{"id":857,"date":"2025-01-29T21:52:30","date_gmt":"2025-01-29T21:52:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/jobker.hu\/?p=857"},"modified":"2025-01-29T22:00:46","modified_gmt":"2025-01-29T22:00:46","slug":"21-things-you-didnt-know-about-chinese-new-year","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jobker.hu\/en\/21-things-you-didnt-know-about-chinese-new-year\/","title":{"rendered":"21 Things You Didn\u2019t Know About Chinese New Year"},"content":{"rendered":"

Chinese New Year is celebrated by more than 20% of the world. It\u2019s the most important holiday in China and to Chinese people all over. Here are 21 interesting facts that you probably didn\u2019t know about Chinese New Year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Chinese New Year is also known as the Spring Festival<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In China, you\u2019ll hear it being called chunjie (\u6625\u8282), or the Spring Festival. It\u2019s still very wintry, but the holiday marks the end of the coldest days. People welcome spring and what it brings along: planting and harvests, new beginnings and fresh starts.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Lantern decorations with the words \u201cSpring Festival.\u201d<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

You can also call it the Lunar New Year, because countries such as North and South Korea and Vietnam celebrate it as well. And because the Spring Festival goes according to the lunar calendar. Which means . . .<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. There\u2019s no set date for Chinese New Year<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

According to the Lunar calendar, the Spring Festival is on January 1st and lasts until the 15th (the full moon). Unlike western holidays such as Thanksgiving or Christmas, when you try to calculate it with the solar (Gregorian) calendar, the date is all over the place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chinese New Year ranges from January 21 to February 20. In 2024, it occurs on February 10. For a full list of dates and events check out our Chinese New Year calendar<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Modern Chinese calendars use the Gregorian calendar but include lunar holidays.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

The lunar calendar is still really important in China, even though it has officially moved to the Gregorian calendar like the rest of the world. All traditional holidays and days such as the winter solstice are celebrated. Some people still calculate their birthdays and ages according to the lunar calendar too!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. It is a day for praying to gods…<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Spring Festival was originally a ceremonial day to pray to gods for a good planting and harvest season. As an agrarian society, the harvest was everything. People also prayed to their ancestors as they were treated as gods (see Mulan for reference).<\/p>\n\n\n

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The best foods are offered to the gods.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

4. and fighting off monsters<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

But the myths<\/a> are much more interesting. According to one legend, there was a monster named Nian (\u5e74). It would come about every New Year\u2019s Eve. Most people would hide in their homes. But one boy was brave enough to fight him off using firecrackers. The next day, people celebrated their survival by setting off even more firecrackers. And that practice became a crucial part of the Spring Festival.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

5. The most fireworks in the world are set off that night<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As in the myth about Nian, firecrackers are supposed to scare off monsters and bad luck. So people stay up on Chinese New Year\u2019s Eve and set off firecrackers at midnight. In the morning, firecrackers are used again to welcome the new year and good luck.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Both firecrackers and fireworks sound throughout the night.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

That same night, families also burn fake paper money and printed gold bars in honor of their deceased loved ones. Similar to the Korean Chuseok holiday or the Mexican Day of the Dead<\/a> traditions, they believe the offerings will bring fortune and good luck to their ancestors in the afterlife.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

6. (but sometimes it\u2019s illegal)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Due to safety reasons and concerns over air pollution, many Chinese cities have banned fireworks. More than 500 cities have restrictions too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But many people don\u2019t care about the legality and do it anyway. Beijing banned fireworks for 13 years. The ban was lifted in 2006 because of the angry public.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re in China during this time, you\u2019ll probably be able to hear and see the explosions for at least three nights (and it can go on for weeks).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

7. It is the longest Chinese holiday<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Spring Festival is technically 15 days. But celebrations start on New Year\u2019s Eve (making it 16 days). You can also say that the holiday season starts in (lunar) December with the Laba Festival (\u814a\u516b\u8282 \/ l\u00e0 b\u0101 ji\u00e9). That\u2019s around 40 days of celebrations!<\/p>\n\n\n

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During the holiday, Chinese people spend twice as much on shopping and eating out than Americans spend on Thanksgiving.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Traditionally, you have to spend time with your family and can only go out after the fifth day. It\u2019s a national holiday. The majority of stores are closed too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The month before the holiday begins, people will buy \u201cnian huo\u201d (\u5e74\u8d27), or New Year\u2019s products. The Chinese stock up on cooking supplies, snacks<\/a>, gifts, new clothes<\/a> and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

8. The Spring Festival causes the largest human migration in the world<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The most important part of Chinese New Year is the family reunion. Everyone should come back home for the New Year\u2019s Eve dinner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But in modern China, most elderly parents live in rural villages while their children work in the cities. The migration back home and to go on vacation during this time is called \u201cchunyun\u201d (\u6625\u8fd0), or Spring Migration.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Even on normal days, subways to work are jammed pack with people just barely squishing past the door. You can imagine the intensity of the chunyun.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Plus, the earliest you can buy train tickets is 60 days before. It leads to a mad rush of actual fighting for tickets. In 2015, statistics showed around 1,000 ticket sales every second.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

9. Singles hire fake boyfriends\/girlfriends to take home<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

You know those nosy relatives during Thanksgiving? It\u2019s even worse in China. Especially since having children and passing down the family name is one of the most important parts of Chinese culture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some desperate singles resort to hiring a fake boyfriend or girlfriend to take home. Those who can\u2019t (or don\u2019t want to) go home can rent themselves out. For some of the other nosy relative questions though, such as your salary, career or when you want to have kids, you can hire answers for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

10. No showering, sweeping or throwing out garbage allowed!<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Showering isn\u2019t allowed on New Year\u2019s Day. Sweeping and throwing out garbage isn\u2019t allowed before the fifth. This is to make sure you don\u2019t wash away the good luck!<\/p>\n\n\n

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Most hair salons are closed during the entirety of Chinese New Year because hair cutting is taboo.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

What else is taboo during Chinese New Year?<\/p>\n\n\n\n