The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization(UNESCO) inscribed Spring Festival, social practices of the Chinese people in celebration of traditional new year on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity on December 4, 2024.
The Spring Festival, also known as the Chinese New Year, is the most important traditional festival for Chinese people. It is a time of grand celebration filled with rich cultural connotations and a variety of social practices.
Preparations for the Spring Festival usually start days before.Cleaning houses is a significant task as it symbolizes getting rid of bad luck and making a fresh start for the new year. People also go shopping for new clothes, food, and various decorations. Red couplets are pasted on doors, with words expressing good wishes for the coming year. Paper cuttings and the character "fu" are also added to doors and windows to bring fortune and happiness.
On New Year's Eve,family reunion is the highlight. All family members gather to enjoy a sumptuous reunion dinner sharing stories, laughter, and hopes for the future. After dinner, they may stay up late, watching the Spring Festival Gala on TV, chatting, and waiting for the arrival of the new year. At midnight, setting off firecrackers is a traditional practice to ring out the old year and welcome the new creating a lively and festive atmosphere.
During the Spring Festival, people visit relatives and friends to exchange greetings and give gifts. Children are especially excited as they can receive red envelopes filled with lucky money from elders, which is a symbol of good luck and blessings. In addition, there are various traditional cultural activities such as dragon and lion dances, yangko dances.and temple fairs. These activities not only add to the festive atmosphere but also showcase the unique charm of Chinese traditional culture.
The Spring Festival also has profound cultural significance.It is a time to pay respects to ancestors and gods, with many families going to temples to offer prayers for a prosperous year, This reflects the importance of family values, filial piety, and traditional beliefs in Chinese culture.
In recent years, with the development of society, some new forms of celebration have emerged. For example, people may use mobile phones and the Internet to send New Year greetings, share photos of the festival, and participate in online Spring Festival activities. However, the traditional social practices and cultural connotations of the Spring Festival still remain deeply rooted in the hearts of the Chinese people, passing on from generation to generation and becoming an important part of Chinese cultural heritage.
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