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Enjoy the Chinese New Year!

The Chinese New Year (or Lunar New Year) is celebrated during the Spring Festival every year.

It occurs on the first new moon in the new year. The date varies between January 21 and February 20.

It is the most important festival for the Chinese. It dates back a couple of thousand of years to the Qin Dynasty.

There is officially 3 days public holiday but many places close for the whole week.

There is much detail available about the Lunar New Year but the following are some of the things I observed:

  • The movement of people is HUGE.

    Traditionally it is a time for family reunions. Many many people have migrated to the cities and are returning home for the New Year festival.

    I saw the queue at the Chongqing bus station just before the Lunar New Year of 2006. The queue was literally several kilometres long.

    Avoid bus and trains just before and just after the Lunar New Year.

  • The Chinese get really excited about the Lunar New Year. Respect and share the excitement with them.

  • There is a certain amount of recklessness (by Western standards) during this festival.

    There is a lot of drinking!

    And there are fireworks!

    Restrictions on fireworks have been lifted in recent years. Almost everybody lets of fireworks. There is a continuous barrage from about 6pm to midnight.

    Very spectacular, very very noisy and also dangerous.

    Be careful if you are out on the street - fireworks go upwards, downwards (fired from apartment buildings) and sideways!

    Great fun though!


Chinese New Year fireworksFireworks have a particular significance for the Chinese.

Chinese mythology has it that exploding fireworks scared away the monster Nian that was terrorizing a Chinese village.

Ever since, the Chinese have used fireworks to scare away evil spirits and bring good luck.

In one temple I went to on the banks of the Yangtze, fire crackers were for sale. The fire crackers were lit and thrown down a well. This was to scare away evil spirits.

Many people who visited the temple did precisely this.

I heard fireworks periodically in the country side. A Chinese friend said that fireworks were let off at funerals to scare away evil spirits.

So fireworks are very important for the Chinese.

You will certainly see this at the Chinese New Year!

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