Chinese Festivals

March 31, 2021

Chinese New Year- The Spring Festival

Introduction and interview for Chinese New Year The Spring Festival is the most important festival for the Chinese people . It is when all family members get together, just like Christmas in the West. The Spring Festival falls on the 1st day of the 1st lunar month, often one month later than the normal calendar. It originated in the Shang Dynasty from the people's sacrifice to gods and ancestors at the end of an old year and the beginning of a new one. Strictly speaking, the Spring Festival starts every year in the early days of the 12th lunar month and will last till the mid 1st lunar month of the next year. Of them, the most important days are Spring Festival Eve and the first three days. Most people will have a week off, so, this time is called golden week. I am going to share an interview with a friend in China. 你们家是如何过春节的? how does your family celebrate the Spring Festival? 春节到来的时候， When the Spring Festival comes, 我们会贴门联，挂灯笼，放烟花，放鞭炮， We will post door couplets, hang lanterns, and set off fireworks, 在春节前一个晚上，叫做除夕夜，家人会聚在一起吃饭，有饺子，年糕和汤圆等特色食物。 On the night before the Spring Festival, called New Year’s Eve, the family would come together for a meal, with special foods such as dumplings, rice cakes and glutinous rice balls. 在午夜00点，每家每户都会开始放烟花，很长时间后才会停下来。 At midnight when the New Year comes, every household will start to set off fireworks, and it will stop after a long time.. 早上，我们穿上新衣服，去对亲戚和朋友说:新年快乐来表达对新的一年美好的祝愿。 In the morning, we put on new clothes and went to say to relatives and friends: Happy New Year to express our best wishes for the new year. 你最喜欢的部分有哪些? What are your favorite parts? 我最喜欢在除子夜那一天家人们聚在一起看春节晚会，在手机上和朋友们说新年快乐，等待午夜到来的感觉，那种感觉真的非常好。 I like the feeling of family coming together to watch the Spring Festival Gala， saying Happy New Year to my friends on my mobile phone, and waiting for midnight. That feeling is really good. 还有就是收红包啦，在新年的前一个晚上，大人通常会给年轻人们红包，这样我们就有钱去买自己喜欢的东西了。 And receive red packets. On the night before the New Year, adults usually give red packets to young people, so that we have the money to buy things we like. 谢谢 thank you Thanks for listening Chinese Festivals with me If you like our show or want to know more, check out Anchor.fm