The Spring Festival is one of the most important traditional festivals for the Chinese people and the global Chinese community. Here is a detailed overview of the Spring Festival:
I. Historical Origin and Evolution
- The Spring Festival originated from the ancient custom of praying for a good harvest at the beginning of the year. It is a festival that combines elements of eliminating the old and welcoming the new, worshiping ancestors, praying for good fortune and evil avoidance, family reunions, celebrations, entertainment, and dining.
- Over the course of historical development and evolution, due to changes in dynasties and calendars, the date of the new year varied. However, in the first year of Emperor Wu's reign of the Taichu Period (104 BC), astronomers formulated the "Taichu Calendar," setting the first day of the first lunar month as the beginning of the year. Since then, for more than two thousand years, despite a few emperors attempting to change the calendar and the start of the year, the solar calendar has generally been used.
- During the Eastern Han Dynasty, there were written records of sacrifices at the beginning of the year. During the Wei and Jin dynasties, written records of the custom of staying up late on New Year's Eve emerged. From the Tang and Song dynasties to the Ming and Qing dynasties, Spring Festival customs gradually became richer. For example, during the Tang Dynasty, "New Year's greeting cards" appeared, and during the Song Dynasty, people began to use paper tubes and hemp stalks filled with fireworks to make "firecracker strings" (i.e., firecrackers). During the Ming Dynasty, receiving the Kitchen God, posting door gods, staying up late on New Year's Eve, and enjoying lantern festivals on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month were already widespread. During the Qing Dynasty, imperial court celebrations for the new year were extremely luxurious, and the emperor had the custom of writing "Fu" characters and presenting them to his officials.
- After the founding of the Republic of China, in order to "follow the agricultural calendar and facilitate statistics," it was decided to use the Gregorian calendar, and January 1 of the Gregorian calendar was designated as "New Year's Day." Starting in 1914, the traditional "New Year's Day" was officially renamed the "Spring Festival."
II. The Significance of the Festival
- Continuation of History and Tradition: The Spring Festival marks the beginning of a new year, and people celebrate it to commemorate history and inherit and promote the excellent traditional culture of the Chinese nation.
- Family Reunion and Warmth: The Spring Festival is the most important time for family reunions throughout the year. Regardless of where they are, people will try their best to return home and spend the holiday with their families. This reunion atmosphere deepens the bond between family members and enhances their sense of identity and belonging to the family.
- Blessings and New Hopes: On the occasion of bidding farewell to the old and ushering in the new, people will perform various sacrifices and blessing activities, praying for peace, health, and smoothness in the new year. The Spring Festival is also a new beginning, bringing people unlimited possibilities and hope.
- Cultural Exchange and Dissemination: With the development of globalization, the Spring Festival has become not only a Chinese festival but also a worldwide cultural phenomenon. During the Spring Festival each year, various celebration activities are held around the world, showcasing the charm of Chinese culture and promoting cultural exchanges and integration between China and foreign countries.
- Economic Prosperity and Promotion: During the Spring Festival each year, people's consumption demand increases significantly, driving the prosperity and development of various industries and forming a unique "Spring Festival economy."
III. Festival Customs
- Offering Sacrifices to the Kitchen God: Also known as "Little New Year," it takes place on the 23rd or 24th day of the 12th lunar month. People will place candies, clear water, beans, and other offerings in front of the Kitchen God's portrait and melt guandong candy and apply it to the Kitchen God's mouth, hoping that he will speak well when reporting to the Jade Emperor in heaven and bless the family with peace.
- Sweeping Dust: The saying goes, "On the 24th day of the 12th lunar month, sweep the house." Families will clean their surroundings, wash utensils, and dismantle and wash bedding, curtains, etc., symbolizing "removing the old and bringing in the new" and sweeping away bad luck and poverty.
- Preparing New Year Goods: Starting from the 25th day of the 12th lunar month, people will purchase various items needed for the new year to prepare for the diet, entertainment, and decoration during the Spring Festival.
- Posting Spring Festival Couplets and Door Gods: People will carefully select red Spring Festival couplets to paste on their doors, adding festive atmosphere to the festival. At the same time, two door gods, such as Shen Tu and Yu Lei, Qin Shubao and Yu Chigong, will be pasted on the main gate to ward off evil spirits and bring peace and safety throughout the year.
- New Year's Eve Dinner: Also known as the reunion dinner, it is the dinner on Lunar New Year's Eve. The whole family gathers together for a lavish dinner, which symbolizes reunion, happiness, and good expectations for the coming year.
- Staying Up Late on New Year's Eve: On the night of New Year's Eve, the whole family gathers together to stay up all night, waiting for the moment to bid farewell to the old and usher in the new, symbolizing driving away all evil spirits and illnesses and expecting a good and auspicious new year.
- Giving New Year's Money: Elders will give money to younger generations, which is said to be able to evil spirits and ensure that the younger generation has a safe and smooth year.
- Greeting the New Year: People get up early, put on new clothes, burn incense to pay respects, worship heaven and earth, and ancestors, and then greet elders in order. After that, relatives and friends of the same clan will also exchange congratulations. In addition, married daughters will bring their husbands and children back to their parents' home to visit, commonly known as "Welcoming the Son-in-Law Day."
In addition, there are various customs and activities such as setting off firecrackers at the beginning of the new year, fortune-telling, gathering wealth, welcoming the God of Wealth, sending away poverty, dragon and lion dances, and eating glutinous rice balls. These customs and activities not only enrich the cultural connotation of the Spring Festival but also enhance the festive atmosphere of the festival.In summary, the Spring Festival is a traditional festival with rich cultural connotations and profound historical backgrounds. It is not only an important part of the excellent traditional culture of the Chinese nation but also an important moment for people to place their hopes, enjoy reunions, and pray for a new year.
Post time: Jan-20-2025