As Chinese New Year is celebrated by Chinese people of certain ethnic groups (primarily the Han majority ethnicity), there are other ethnicities that may celebrate the Spring Festival in its more pure form, without regarding it as a 'new year' celebration, and instead celebrate a separate new year, unique to their culture or calendar, along Click to see more about Chinese New Year date. 5. Why Do the Chinese Call Chinese New Year 'Spring Festival'? Chinese New Year always falls within half a month of 'Start of Spring' (beginning February 4), the first of the 24 solar terms of China's traditional solar calendar. Before 1913, ‘Spring Festival’ was the first solar term known as Lichun, which could fall before or after the New Year and marked the end of winter, but now it became the new name for the New Year’s celebration itself. The old Spring Festival, now in need of a new name, eventually became Farmers’ Day in Republican China. The official usage of the name "Spring Festival" was retained by the government of the People's Republic of China, but the government of the Republic of China based in Taiwan has since adopted the name "Traditional Chinese New Year". [19] The festival is also called "Lunar New Year" in English, despite the traditional Chinese calendar being Chinese New Year, also known as the Lunar New Year or the Spring Festival, is the most important among the traditional Chinese festivals. The origin of the Chinese New Year Festival can be traced back to about 3,500 years ago. Chinese New Year has evolved over a long period of time and its customs have undergone a long development process. Even though the Spring Festival officially falls on Jan. 29 this year, the Chinese people have already entered the festive "Guonian" period, which translates to "crossing the year." This special time is filled with a rich array of traditions and celebrations that mark the end of the old year and the joyful arrival of the new one. The Spring Festival is the largest and most important festival in China. It has a history of more than 4,000 years. Like all Chinese traditional festivals, the date of the New Year is determined by the Chinese lunar calendar, which has 24 solar terms every year in accordance with the changes of nature, stipulating the proper time for planting Why Teach Chinese New Year: Exploring the Cultural Significance and Educational Benefits. Chinese New Year, also known as the Spring Festival, is one of the most important traditional Chinese holidays. It is a time for families to reunite, celebrate, and usher in a new year filled with good fortune and prosperity. According to UNESCO, "In China, the Spring Festival marks the beginning of the new year. It falls on the first day of the first month of the Chinese calendar." While the new year technically begins at midnight, the real celebrations start a week earlier with the Little New Year. Chinese New Year (Spring Festival) is the oldest traditional festival in China, but a few people concern the origin and story behind the holiday. Many existing customs and activities of the festival actually can be traced back to a popular story of the Monster Nian, which helps to explain why and how the festival is celebrated. Before 1913, 'Spring Festival' was the first solar term known as Lichun, which could fall before or after the New Year and marked the end of winter, but now it became the new name for the New Year's celebration itself. The old Spring Festival, now in need of a new name, eventually became Farmers' Day in Republican China. Spring rolls, also named 'spring pancakes' (春饼) or 'thin pancakes' (薄饼), are a traditional Chinese Chinese New Year food. They are popular around the world, but especially in regions south of the Yangtze River. Why Eat Spring Rolls. Spring rolls are usually eaten during the Spring Festival in China, hence the name. In contexts outside of China, referring to Lunar New Year as "Chinese New Year" and vice versa can come off as insensitive and offensive because it ignores other cultures, all of which have their own unique traditions, beliefs, and celebrations. 2. How each Asian country celebrates and names their New Year festival is different. The holiday is sometimes called the Lunar New Year because the dates of celebration follow the phases of the moon. Since the mid-1990s people in China have been given seven consecutive days off work during the Chinese New Year. Several other Asian countries such as Korean, Thailand, Vietnam, etc don’t call it as Chinese New Year. They call it as LUNAR New Year. Japan used to celebrated it, but they stopped late in 1980’s – I am not sure why. I’d rather like to see everyone to called it LUNAR NEW YEAR as original. Lunar New Year, festival typically celebrated in China and other Asian countries that begins with the first new moon of the lunar calendar and ends on the first full moon of the lunar calendar, 15 days later. The dates of the holiday vary from year to year, beginning some time between January 21 and February 20. The Spring Festival, also known as the Chinese Lunar New Year, was officially recognized as a floating holiday by the United Nations in December of last year. To truly grasp the essence of Chinese Also called the Spring Festival (春节 Chūnjié), the Chinese New Year celebrates the beginning of the Chinese year based on the traditional Chinese lunisolar calendar and officially ends 15 days later with the Lantern Festival (元宵节 Yuánxiāo jié). 7. Sending Chinese New Year Wishes. During Chinese New Year, Chinese people will greet each other with pleasant words like: 'Xin nian kuai le' which means 'Happy New Year' (simplified Chinese: 新年快乐). See more Chinese New Year Greetings and Wishes. 8. Watching the New Year TV Gala Spring Festival (春节), also known as Chinese New Year, is the most important tradition in China. More often than not, Chinese people prefer to call it Xin Nian (新年) or Guo Nian (过年) which literally means to celebrate the Spring Festival.
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