The awesome Spring Festival Gala 2017

Some highlights from the five hour CCTV spectacular - the best ever !

From BeiJing, ShangHai, YangShuo and Harbin ...

[640],shadow=true,start=,stop=
[350],shadow=true,start=,stop=[350],shadow=true,start=,stop=[350],shadow=true,start=,stop=[350],shadow=true,start=,stop=[350],shadow=true,start=,stop=[350],shadow=true,start=,stop=[350],shadow=true,start=,stop=[350],shadow=true,start=41,stop=[350],shadow=true,start=64,stop=[350],shadow=true,start=,stop=[350],shadow=true,start=,stop=[350],shadow=true,start=,stop=[350],shadow=true,start=,stop=[350],shadow=true,start=,stop=

Chinese New Year (CNY), also known as the Spring Festival, is the most important traditional holiday in China, marking the beginning of the lunar new year. It is celebrated by Chinese communities around the world, as well as in other East Asian countries such as Taiwan, Singapore, and Malaysia. Here's an overview of Chinese New Year and its traditions:

Timing and Duration:
Lunar Calendar: Chinese New Year follows the lunar calendar, with the date falling between late January and mid-February each year. The exact date varies because it is based on the lunar phases.

Festival Period: The celebrations typically last for 15 days, beginning on the eve of Chinese New Year and ending with the Lantern Festival on the 15th day of the lunar calendar.

Traditions and Customs:
Family Reunions: Chinese New Year is a time for families to come together and celebrate. Many people travel long distances to reunite with their relatives, leading to the largest annual human migration in the world, known as Chunyun.

Cleaning and Decoration: In the days leading up to Chinese New Year, families clean their homes to sweep away bad luck and make way for good fortune. They also decorate their homes with red lanterns, couplets (duilian), and paper cutouts featuring auspicious symbols.

Chinese New Year's Eve Dinner: The New Year's Eve dinner, known as 'reunion dinner' (??? tunninfn), is a lavish feast shared with family members. Traditional dishes include fish (symbolizing prosperity), dumplings (symbolizing wealth), and various other symbolic foods.

Red Envelopes (Hongbao): Red envelopes containing money are given as gifts during Chinese New Year, especially to children and unmarried individuals. The red color symbolizes good luck and wards off evil spirits.

Fireworks and Firecrackers: Fireworks and firecrackers are set off at midnight on New Year's Eve and throughout the festival period to scare away evil spirits and bring good luck.

Lion and Dragon Dances: Colorful lion and dragon dances are performed in streets, parks, and public squares to bring prosperity and good fortune to communities.

Zodiac Animals:
Each Year is Associated with an Animal: Chinese New Year is symbolized by one of the 12 animals in the Chinese zodiac cycle. Each animal is believed to influence the personality traits and destiny of individuals born in that year.

Travel and Celebrations:
Spring Festival Gala: The Spring Festival Gala, broadcasted on Chinese television on New Year's Eve, features a variety of performances, skits, and musical acts. It is one of the most-watched television programs in the world.

Temple Fairs: Traditional temple fairs are held throughout China during Chinese New Year, offering food stalls, performances, games, and cultural activities for visitors to enjoy.

Chinese New Year is a time of joy, reunion, and renewal, filled with rich traditions and customs that have been passed down through generations. It is a celebration of family, community, and the arrival of spring, marking a fresh beginning and the promise of prosperity in the year ahead.

Related Videos

 

Featured Videos

A home and B&B in the mountains
A home and B&B in the mountains
Nestled on a remote hillside in JiangXi province, it is part of the natural landscape and a haven of a simpler life ... Bonus films ...
ShangHai 上海 from the sky
ShangHai 上海 from the sky
Great Wall 长城 adventures
Great Wall 长城 adventures
Widescreen remix ...
YunNan food tour
YunNan food tour
With Mark Wiens ...
The economics of the US new cold war on China and Russia
The economics of the US new cold war on China and Russia
Max Blumenthal and Ben Norton talk with economist Michael Hudson. Don't miss it ...
Walking WuHan in the evening
Walking WuHan in the evening
HuBei province. With Walk East ... YT comment : "I'm from Australia. Wuhan looks beautiful. Thanks for showing me what Wuhan really looks like. Our media can't afford to show China without a dystopian filter. The more our media and US media keep attacking China, the more convinced I am that China is doing something right for itself and the more compelled I am to visit this beautiful country. Thanks again for your video!"
The pineapple and tomato in Chinese cooking
The pineapple and tomato in Chinese cooking
With Wild Girl ...
The beautiful YuLong River 遇龙河, YangShuo to Guilin
The beautiful YuLong River 遇龙河, YangShuo to Guilin
The YuLong River, YùLóng Hé, starts in YangShuo County near Litang and flows for over 35 kilometers (22 miles) to the Li River near the town of Ping Le; GuangXi province. The YuLong River is relatively shallow at around 5 meters (16 feet) maximum depth and is an average of 25 meters (82 feet) across. Unlike the deeper Li River, it has no motorized boat traffic and bamboo rafts, paddle boats and swimming are popular. The bamboo raft journey begins at the YuLong Bridge, which is 400 years old. Hiking and biking are also popular as there are many quaint villages along the river, some offering bed and breakfast accommodation. The YuLong River Valley is very fertile, and its low-lying terrain is excellent for rice fields. In recent years, farmers have also planted more cash crops such as pomelos, tangerines and mandarin oranges.
Summer in BeiJing 北京
Summer in BeiJing 北京
Despite its northern location, Beijing, the blue sky city, is one of the sunniest places in China and, in summer, also one of the hottest. Although around 1,000 miles north of Shanghai, and some 2,000 miles north of Hong Kong and tropical Hainan, Beijing is hotter through the summer months (mid-may to mid-September). Generally a dry heat, tropical thunderstorms can appear on occasion, and with night time temperatures in the 70s you'll be dancing in the rain ;) Excursion ideas : the in-the-mountains Buddhist temples of JieTaiSi and TanZheSi (bus, from the western end of metro line 1), the coastal city of TianJin (train), the beach at BeiDaiHe (train) and the nearby eastern end of the Great Wall (QinHuangDao), the imperial summer resort of ChengDe (combine with a visit to Simatai / JinShanLing Great Wall; coach or train), LongQing Gorge (LongQing Xia), the Spirit Way and general countryside at the Ming Tombs. TianJin can be a day trip as it is connected by high-speed rail, but two days would be great too. For ChengDe or BeiDaiHe, two or three days is best. Remember to take your passport in order to check in to a hotel. Or (more locally) visit the beach / pool at ChaoYang Park. Also, consider the Summer Palace (YiHeYuan), YuanMingYuan (the 'old' / original Summer Palace), BeiHai and JingShan Parks, the Ethic Culture Park (MinZu), the Olympic Forest Park, and these places in the Western Hills: XiangShan Park, Beijing Botanical Garden, BaDaChu (Eight Great (Buddhist) Sites area).

Tag search ?