Spring Festival is on the traditional Chinese festivals.People used to call it "the Lunar New Year".It always starts between january the first and february the twentie its the most important festival in China
Spring Festival
The most important festival in China is the Spring Festival. It is said that the Spring Festival evolved from an activity known as the Winter Sacrifice. It was a custom practiced by the people of primitive society. The Spring Festival marks the beginning of the Chinese Lunar New Year,so the first meal is rather important. People usually eat Jiaozi or dumplings shaped like a crescent moon on that special day. As for recreational activities during the Sping Festival, the Dragon Dance and Lion Dance are traditionally performed .
One legend goes that the beast Nian had a very big mouth that would swallow a great many people with one bite. People were very scared.
传说有一个叫“年”的怪兽,有一个大嘴,能一口吞下很多人。人们都很怕它。 The custom of putting up red paper and firing fire-crackers is to scare away Nian. 贴红纸和方鞭炮的习俗就是为了吓跑年。
However, people today have long forgotten why they are doing all this, except that they feel the color and the sound add to the excitement of the celebration. 但是,现在人们大多忘记了为什么这么做的原因,只是觉得色彩和响声增加了过节的气氛罢了!
Traditions of Chinese New Year
Before New Year's Eve
The celebration actually starts on New Year's Eve with the
family reunion dinner. By New Year's Eve, you should have
done the following:
Clean the entire home to get rid of all the things that are
associated with the old year.
Put away all brooms and brushes.
Pay all your debts.
Resolve differences with family members, friends, neighbors and business associates.
Buy the following:
Red money envelopes,
Oranges and/or tangerines,
Fill a "Cheun hup(a circular red tray separated in eight compartments) with melon seedslotuschocolate coinsnuts etc.
Flowers (especially plum blossoms, peach blossoms, water lilies),
A new set of clothes and shoes for children, preferably something red or orange.