The History of the Spring Festival

Chinese New Year, also known as Lunar New Year or Spring Festival, is China’s most important festival. It is also the most important celebration for families and includes a week of official public holiday.

The history 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 developmental process.

Even though it is winter, the Chinese New Year is popularly known as the Spring Festival in China. Because it starts from the Beginning of Spring (the first of the twenty-four terms in coordination with the changes of Nature), it marks the end of winter and the beginning of spring.

The Spring Festival marks a new year on the lunar calendar and represents the desire for a new life.

Spring Festival, which falls on the 1st day of the 1st lunar month, is the most important festival in China and a time for family reunions, like Christmas in the West.

Traditionally, the Spring Festival starts in the early days of the 12th month of the lunar calendar and lasts until the middle of the 1st lunar month of the following year. With the modernization of China, some traditional customs are still followed today, but others have fallen by the wayside.

The Chinese New Year is now popularly known as the Spring Festival because it starts at the beginning of Spring (the first of the twenty-four terms in coordination with the changes of Nature). Its origin is too old to be traced. Several explanations are hanging around. 

All agree, however, that the word Nian, which in modern Chinese solely means "year", was originally the name of a monster beast that started to prey on people the night before the beginning of a new year.

Probably more food is consumed during the New Year celebrations than any other time of the year. Vast amounts of traditional food are prepared for family and friends, as well as those close to us who have died.

After dinner, families stay up late to welcome the arrival of the Lunar New Year, which is called shousui. The original purpose of shousui was to drive away evil spirits, but later it became a family reunion to see off the old year and welcome the New Year

During the Spring Festival, both urban and rural areas are lit up with colorful lights and lanterns. People put up couplets on the doors to welcome the New Year, and visit relatives and friends to wish them a happy New Year.