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Happy Chinese New Year!

Happy Chinese New Year! The traditional Chinese New Year - Spring Festival is the grandest festival for all the Chinese people. Set off on a China tour and experience the most genuine Chinese traditional culture with ChinaTourGuide.com!

Legend of Chinese New Year - Nian
Long long ago, there is a ferocious monster called Nian. Every spring around the lunar New Year, it comes out and attacks people of the villages. To get rid of the monster, the villagers organize together and try to conquer the monster by means of beating drums and gongs, lighting firecrackers, dressing and decorating nearly all things in red color, which the monster Nian fears. These wise actions turn up successful, and thus being handed down from generation to generation, with other customs together becoming the New Year must-dos for getting rid of the misfortunes and wishing for a brand new and lucky year.

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Family Reunion Dinner (Tuan Yuan Fan)

On Chinese New Year Eve(Chu Xi), a grand family reunion dinner is held in every home. All family members are expected to return home for the reunion.

Foods in the typical menu are chosen for their auspicious meanings, such as fish for richness and Nian Gao (glutinous rick cakes) for better life. Usually the fish is intentionally not finished, and the remaining is stored overnight. It comes from a Chinese pun "Nian Nian You Yu", where the pronounciation of fish (Yu) is the same as leftover/surplus, thus giving a message of "having profit every year".

Making Chinese Dumplings (Jiaozi)

The traditional Chinese food Jiaozi, or dumplings, symbolizes wealth due to its shape which is similar to ancient Chinese gold or silver ingots. It is a must especially for Lunar New Year's Eve Dinner when all family members gather to make and enjoy Jiaozi.

Typically Jiaozi is made of a ground meat and vegetable filling wrapped into a thinly rolled piece of dough, which is then sealed by pressing the edges together or by crimping. The whole course includes dough & cover making, filling preparing and Jiaozi wrapping.   >> Know More

Worship Ceremony

Ancestral worship and God worship are important parts of festivals for paying respects to ancestors or fairies, and wishing for a smooth and harvest year.

Heaven Worship at Temple of Heaven in Beijing is a highlight during the Chinese New Year Festival. It tries to reproduce at most the worship ceremony of the Qing Dynasty (1616-1912A.D.). From costumes to props, from music to ceremonial utensils, and to the etiquette, all efforts to bring you back to the imperial time.

Red Envelope (Red Packet, Hong Bao)

Red Envelope or Red Packet (Hong Bao) is a monetary gift (lucky money packed in a red envelope) presented at social and family gatherings such as weddings or on holidays such as the Lunar New Year. It symbolizes good luck and is supposed to ward off evil spirits. It is also named as Ya Sui Qian, meaning money to guard against evil and bless with happiness.

Traditionally the lucky money is in even number (especially in a number with auspicious meanings). For example, 88 is a lucky number for the pronounciation of eight is similar to the words for getting rich.

Firework Displays

Firework Displays are surely great enhancement for the exciting Spring Festival. Many cities (e.g. Beijing and Hong Kong) will put on firework displays every year during the New Year.

This year in Hong Kong, firework displays are scheduled as usual to light up the sleepless city. A tour combining firework enjoyment and cruise around the Victoria Harbor is without doubt a fabulous experience for the Spring Festival. Come and enjoy a firework cruise!

>> Victoria Harbour Cruises in Hong Kong

Lantern Festival (Yuanxiao Festival)

The Lantern Festival falls on the fifteenth day of the first month of the lunar year. During the Festival, numerous colorful lanterns are lighted up and hung up, decorating all the streets, parks, etc.

The Lantern Festival is not just a show for appreciation, but also an activity to get your brain work! Traditionally there are riddles on lanterns, and people try to solve the puzzles to win a lucky prize. Eating Yuanxiao (glutinous rice balls, also called Tangyuan) and enjoy a family reunion is also a custom of Lantern Festival.

Lion / Dragon Dance

Once as a method to ward off the furious monster Nian, now the Lion Dance or Dragon Dance has become a tradition to celebrate the Chinese New Year. They are believed to bring good luck and fortune to people and their business.

Lion Dance is performed by two performers, while Dragon Dance by a team of people. Performers apply some martial arts techniques to the dance in a lion or a dragon costume, imitating the movements of the auspicious animal.

Flower Fairs

Flowers take up an important role in the Chinese New Year decorations, for not only their beauty but also the auspicious connotation they carry.

Guangzhou, Capital of Guangdong Province in South China, has long been honored as "City of Flowers", and is wonderfully colored by the Flower Fairs every year during the Spring Festival. For the local family, it has become a custom to visit the fairs and buy some home. If you are in Guangzhou during the Festival, don't miss the Flower Fairs!

New Year Couplets (Chun Lian)

New Year Couplets are an essential part of Spring Festival decorations. New Year Couplets are written in black ink on two vertical strips of red paper which is then pasted each on one side of a door. The first (or upper) line is on the right side while the second (lower) line is on the left. A third horizontal piece is pasted on the door frame.

Typically the New Year Couplets present a happy and hopeful message and sincere wish for a better New Year.

The Character Fu

The Character Fu, literally meaning luck, auspiciousness, happiness or blessing, is a must in Spring Festival decorations. It can be found on a poster, on a red envelope, as a paper-cutting work, on a Chinese knot, and in many other New Year decorations for the festival.

An interesting fact is that the Character Fu is usually displayed upside-down. That's because in Chinese, the words for "upside-down" and "to arrive" sound similar. Therefore, pasting the Character Fu upside-down on a door indicates "Good luck arrives".

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