Major Traditional Chinese Festivals and Related Customs
China has a rich traditional festival culture, and each festival carries unique historical background, cultural connotations, and folk customs. Below are detailed explanations of traditional activities and customs related to China’s most famous traditional festivals (such as Spring Festival, Mid-Autumn Festival, etc.):
1. Spring Festival (the first day of the first lunar month)
Time: Lunar New Year, between late January and mid-February in the Gregorian calendar, lasting about 15 days.
Core Meaning: Farewell to the old and welcome the new, family reunion, praying for blessings and good fortune.
Main Traditions and Customs:
- Posting Spring Couplets and the Character "Fu": Red couplets and the character “Fu” symbolize auspiciousness, often posted upside down to mean “Fu arrives”.
- New Year’s Eve Dinner: The whole family enjoys a sumptuous dinner, eating dumplings (in the north) or rice cakes (in the south), symbolizing wealth and reunion.
- Staying Up Late ("Shousui") and Giving Red Envelopes: Staying up all night on New Year’s Eve, elders give red envelopes (lucky money) to younger generations to ward off evil spirits.
- Setting Off Firecrackers and Dragon/Lion Dances: To drive away the “Nian beast” and create a festive atmosphere.
- Temple Fairs and Paying New Year Visits: During the Spring Festival, visiting temple fairs and watching traditional performances (such as Peking Opera, acrobatics), relatives and friends exchange greetings and blessings.
Travel Tips:
- Book transportation and accommodations in advance to avoid congestion during the Spring Festival travel rush.
- Popular places to experience include Beijing temple fairs (Ditan, Longtan Lake), Shanghai Chenghuang Temple, and Guangzhou flower markets.
2. Lantern Festival (the 15th day of the first lunar month)
Time: The 15th day after the Spring Festival, marking the end of the Spring Festival celebrations.
Core Meaning: Reunion, praying for blessings.
Main Traditions and Customs:
- Lantern Viewing: Various lantern exhibitions held across the country, such as Zigong International Dinosaur Lantern Fair and Nanjing Qinhuai Lantern Fair.
- Eating Yuanxiao/Tangyuan: Glutinous rice balls filled with sweet or savory fillings, symbolizing family harmony.
- Riddle Guessing: Riddles hung on lanterns test intelligence and fun.
Travel Tips:
- Recommended lantern fairs at Hangzhou West Lake and Xi'an Tang Dynasty Night Market.
3. Qingming Festival (between April 4th and 6th in the Gregorian calendar)
Time: The 108th day after the Winter Solstice, combining both natural seasonal and cultural significance.
Core Meaning: Ancestral worship, spring outings.
Main Traditions and Customs:
- Tomb Sweeping and Ancestral Worship: Cleaning graves, offering flowers or offerings.
- Spring Outings and Kite Flying: Outdoor activities symbolizing welcoming spring.
- Eating Qingtuan: Green glutinous rice balls made with mugwort juice, symbolizing freshness and health.
Travel Tips:
- Respect the solemn atmosphere of tomb-sweeping occasions, avoiding loud noises.
- Suzhou and Hangzhou suburbs are popular for spring outings.
4. Dragon Boat Festival (the fifth day of the fifth lunar month)
Time: Between late May and mid-June in the Gregorian calendar.
Core Meaning: In memory of Qu Yuan, driving away evil and preventing diseases.
Main Traditions and Customs:
- Dragon Boat Races: Originated from the legend of rescuing Qu Yuan, now developed into competitive sports.
- Eating Zongzi: Sticky rice wrapped with meat or sweet fillings, tied with bamboo leaves.
- Hanging Wormwood and Wearing Sachets: Wormwood repels insects, sachets filled with herbal medicine ward off evil.
Travel Tips:
- The dragon boat races in Miluo, Hunan, and Jiaxing, Zhejiang, are the most famous.
- Try different regional flavors of Zongzi (such as salty pork Zongzi, red bean paste Zongzi).
5. Mid-Autumn Festival (the 15th day of the eighth lunar month)
Time: Between September and October in the Gregorian calendar.
Core Meaning: Family reunion, gratitude for harvest.
Main Traditions and Customs:
- Moon Appreciation and Eating Mooncakes: Round mooncakes symbolize family reunion, common flavors include lotus seed paste, five nuts, salted egg yolk, etc.
- Carrying Lanterns and Worshipping the Moon: Children carry colorful lanterns in parades, some areas have moon-worship rituals.
- Family Dinner: Sharing seasonal delicacies like crabs and osmanthus wine.
Travel Tips:
- Hangzhou West Lake, Shanghai Bund, and Guilin Li River are ideal spots for moon appreciation.
- You can purchase special mooncake gift boxes as souvenirs (be mindful of shelf life).
6. Double Ninth Festival (the ninth day of the ninth lunar month)
Time: Around October in the Gregorian calendar.
Core Meaning: Respecting the elderly, climbing high to avoid disasters.
Main Traditions and Customs:
- Mountain Climbing: Climbing mountains symbolizes avoiding disasters, such as Fragrant Hills in Beijing and Mount Hua in Xi'an.
- Drinking Chrysanthemum Wine and Wearing Cornus: Chrysanthemums symbolize longevity, Cornus wards off evil.
- Activities Honoring the Elderly: Communities organize events to bring warmth to the elderly.
Travel Tips:
- Suitable for mountain-climbing trips, experiencing the combination of nature and culture.
7. Other Important Festivals
- Qixi Festival (the seventh day of the seventh lunar month): China’s “Valentine’s Day,” women pray for dexterity and blessings; Guangzhou and Hangzhou have special activities.
- Laba Festival (the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month): Drinking Laba porridge (mixed grain porridge), free distribution at Yonghe Temple in Beijing.
Travel Precautions During Festivals
- Plan Ahead: Transportation and accommodation are tight during festivals, book at least 1-2 months in advance.
- Respect Customs: Follow local etiquette when participating in activities (e.g., no photography during tomb-sweeping).
- Local Experience: Choose homestays or family-style restaurants to deeply experience the festival atmosphere.
