Celebrating the Spring Festival
Chinese New Year, also called Spring Festival, is the most important celebration in the Chinese calendar — a time when families reunite, homes are decorated in red, and the entire country pauses to welcome the new year. Celebrations traditionally run for 15 days, from New Year's Eve to the Lantern Festival.
The festival is a feast of tradition: festive couplets on doorways, red envelopes (hongbao) containing lucky money, dragon and lion dances in the streets, and an extraordinary array of festive foods — dumplings in the north, rice cakes in the south, and fish for abundance. Fireworks and lanterns light up the night.
Traveling in China during this season offers an unforgettable glimpse into the country's cultural heart, but plan carefully — transport is heavily booked and many businesses close for the holiday. Beijing, Xi'an, and Chengdu all host spectacular lantern displays and temple fairs.
