文化 | Top 10 Chinese Festivals

Chinese festivals are an integral part of Chinese culture. Most of them are based on the Chinese lunar calendar, as these festivals have some thing to do with the farming life, although some others connected with modern life are based on the solar calendar. Below is a list of the major Chinese festivals:

1. Chinese Spring Festival 春节

Chinese Spring Festival is the grandest and most important festival in China. This traditional festival already has a history of more than 4,000 years. The festival begins on the first day of the first month of the traditional Chinese calendar and ends with Lantern Festival which is on the 15th day of the same month. It is the time for the whole families to get together and enjoy delicious foods and happy times, a similar one like Christmas holiday to the westerners.

2. Mid-Autumn Festival 中秋节

Mid-Autumn Festival is a traditional Chinese holiday that originates from the worship of the moon. It falls on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month and symbolizes harvest and family reunion. Traditionally, it is a time spent with family members, similar to Thanksgiving Day. Family members will get together and enjoy the full moon (auspicious symbol of harmony and luck) and eat delicious mooncakes.

3. Yuanxiao Festival 元宵节

The traditional Lantern Festival, or Yuan Xiao Festival,  falls on the 15th day of the first lunar month, marking the end of the Chinese Spring Festival. The main activity on the Lantern Festival is to enjoy beautiful lanterns of different sizes and shapes at night, another important part is eating Yuanxiao, small dumpling balls made of glutinous rice flour.

4. Duanwu Festival 端午节

Duanwu Festival, or the Dragon Boat Festival, falls on the fifth day of the fifth Chinese lunar month. This day people will celebrate it through dragon-boat races, especially in China’s southern areas, another important thing is to eat Zong Zi (glutinous rice wrapped with reed leaves).

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5. The National Day of China 国庆

The National Day of China is celebrated every year on October 1st. The National Day is celebrated throughout mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macau with a variety of government-organized activities including fireworks and concerts. This is also the first day of the 7 days national holiday. Many people will travel during the holiday.

6. Qingming Festival 清明节

Qingming Festival, also known as Tomb Sweeping Day in English, falls on one day between April 4 and 6 each year. This is the most important day for offering sacrifices. Both the Han and minority ethnic groups offer sacrifices to their ancestors and sweep the tombs of the deceased.

7. Yuandan Festival 元旦 公众号：Waynesunbj

The New Year’s Day is a grand festival worldwide, China is no exception. In China they call it Yuandan Festival, “Yuan” means “at the beginning”. “Dan” means “day”, so joined together the words mean “first day of a year.”  Chinese celebrate the New Year like people all over the world. All kinds of festive programs are broadcast on TV, many companies and institutions hold parties, bringing everyone into the jubilant atmosphere of the festival.

8. Chongyang Festival  重阳节

The Chongyang Festival is celebrated on the ninth day of the ninth month of the Chinese lunar calendar, so it is also called the Double Ninth Festival. During the festival, People will eat Chongyang cake and drink chrysanthemum wine, Some people choose to climb mountains or admire beautiful chrysanthemums.

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9. Labor Day 劳动节

International Workers’ Day or May Day is a international holiday celebrated in more than 80 countries in the world. It is the common festival for working people around the world. In China the Central People’s Government Council formally designated May 1st as Chinese Labor day on December 1949. This day many forms of entertainment are held in parks, public squares or theaters. In the evening, parties are held by governments at all levels and some model laborers are invited to enjoy programs.

10. Qixi Festival  七夕节

Qixi Festival falls on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month on the lunar calendar. Traditionally girls demonstrate their handicrafts and make wishes for a good husband.This traditional holiday has been recently called China’s Valentine’s Day, young lovers prefer to go shopping and boys send flowers to girls.

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Traditional Festivals in China

Spring Festival

The most important festival in China is the Spring Festival. The Spring Festival marks the beginning of the Chinese lunar New Year, so the first meal is rather important. People usually eat jiaozi or dumplings shaped like a crescent moon on that special day. As for recreational activities during the Sping Festival, the Dragon Dance and Lion Dance are traditionally performed.

Yuanxiao Festival (Lantern Festival)

The Lantern Festival is on the 15th day of the first Chinese lunar month. It is closely related to Spring Festival. It is traditionally a time for family reunions. The displaying of lanterns is a big event on that day, and another important part of the Festival is eating Yuanxiao, which is small dumpling balls made of glutinous rice flour.

Qingming Festival (Tomb Sweeping Day)

Qingming, meaning clear and bright, is the day for mourning the dead. It falls in early April every year. It corresponds with the onset of warmer weather, the start of spring plowing, and of family outings. Springtime, especially in North China, is the windy season, just right for flying kites. It is not surprising that kite flying is very popular during the Qingming season.

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Duanwu Festival (Dragon Boat Festival)

The Duanwu Festival falls on the fifth day of the fifth month of the Chinese lunar calendar. For thousands of years, Duanwu has been marked by eating zongzi and racing dragon boats. Zongzi is a kind of pyramid-shaped dumpling made of glutinous rice and wrapped in bamboo leaves. Duanwu is also known as the Dragon Boat Festival, because dragon boat races are held during the festival, especially in southern China.

Mid-Autumn Festival

Mid-Autumn Festival falls on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month. Because the full moon is round and symbolizes reunion, the Mid-Autumn Festival is also known as the festival of reunion. People in different parts of China celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival in different ways. But one traditional custom has remained and is shared by all Chinese. This is eating the festive specialty: moon cakes —— cakes shaped like the moon.

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Chongyang Festival (Double Nine Festival)

The number “nine” belongs to Yang in the theory of Yin and Yang. The ninth day of the ninth lunar month is a day when the two Yang numbers meet. So it is called Chongyang. This festival is usually perfect for outdoor activities. And it is a special day for people to pay their respects to the elderly. It has also been declared China’s day for the elderly.