Destination China
Holidays and Festivals
Chinese festivals are based on the lunar calendar. The Chinese calendar is based on a movement of lunar and solar cycle. The lunar cycle is about 29.5 days, Chinese ads an additional month after few years-say 7 years after 19- year cycle to adjust the solar calendar. This is the same as adding an extra day on leap year. Due to this solar calendar, the Chinese New Year does not have any fixed date and falls on a different date each year.
Chinese New Year
Chinese New Year starts with the New Moon on the first day of the New Year and ends on the full moon 15 days later of the lunar calendar. The corresponding date in the solar calendar varies from as early as January 21st to as late as February 19th. Chinese New Year, as the Western New Year, signifies as a turning over a new leaf — representing the importance of family ties, a time for family reunions.
The 15th day of the New Year is celebrated as a ‘Lantern Festival’, displaying thousands of lighting lantern at night and children carrying lanterns in a procession on streets.
Chinese New Year Celebration
The Chinese New Year is perhaps the most exciting, colourful, and resplendent festival of all Chinese celebrations. New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day are celebrated with all rituals and with full enthusiasm. It is a family affair, a time of reunion and thanks giving occasion. The religious ceremony is traditionally performed with celebrations, in honour of Heaven and Earth, the gods of the household and the family ancestors. Common expressions heard at this time are Guonian to have made it through the Old Year, and Bainian to congratulate the New Year. Expired ones are remembered with due respect and honour, as they are the milestones, responsible for laying the foundations for the fortune and eminence of the family. The communal feast is organized at this occasion known as “surrounding the stove” or Weilu. It epitomizes the family unity and tribute the past and present generations.
Other National Holidays
Ching Ming — Grave-Sweeping Day
Ching Ming festival is also known as the Grave-sweeping or Spring Remembrance Day celebrated on April 5. It is an ancestor worship festival native to China. Ching means ‘clear’ and Ming means ‘bright’, it is the day when Chinese families show their respect by visiting the graves of their ancestors, clear away weeds, touch up gravestone inscriptions and make offerings of wine and fruit.
Tuen Ng (Dragon Boat) Festival
The Dragon Boat Festival has been celebrated on the fifth day of the fifth moon in the month of June. This Festival, also known as Tuen Ng Festival, solemnizes the death of a popular Chinese national hero, Qu Yuan, who drowned himself in the Mi Lo River over 2,000 years ago to protest against the corrupt rulers of 3rd century. People of the town saw him drowning; they attempted to rescue him by beating drums to scare fish, so that fish may not eat the body of Qu Yuan. The people also threw rice dumplings into the river to attract the fishes.
