The eighth day of the Chinese lunar year is said to be the birthday of the crops. Agriculture was and still is China’s most important source of income, and is considered the foundation of the country’s prosperity. Thus in ancient China, you can imagine how crucial it was to worship the grains during the Chinese New Year. Chinese New Year, the grandest festival for Chinese people, is celebrated for more than half a month.According to the oldest traditions, people follow a day-by-day schedule of Chinese New Year festivities from the 23rd day of the 12th lunar month, with specific things to do on certain days. 初八 (Eighth Day of CNY, Falling on 5 February 2025) On 初八, the eighth day of the Chinese New Year, it is a tradition to offer prayers to the God of Heaven, expressing hopes for a bountiful harvest in the new year. According to belief, if the day is clear, it signifies a prediction of a good harvest. According to Chinese genesis, the goddess Nu-Wa with snake body (2852-2738 B.C.) created chicken on the first day of the first lunar month, dog on the 2nd lunar day, pig on the 3rd lunar day, sheep on the 4th lunar day, ox on the 5th lunar day, horse on the 6th lunar day, and human on the 7th lunar day. She made human and six animals out of soil. Chinese New Year's Day Gregorian Dates Activities; 30th Day of the 12th month (Chinese New Year's Eve) Jan. 28, 2025: Decorate houses, Have reunion dinners, Watch CCTV gala, Stay up late: 1st Day of the 1st month (Chinese New Year's Day) Jan. 29, 2025: Set off firecrackers, Give red envelopes, Enjoy Lion dances: Day 2: Jan. 30, 2025: Welcome Chinese New Year: Day 2 (Jan. 30, 2025) Traditionally married daughters visit their parents' home on the second day of Chinese New Year. They bring gifts and red envelopes to families and relatives. On this day, people offer sacrifices to the God of Wealth, wishing for a luckier and more prosperous year. The Laba Festival (Chinese: 臘八節) is a traditional Chinese holiday celebrated on the eighth day of the month of La (or Layue 臘月), the twelfth month of the Chinese calendar. It is the beginning of the Chinese New Year period. It is customary on this day to eat Laba congee. You may have heard of the Chinese New Year being referred to as Lunar New Year. “Lunar” means the start of a new year as marked by the lunar calendar. The Chinese used the lunar calendar for thousands of years until they adopted the Gregorian calendar in the 20th century. Did you know: the Chinese zodiac is based on the lunar calendar. Chinese New Year, also known as Spring Festival or Lunar New Year, is the grandest festival in China, usually with a 8 days' holiday. As the most colorful annual event, the traditional CNY celebration lasts longer, up to two weeks, and the climax arrives around the Lunar New Year's Eve. Chinese New Year in 2025 falls on January 29 and ends with the Lantern Festival on Feb. 12. Celebrations last up to 16 days; the Chinese public holiday lasts from Wednesday to Feb. 4. What is the Fourth Day of Chinese New Year 初四. The day to honour the Kitchen god who would return to Heaven to report on the family to the Jade Emperor, some place nian2 gao1 (New Year Sticky Cake) as offerings to appease the Kitchen god who then either can’t speak much due to the stickiness of the sweet cake or speaks sweet nothings about the family. This year, Lunar New Year begins Jan. 29. Because the lunar calendar is based on the phases of the moon, the beginning of the year happens on a different day each year. 4. The tradition of the eighth day of the new year is to prepare for Tiangong’s birthday. On the eve of the ninth day of the lunar new year, that is, the eighth day of the lunar new year, the southerners, especially the Fujianese, will prepare to worship Tiangong. The whole family must fast and bathed, and worship with solemn awe. This year, Lunar New Year begins Jan. 29. Because the lunar calendar is based on the phases of the moon, the beginning of the year happens on a different day each year. The first day of the New Year is known as Yuan Dan (Chinese: 元旦; pinyin: yuándàn (First Morning of the year), New Year’s Day, First Day (or Duan Ri). During the 15 day period new year visits (Traditional Chinese: 拜年; pinyin: bài nián, translated: pay respect, worship, salute the year) will be made to family and friends. If this day has a good weather, then it symbolize that it will be a fruitful harvest this year. 9: Day 9 of lunar new year is the birthday of the Jade Emperor according to folks' custom, so large scale celebration is being held to thank the gods. On this day, people will pray to "天公" for the new year to be more prosperous and good fortune. 10 New Year's Eve. The final day of the lunar year is the time when people in China 辞旧迎新 (cí jiù yíng xīn) - bid farewell to the old and welcome the new. This is a very important day for everyone in China, and there are quite a few traditions that come with it. Some of the most commonly practiced include: Festival of the Heavenly God or Jade Emperor (9th day of the Chinese lunar calendar) - Hokkien New Year. This festival starts on the early morning of the 9th day of the Chinese lunar calendar (after midnight of the 8th day). Honoring the dead is a Chinese New Year's tradition that's kept to the word. Many Chinese people visit ancestors' graves on the day before the Chinese New Year's day, offer sacrifices to ancestors before the reunion dinner (to show that they are letting their ancestors "eat" first), and add an extra glass and place it at the dinner table on New Year's eve. The legal holiday is seven days long, from the Lunar New Year's Eve to the sixth day of the first lunar month. Some companies and public institutions enjoy a longer holiday up to 10 days or more, because in common knowledge among Chinese people, the festival lasts longer, from the Lunar New Year's Eve to the 15th day of the first lunar month (Lantern Festival).
Articles and news, personal stories, interviews with experts.
Photos from events, contest for the best costume, videos from master classes.