There are many celebrations and festivals celebrated by the Chinese every year. Most of the celebrations have their own history behind it. These Chinese celebrations will really introduce you to the life of the Chinese, helping you to understand more about Chinese beliefs and lifestyles.

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Here are the most favoured celebrations by the Chinese.

*dates are of the year 2020

 

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Chinese New Year (Lunar Festival). January 25th   – February 8th

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The most celebrated festivals would, of course, be the Chinese New Year also known as the Spring Festival or The Lunar Festival. The Chinese New year is a huge celebration celebrated by all the Chinese globally, either those who live in Southeast America or just within Asia. The festival of the lunar is not something rare to everyone. It is a common festival celebrated by the Buddhist based on the lunar calendar. The synonym of this festival is to wear red outfits, give out red ang-pou and hang red lanterns. Red in Chinese symbolizes good fortune! The colour red is known to chase away evil spirits. It is also called the Spring Festival because it started during spring, and end in the beginning of winter.  

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The Chinese New Year Festival is celebrated for 15 days, and each day has its own meaning behind it. Play the Adventure in China game in our website to learn what each day stands for!

 

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Chinese Lantern Festival. February 8th

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Celebrated in the same period of Chinese New Year, this festival is celebrated to mark the end of the Spring Festival. It started celebrating 2,000 years ago by lighting up lanterns and flying it up. After the Lantern Festival, all Chinese New Year decorations either in the house or on the streets need to be taken down as this festival symbolizes the end of Chinese New Year.

During this festival, families gathered around and spend time with each other while eating tangyaun, lion dances or playing lantern riddles. Lighting up the lanterns at night is the highlight of the festival.

 

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Qinming Festival. April 4th

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In English, it is called ‘The Tomb Sweeping Day’ because, during this festival, people will go visit the burial site of their ancestors by bringing flowers and food. The Qinming festival started 2,500 years ago. Tomb-sweeping is the most important custom during the festival to show respect to their ancestors. The Chinese would clean the burial site, burn incense or joss paper, and offer wine or tea and food. Common types of food eaten during this festival are Sweet Green Rice Balls, Qinming Cakes, Qinming Snails and Peach Blossom Porridge. Common activities during this festival other than visiting the burial is sightseeing the scenery of spring and flying kite.

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Dragon Boat Festival. Jun 25th

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Dragon Boat festival started when Qu Yuan, a famous poet during Ancient China drown himself in the river. The villagers noticed and they rushed over to save the poet. As a remembrance of the poet, the festival is held every year for 3 days. During this festival, the main custom would be the dragon boat race. It is said that the winner of the dragon boat race will be lucky and have a happy life throughout the year.

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Other customs during the celebration would be eating sticky rice dumplings (zongzi), drinking realgar wine (it chases away diseases), wearing perfume pouches and hanging Chinese Mugwort and Calamus to avoid spirits from coming closer and avoid bad fortunes. The people would also throw cooked rice into the river to prevent the fishes from eating Qu Yuan’s body.

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Play our Adventure in China game on our website to learn more about the festival!

 

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Double Seventh Day. August 25th.

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Normal valentine day would be on 14th February each year, however, the Chinese celebrated it later in August. It is called ‘double seventh day’ because it falls on 7th day of the 7th month in the lunar calendar. This festival based on the story of an ox herd and a weaver girl.

      

“An oxherd Niulang with the help of his ox (the demoted cattle god) married a fairy, Zhinü, who became a weaver girl. Zhinü's mother, a goddess, returned Zhinü to heaven. Niulang pursued using the ox's hide. The goddess separated them by a river of stars (the Milky Way), but magpies were allowed to form a bridge for them to meet once a year (Qixi).”

                                                                                                       China’s Highlight (2019)

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Customs during this festival is worshipping the weaver fairy, making and eating ‘skill fruit’ and honouring the oxen by children picking up flowers by hanging it on the horn of the oxen as a symbol of honour towards the ox. 

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Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival. October 1st

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Known as the Mooncake Celebration, this festival is the second most important festival in China after Chinese New Year celebrations. The Mooncake celebration started over 3,000 years ago. The emperor of Ancient China celebrated it to worship the moon to thank it for the harvest. The festival is celebrated during the harvest time.

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The Chinese Mid-Autumn festival is synonym to Thanksgiving Celebration. Families will gather around to build harmony in their relationship with each other. Customs during this celebration is eating a reunion dinner together with the family, flying lanterns, and worshipping the moon. An important dish to eat during the festival would be the moon cake, which is made from nuts, red beans, lotus seeds, fruits, and egg. 

 

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Winter Solstice (Dongzhi) Festival. December 22nd.

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The festival started during the Han Dynasty as a time to worship god. Another name for the festival would be ‘the arrival of winter’. It is celebrated during 21st or 22nd December when the night is longer than the day in the northern hemisphere. Main customs during this celebration is eating dumplings and family gatherings.

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Summer Solstice (xià zhì夏至) – The Longest Day. Jun 21st.

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Differs from the winter solstice, the Summer Solstice is celebrated as the longest day in the lunar-solar system. The lunar-solar system plays a big role in the life of the Chinese. During this day, the custom of eating noodles symbolizes as honouring the harvesting season as most of the noodles are self-made using the wheat during the harvest season. Eating the noodles unifies all the Chinese.

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The Double Ninth Festival. October 25th.

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Also known as the Chongyang Festival, the festival is held on the 9th day of the 9th month in the lunar calendar. This festival is a special festival for senior citizens. The Double Ninth Festival can be traced back to the Warring States Period. During the Tang Dynasty, the Double Ninth Festival was on the official list of folk festivals. During the Chongyang Festival, people went outside and climbed mountains together, and engage in many other activities, such as enjoying the chrysanthemum, inserting Zhuyu, eating Chongyang cakes, and drinking chrysanthemum wines.

 

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Hungry Ghost Festival. September 1st.

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During the hungry ghost month, this festival is important to be celebrated. This festival is celebrated to chase away evil spirits by providing them food and burning incense sticks or joss paper. The ceremony usually starts at dusk. Food is offered to feed the hungry ghosts and candles are lit to lead the way for the wandering ghost. On the first day of the month, people burn make-believe paper money outside their homes or businesses, along the side of the roads, or even in the fields. On the last day of the hungry ghost month, the ghost will return through the Gates of Hell and people will start burning paper money and clothing so that the ghost can use them in the afterlife.

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Top 10 Traditional Chinese Festivals. (21st August 2019). China Highlights. Retrieved from https://www.chinahighlights.com/festivals/traditional-festival/

Traditional Festivals in China. n.d. China International Tourist Service. Retrieved from http://www.cits.net/china-travel-guide/traditional-chinese-festivals.html