred rituals. They are loved, they are expected, everyone carefully prepares for them ahead of time. Colorfully decorated gift sets appear in stores: dried mushrooms and seafood, tea, coffee and alcohol in different variations. The celebrations date back to ancient times, when the Chinese performed religious sacrifices on certain days of the lunar calendar. The villagers performed rituals designed to ensure their good fortune, and after their completion they sat down to a joint feast. Many of these “feast days” were declared public holidays. Among them: Chinese New Year, Lantern Festival, Dragon Boat Race, Mid-Autumn Festival, Confucius's Birthday, and the exclusively Taiwanese Twenties Festival. The fact is that on October 10, 1911, Dr. Sun Yat-sen and his followers raised an uprising in the city of Wuchang aimed at overthrowing the Qing dynasty and establishing the first democratic republic in Asia - the Republic of China. Nowadays, on the tenth day of the tenth month of each year, the anniversary of the Wuchang Uprising is celebrated. There are colorful parades and fireworks displays. Almost all buildings, city squares and streets are decorated for this occasion. Typically, thousands of overseas Chinese return to Taiwan these days to pay their respects to the Republic of China.

In addition to those mentioned, the anniversary of the founding of the Republic of China (January 1), Memorial Day of Reconciliation (February 28), Youth Day (March 29), All Souls' Day (April 4-5), Chiang Kai-shek's birthday (October 31), birth of Dr. Sun Yat-sen (November 12), Constitution Day (December 25). Among the non-state holidays, they do not forget Catholic Christmas, the calendar New Year, various Mother’s, Father’s, Children’s Days, and in institutions, once a month, employees’ birthdays (moreover, it is not the employee himself who carries a home-baked pie or cake, but the institution arranges a very generous lunch for everyone in break, birthday celebrants are given envelopes with checks for the purchase of a certain number of books, they are very expensive here).

The purpose of the work is to consider Chinese national holidays. Work objectives to consider:

1. Spring Festival

2. Lantern Festival (Yuanxiao)

3. New Year in China

1. Spring Festival

1.1 Components of the Spring Festival

The first day of the year according to the lunar calendar is usually called the Spring Festival. It usually falls at the end of January or beginning of February according to the solar calendar. It has existed for three thousand years.

Celebrating the Spring Festival in Chinese means “saying goodbye to the year.” The word "year" in ancient times meant a wish for a good harvest next year. For many thousands of years, people who worked in the sweat of their brows day after day, during the farewell of the old and the welcoming of the new year, with great joy and reverence, offered the fruits of agricultural labor and hunting prey in the form of sacrifices to spirits and ancestors. Thus, they expressed their gratitude to nature and asked her to be merciful and generous in the new year.

The Spring Festival is long and solemn. From the first days of December, people already began to prepare for this fun holiday.

The Spring Festival includes four important days: the Laba holiday (December 8 according to the lunar calendar), the Jizao holiday - seeing off the Spirit of the Hearth to heaven (December 23 according to the lunar calendar), the Tsushi holiday (December 30 according to the lunar calendar) and Spring Festival Day (the first of January according to the lunar calendar).

1.2 Holiday "Laba"

Laba" is the name of one porridge.

Since ancient times, in December according to the lunar calendar, people have made sacrifices to their ancestors. Then gradually this custom merged with the Buddhist holiday. They say that it was on that day that Shakya Muni received enlightenment. And before becoming a god, he tasted rice with dry fruits, cooked for him by a shepherdess. Since then, on that day in temples it is necessary to pray and bring this delicacy called “Laba” to Buddha. Then it became the favorite food of ordinary people, and the Buddhist holiday turned into the national holiday "Laba". For a long time on that day, in all courtyards and temples they cooked food from millet, plain and glutinous rice, chumiz, chestnuts, dates and red beans, and then they also added dried fruits, peeled nuts, peanuts, almonds, raisins and sugar. Laba porridge is considered a necessary addition to wishes for happiness, longevity and joy.

It is still cooked on holidays in many homes. Tasting hot, sweet porridge "Laba" on frosty days is not only tasty, but also healthy.

The Laba holiday serves as a prologue to happy holidays.

1.3 Jizao Festival

December 23 was considered the Little Year according to the lunar calendar. Previously, this was the day of farewell to heaven for the Spirit of the Hearth and was called the “Zizao” holiday. "Zizao" in Chinese means sacrifice to the Spirit of the Hearth.

The spirit of the hearth, according to legend, possessed enormous magical powers. It is on this day of his farewell to heaven that each family asks him to report to the heavenly ruler about all the good things that happened in the house and give him happiness in the new year.

The ritual of sacrifice is as follows: the housewife lit smoking candles in honor of the Spirit of the Hearth, presented him with sweets and fruits, and then sprinkled water on the paper horse and straw as a sign of what had already been prepared for the journey. After this, the old image of the Spirit of the Hearth was removed from the wall and burned along with the paper “horse” and straw. Only on New Year's Eve a new image was pasted on the wall in the same place. It was called the "Meeting of the Hearth Spirit." Now people no longer perform this ritual. An end to superstition forever.

1.4 Spring Festival Day

On New Year's morning, according to tradition, on New Year's Day, all family members, first of all, must bow to the portraits of their ancestors hanging on the walls of the house. After bowing, the elders had the right to sit under the portrait and accept congratulations and wishes from the younger ones.

Many families eat dumplings, and after breakfast they are supposed to go around the houses of relatives and friends with congratulations and wishes for all the best. During the Spring Festival, mass performances are organized: lion dances, dragon dances, round dances of the Land Boats, and performances on stilts.

The Spring Festival begins in December according to the lunar calendar and continues until the Lantern Festival (Yuanxiao).

1.5 Chinese culture and the place of holidays in it

Oriental man’s awareness of himself and the world begins, as elsewhere, with mythology, which acts as a pre-philosophical stage in the development of culture.

In China, the formation of pre-philosophical and mythological ideas can be traced back to the 18th century. BC. and goes through several stages before the emergence of the philosophical systems of Confucius, Las Tzu and other thinkers.

The philosophical tradition itself dates back to the 6th century. BC, when the teachings of Kong Fuzi, known in Europe as Confucius, appeared. His main ideas are presented in the book “Lun Yu”. The central, system-forming idea of the teachings of Confucius is “ren”, or humanity, love of mankind. “Ren” cannot be interpreted as a romantic feeling or as love for God. For Confucius, “ren” is an indicator of the truly human in a person, a natural, instinctive feeling, enriched with culture. “Ren” is revealed through the categories of “xiao” - a civilized, respectful attitude towards one’s parents, “di” - the extension of such an attitude to peers and others around, “zhong” (devotion) - a civilized attitude towards superiors - rulers, the emperor, one’s own country. Confucius attached great importance to behavioral norms through which these relationships should be realized. They were also included in the meaning of the category “ren”.

According to the concept of another outstanding Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu, the fundamental category is Tao. This concept lies at the core of the philosophy of Taoism. Tao, according to Lao Tse, is “empty, but inexhaustible in application.” Tao is the forefather of all things. The question of the reasons for the emergence of Tao is not raised. It is inexpressible in words. In him is the beginning of heaven and earth. The secret of Tao is accessible only to those who are devoid of passion. Already here is the beginning of contemplation, self-deepening to achieve the essence of the primordial, so characteristic of most philosophical systems in the East. Tao, as the path according to which the development of the Cosmos occurs, realizes itself in the external world according to the principle of wu-wei, which means unintentional activity. Intentional activity is dangerous.

Chinese Holidays

China celebrates many holidays throughout the year, but only a small portion of these dates are official. All national holidays are days off.

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These include:

Traditionally, China celebrates a large number of national holidays, including "Qingming", "Duanwu" And "Chongyang" and etc.

In terms of its significance for the Chinese, the Lantern Festival is one of the most important events, and in beauty and scope it can be compared with the most famous carnivals in the world. However, unlike carnivals, the Lantern Festival is a family event. If you are lucky enough to visit China in the spring, do not take advantage of the opportunity to plunge into the magical world of this event, which in China is called Yuanxiao - the Shan Yuan holiday. On the first full moon of every year, people light millions of colorful lanterns. Rice balls are served on the festive table, and after dinner everyone goes outside to admire the full moon and numerous fireworks, for which China is no less famous than for its exotic dishes. When going outside, the Chinese solve riddles written on lanterns hanging everywhere.

Various festivals that take place at both the central and regional levels are no less popular in China. Among the most striking events of the year we could highlight Snow and Ice Festival, taking place in Heilongjiang province for a whole month (from January 5 to February 5). During this period, residents and guests of the region sculpt fairy-tale characters from snow and carve ice, which “come to life” thanks to night illumination.

When in Luoyang, it's definitely worth a visit peony exhibition, taking place here from April 15 to 25, is an impressive spectacle. Undoubtedly, it deserves your attention International Kite Festival, which is traditionally held on April 20-25 in the city of Weifang (Shandong Province). If you are quite fed up with local events and want something brighter and more significant, you should visit Torch Festival, which runs from July 23 to 25 in Yunnan.

A fair is organized especially for tourists in Nadam, which takes place here from August 15 to August 25 every year. Those interested in the traditions and history of China will certainly be interested in visiting Festival of ancient culture and art, held annually in Xi'an from September 9 to 15.

Undoubtedly an important event in the cultural life of the country is Shaolin Martial Arts Festival, which takes place in early autumn and the Chengdu International Panda Festival (September 24-28).

There are many holidays and festivals in the People's Republic of China. They belong to three main groups: Traditional Chinese holidays dating back to antiquity and the Middle Ages, commemorative dates of modern Chinese history and borrowed international holidays. Traditional holidays are celebrated according to the Chinese traditional calendar, based on the phases of the moon and are floating (within a month). Other holidays are celebrated according to the Gregorian calendar.

The procedure for celebration and the list of official holidays is contained in the decree of the State Council of the People's Republic of China "Procedure for holding national holidays and festivals." The decree itself was adopted on December 23, 1949, and amendments to it were adopted on September 18, 1999 and December 14, 2007. According to this law, in the PRC there are 7 national holidays that are officially non-working days, as well as four holidays for certain groups of the population and four holidays for national minorities. Group holidays are non-working days for the relevant groups of the population, and holidays of national minorities are for the relevant nationalities in their national autonomies.

Official holidays

General and group holidays

Name	Name in Chinese	Day	Noted	Characteristic
New Year	新年	1st of January	1 day	Nationwide
Chinese New Year	春节	1st day of the Chinese lunar calendar	3 days	Nationwide
Women's Day	妇女节	March 8	Women's afternoon	Group
Qingming	清明节	April 4 or 5	1 day	Nationwide
Labor Day	劳动节	1st of May	1 day	Nationwide
Youth Day	青年节	May 4th	Youth from 14 years old half a day	Group
Children Protection Day	儿童节	June 1st	Children under 14 years old half a day	Group
Dragon Boat Festival	端午节	5th day of the 5th month according to the lunar calendar	1 day	Nationwide
Armed Forces Day	建军节	August 1	Military personnel 1 day	Group
Mid-Autumn Festival	中秋节	15th day of the 8th month according to the lunar calendar	1 day	Nationwide
Founding Day of the People's Republic of China	国庆节	October 1	3 days	Nationwide

Holidays of small nationalities

Other holidays and festivals

Name	Name in Chinese	Day	Characteristic
Anniversary February 7	二七纪念日	February 7	The day of the execution of strikers of the Beijing-Hankou Railway, 1923
Arbor Day	植树节	March 12	Sun Yat-sen's death day
Nurses Day	护士节	12 May	Florence Nightingale's birthday
Anniversary May 30	五卅纪念日	May 30	Shooting of a demonstration by the British in Shanghai, 1925
Anniversary of the Sino-Japanese War 1937-1945.	七七抗战纪念日	July 7	The day of the Marco Polo Bridge Incident in 1937 that started the war
Victory Day in the Sino-Japanese War 1937-1945.	九三抗战胜利纪念日	September 3	September 2 - the day of Japanese surrender in 1945
Teacher's Day	教师节	10 September
Anniversary of September 18	九一八纪念日	September 18	The day the Japanese invaded Manchuria in 1931
Journalist's Day	记者节	November 8	Founding Day of the Chinese Youth Journalists Association in 1937

Traditional holidays and festivals

Name	Name in Chinese	Day	Characteristic
Lantern Festival	元宵节	15th day of the 1st month of the lunar calendar	End of the New Year festival, launch of paper lanterns
Zhonghe	中和节	2nd day of the 2nd month of the lunar calendar	Blue Dragon Festival
Chances	上巳节	3rd day of the 3rd month of the lunar calendar	Traditional Chinese Women's Day
Qixijie	七夕节	7th day of the 7th month of the lunar calendar	Traditional Chinese equivalent of Valentine's Day
Hungry Ghost Festival	中元节	15th day of the 7th month of the lunar calendar	All Souls' Day
Double Nine Celebration	重阳节	9th day of the 9th month of the lunar calendar	Day of protection from evil spirits
Spirit Festival	下元节	15th day of the 10th month of the lunar calendar	Launching paper lanterns along the river
Dongzhi	冬至	December 21 or 22	Winter solstice
Laba	腊八节	8th day of the 12th month of the lunar calendar	Buddha's Achievement of Enlightenment

Order of conduct

At the beginning of the year, the State Council of the People's Republic of China publishes holidays for the year, and the dates of holidays celebrated according to the lunar calendar are officially established.

If a holiday falls on a weekend, the day following the weekend becomes a non-working day.

China has few official holidays (only seven), which is fewer than Hong Kong, Macau and most countries. However, the traditional Qingming holidays, the Dragon Boat Festival and the Mid-Autumn Festival received official status only in 2007. This change reflects increasing support for cultural traditions.

Holidays in China

China is rich in its culture, traditions, customs and architecture. The third largest and first most populous country receives tens of thousands of tourists every year. People from all over the world come to celebrate holidays in China to experience this amazing culture for themselves.

Types of Chinese holidays

All holidays in China are divided into public and traditional. Many celebrations borrowed from other countries are also celebrated here. It is considered one of the most important national holidays in China. Founding Day of the People's Republic of China, which is celebrated for five days (the first day is October 1), which are days off for the working population. These days there are solemn folk celebrations, festivals, street performances, and everywhere you can see multiple flower exhibitions and dragon figures made by the best Chinese craftsmen.

The Chinese are very sensitive to their cultural heritage, so the traditions and holidays of China are observed in every family.

New Year in China

As in other countries, China celebrates New Year, while January 1 passes unnoticed, as the Chinese traditionally celebrate this holiday according to the lunar calendar. This day falls from January 21 to February 21 and is considered the first day of spring. Not a single New Year passes without the famous Chinese fireworks and firecrackers, as well as delicious national dishes, among which special preference is given to Chinese dumplings and noodles. People believe that these dishes will bring them wealth, prosperity and long life. There is also a tradition of buying new clothes and changing into everything new after midnight. The celebrations last a week and end Lantern Festival. On this day, all houses and streets are decorated with colorful colorful lanterns and rice cakes with sweet filling are eaten. It is celebrated on the 15th day of the first month of the lunar calendar.

The most interesting holidays in China

Among the most interesting folk festivals in China, we should pay tribute to International Kite Festival(April 16). Every year people from more than 60 countries come to the festival and its scale can even be compared to the Olympic Games.

Having analyzed what interesting holidays are still celebrated in China, we can undoubtedly note Singles' Day(November 11), the emergence of which is associated with the demographic problem of overpopulation in the country. Traditionally, students and unmarried men take part in it. And at exactly 11 hours 11 minutes and 11 seconds you can hear the wolf howl made by the participants of the holiday.

Holidays and events in China 2020: the most important festivals and highlights, national holidays and events in China. Photos and videos, descriptions, reviews and timings.

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March 3, 2020 Carnival Chavannes
The Shawan Carnival, whose origins lie in the rich culture and special art of enjoying life among the inhabitants of the nearest Guangzhou suburb of Shawan, takes place annually on the third of March according to the Chinese lunar calendar. This colorful, noisy and fun carnival is dedicated to spring.
April 20 - 25, 2020 Dragon Festival
June 25, 2020 Dragon Boat Festival
August 12, 2020 King Pangu Festival
November 4, 2020 Mid-Autumn Festival in Hong Kong
November 11, 2020 Singles' Day in China
December 8, 2020 Changchun Snow Sculpture Festival
December 31, 2020 New Year in Hainan
December 31, 2020 New Year in Hong Kong
January 15 – 21, 2021 Guangzhou Temple Fair
11 - 13 February 2021 Boluo Temple Festival
February 14, 2021 Chinese Valentine's Day

A country of ancient traditions, secrets and age-old wisdom, mysterious China attracts the attention of many tourists. And it’s not surprising - many things are unique here, including holidays. Lovers of European traditions are in for a cultural shock; it is not customary to celebrate the New Year here - only in large shopping centers can you see a decorated fir tree. No fireworks, no noisy feasts. And all because the Chinese New Year - also known as the Spring Festival - has long been celebrated on the second new moon after the winter solstice, mass festivities and fairs last for several days and end with the Lantern Festival - an analogue of St. Valentine's Day.

The Chinese use light, noise and red decorations to scare away the ancient monster Nian. The defeat of the monster symbolizes the coming of the new year.

International Women's Day in China also passes unnoticed, all attention is focused on Arbor Day - on this day, March 12, plants are planted en masse, paying tribute to the revolutionary Sun Yat-sen. No less interesting is Qing Ming, a holiday of purity and clarity, with walks through the first greenery and respectful visits to the graves of the dead.

In mid-April, an international kite festival is held, which is not inferior in color and scale to the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games. For a long time, the Chinese have revered these wise, noble and merciful creatures towards people.

In mid-April, China hosts an international kite festival, which is as colorful and large-scale as the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games.

The May holidays are rather perceived as a reason to relax - and in China on May 1st they have a 7-day vacation - and to get together with friends. On these same days, the Feast of the Heavenly Empress Mazu and China's Youth Day are celebrated. Mother's Day traditionally falls on the second Sunday in May, and Father's Day on the third Sunday in June.

The summer period opens with one of the most significant traditional holidays - the Dragon Boat Festival, which in China is celebrated on a grand scale for 3 days. The grateful Honoring of Heaven towards the end of summer is replaced by the most romantic holiday - Valentine's Day, otherwise Double Seven Day, the best time for fortune telling for your betrothed.

Another tribute to European traditions - Teacher's Day, September 10 - also symbolizes the country's desire to raise the intellectual level of youth. And again the attention of all residents and guests of China turns to traditions - the Moon and Harvest Festival is coming. On September 28, the Chinese honor the memory of the ancient philosopher Confucius, who had a tremendous influence on the worldview of civilization as a whole.

The most important national holiday, the Founding Day of the People's Republic of China, falls on October 1.

New traditions are not alien to China - for several years now, November 8 has been celebrated as Journalist's Day. And one of the happiest days is the winter solstice, December 22, when the memory of ancestors is honored and traditional dishes are prepared.

Holidays in China ‹ Holidays and festivals

Holidays and festivals in China

Holidays are an interesting and important indicator of the Chinese people's respect for their past. Not all celebrations are public. Listed below are the most important national and local holidays, many of which are also celebrated in Hong Kong and Macau.

Harbin Snow and Ice Festival
January 5 - February 5
Residents of Heilongjiang province create fabulous sculptures of snow and ice illuminated at night.

Lantern Festival
Mid February - mid March
The homemade lantern exhibition takes place on the 15th day of the first moon after Chinese New Year.

Tomb Sweeping Day
5th of April
People honor their ancestors by cleaning their graves and tombs and decorating them with flowers.

Festival of Sprinkling of Water (Dai People)
April 13-15
In the Kunming region, members of the Dai ethnic group celebrate life by splashing water on each other.

Peony exhibition in Luoyang
April 15-25
Peonies are displayed against the backdrop of huge stone Buddha statues in Luoyang.

Weifang International Kite Festival
April 20-25
In the city of Weifang (Shandong Province), where the headquarters of the International Kite Federation and the Kite Museum are located, this colorful festival is held annually.

5-7th day of the lunar month of May
A holiday held in honor of the water dragon - a symbol of China.

Torch Festival in Yunnan
July 23-25
A large-scale festival culminating in a torchlight procession in the Stone Forest outside Kunming.

Torch Festival in Sichuan
July 23-28
Torchlight processions and other minority events take place throughout Sichuan Province.

Nadam Fair and steppe holiday for tourists
August 15-25
In Hohhot, the capital of Inner Mongolia, there is a fair of traditional and folklore goods, as well as a flower exhibition and a tour of the Wu-dan Lama Monastery.

Xuedong Festival
Various dates, usually in August
The Tibetan yoghurt festival in Lhasa includes performances of traditional Tibetan opera and dance.

Grape Festival in Xinjiang
August 20-26
The camel caravan (Yuelu) is the highlight of this festival, which is held in Turpan and recreates scenes from the history of the Silk Road.

September 9-15
Lively tableaux and processions recreate the ancient culture of China's former capital.

Shaolin Martial Arts Festival
September 10-15
Monks from Songshan Mountain (Henan Province) show their martial arts skills.

Xi'an Ancient Culture and Art Festival
September 20-25
During this silk fashion show, the city's magnificent gardens are illuminated.

Chengdu International Panda Festival
September 24-28
Symposium on panda conservation in the wild with visits to the nearby Wulong Nature Reserve.

Birthday of Confucius
September 28
The birthday of the great Chinese philosopher is celebrated throughout the country, especially in his hometown of Qufu (Shandong Province).

International Tourist Boat Festival on West Lake
October 5-7
Celebrate with traditional costumes and intricately decorated tourist boats on the ancient imperial lake in Hangzhou.

Three Gorges Arts Festival
September 20-25 (every second year)
Arts and Crafts Festival in Yichang (Hubei Province). It is held in the Three Gorges area on the river. Yangtze.

Spring Festival is Chinese New Year. It starts at the end of January and lasts 40 days. These days, thousands of fireworks are launched into the sky, large-scale processions and carnivals take place. The Chinese carefully decorate their homes for the holiday, and shops and restaurants offer traditional New Year's dishes.

The Spring Festival in China is one of the largest holidays on the planet. Every year, tens of thousands of Chinese return to their homeland to celebrate the Lunar New Year with their families. Tourists should take into account all the features of the busy festival time and plan their movements around China during this period in advance.
Chinese New Year begins on February 3rd. The holiday period lasts 40 days in China - from January 19 to February 27. This allows the country's citizens to get home on time, and the transport system to cope with the influx of people. According to experts, during this period the country will make 230 million trips by rail and about 2.56 billion trips by bus. Major transport hubs such as Shanghai Airport have already increased ticket sales.
Those who are afraid of large crowds should avoid visiting the cities of Sanya (Hainan Island), Lijiang (Yunnan Province), Xiamen (Fujian Province) and Harbin: they are especially popular with the Chinese during the Spring Festival. Also, many residents of the country have expressed their desire to attend the celebrations in Hong Kong, and there is a possibility that the city will be literally packed with tourists.

Celebrating the New Year in China is an ancient tradition. These days, thousands of fireworks are launched into the sky, various processions and carnivals take place. The Chinese carefully decorate their homes for the holiday, and shops and restaurants offer traditional New Year's dishes.

Traditionally, every year, at the end of the winter season, on the eve of spring, the Chinese people solemnly and joyfully celebrate the first holiday of the year - the Spring Festival. This holiday is accompanied by posting pairs of red paper inscriptions on both sides of the entrance to the house, and the inside is decorated with New Year's paintings. The night before the Spring Festival is called "yushi". On this night the whole family gets together. A rich festive dinner is being prepared, the traditional dish of which is dumplings.

At eight o'clock in the evening, the broadcast of the annual New Year's Eve begins from Beijing, which continues for four hours. This program is watched by all residents of China. Dinner begins around midnight. After dinner, conversations are held on various topics and games are played. Many people prefer to stay up all night. This is called "shousui" - waiting for the New Year. The next day, in the morning, it is customary to go to relatives and friends with congratulations. Nowadays, with the help of phones, there is no longer a need to go to someone, because it can be done over the phone. Because of this, relationships between people began to change. During the spring festival, concerts are held on the streets of the city with lion dances, dragon dances, round dances of land boats, and performances on stilts.

According to local traditions that have been observed for many hundreds of years, the New Year holiday is celebrated twice in China. The first time is on January 1, as in most Christian countries, and then, again, on another day, which is calculated according to the Chinese lunar calendar. The holiday can fall on any day between January 23 and February 19.

According to tradition, the festive dinner should be prepared several hours before midnight: after all, in the kitchen you inevitably have to use knives, and you can accidentally cut them off and lose the happiness already destined by fate. The New Year's table is almost always served with dumplings, which are usually made by yourself.

The first day of the Chinese calendar (Spring Festival) marks the beginning of the year. According to the Chinese, on this day spring begins, nature awakens, the earth and the sprouts of life it preserves come to life. In a close family circle, incense and fireworks are lit, which are designed to scare away evil spirits

Chinese New Year, which after 1911 in literal translation is called the Spring Festival (Chinese: 春节, pinyin: Chūnjié, Chunjie):12 has been the main and longest holiday in China since ancient times:11. The traditional New Year is timed to coincide with the winter new moon at the end of the full lunar cycle, which took place after the winter solstice (that is, on the second new moon after December 21). In the Gregorian calendar, this corresponds to one of the days between January 21 and February 21. However, the traditional calendar is rarely used [source not specified 569 days], and the country first celebrates the New Year on January 1, and then the traditional one.

Chinese New Year is often informally called the "Lunar New Year" because it is a derivative of the lunisolar Chinese calendar, and its exact date is determined based on the lunar phases. These days usually turn into a festival, which traditionally begins on the first day of the first month (正月 zhēng-yuè) of the Chinese calendar and ends with the Lantern Festival, which occurs on the 15th day of celebrations. During this New Year's season, most Chinese families gather for their annual reunion dinner.

Each new year is associated with one of the 12 animals and one of the five elements. The first day of the New Year begins with the release of fireworks and firecrackers and the burning of incense. Fireworks are supposed to scare away evil spirits and thereby attract a spirit of peace and happiness into the family. At the end of the day, the family welcomes the deities home after their visit to the spirit world, where they "gave an account" of the past year, and then pays respect to the ancestors.

Chinese New Year is the longest and most important holiday in the Chinese lunar calendar. The origins of this holiday date back to ancient times, and in its current form it reflects symbolic respect for the myths, beliefs and traditions preserved in Chinese society - this holiday has become a reflection of how people behaved and what they believed throughout the centuries. history of China.

According to the Chinese, on this first day of spring, nature awakens, the calculation of a new annual cycle begins, the earth and the sprouts of life it preserves come to life. This holiday is significant not only for the Han Chinese, but also for national minorities. It is celebrated by the Manchus, Mongols, Yaotians, Zhuangs, Gaoshans, Daurs, Dongs, Liyans and other ethnic communities. [source not specified 959 days]

According to the Shangshu narrative (舜典:2), the first day of the New Year was the day on which Shun 舜 (the exemplary sovereign of antiquity) ascended the throne. Yu, who received the throne from him, followed this calendar precedent.

New Year's celebrations in China end with the Lantern Festival.

According to ancient myth, at the beginning of each new year, the Chinese were forced to fight against a mythical animal called Nien (Chinese: 年). Nien came on the first day of the New Year to devour livestock, grain and food supplies, and even villagers, especially children. To protect themselves, residents placed food at the entrance to the room, opposite the door, with the arrival of each new year. Moreover, according to legend, it was believed that the more food there is, the kinder and more compliant the animal will be. People believed that after Nien was satisfied with the food that was prepared for him, he would not attack people anymore and would leave them alone.

One day people saw that the Beast was afraid of a small child who was dressed in red clothes and decided that he was afraid of the color red. Thus, from that time on, every time the New Year comes, people hang red lanterns and red scrolls on the windows and doors of their homes. It was also common to use fireworks to scare Nien away. Following the listed traditions of the inhabitants forced the beast to bypass their settlements.

Subsequently, Nien was captured by Hongjun Laozi), an ancient Taoist monk, and, under his supervision, over a long time turned into Hongjun Laozi Mountain.

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