In China, there are many traditional festivals. The most important one is Spring festival, of course. Other important festivals
include: New year, lantern festival, Qingming (Tomb-Sweeping Day), Dragon Boat Festival and Mid-Autumn Harvest
festival. Here is some information about them:
Spring Festival 春節(jié):
It falls on the first day of the first lunar month (陰歷正月). People follow many national and local customs. They paste
spring poems (貼春聯(lián))with lucky words on the door. They eat delicious food with symbolic values (有象征意義的美味食
品),for example, chicken for good luck. They exchange greeting with friends and relatives.
New year元旦:
It is on the first day of the year. I marks the beginning of a new year. On this day, people enjoy a paid day-off (享有一
天帶薪假). There will be parties everywhere., in parks, dancing halls and universities.
Lantern Festival元宵節(jié):
It comes on the 15th of the first lunar month. It marks the end of the Spring Festival. On this day, people eat sweet
dumplings for good luck. Special activities include the display of lanterns (燈展)and riddle solving(猜燈謎).
Qingming清明節(jié):
It is also called Tomb-sweeping Day. It comes on April 4th or 5th. In Chinese Qingming means “ clear and bright”. It is a day for the living to show love and respect to dead friends, relatives and ancestors. People will sweep the tombs, put meats, vegetables, wine in front of the tombs. Besides, they burn paper money for the dead to sue in afterlife.
Dragon Boat Festival 端午節(jié):
It is on the fifth of the lunar month. People gather to watch the colorful “Dragon Boat Races”(龍舟比賽). People eat
rice dumplings on this day.
Mid-Autumn Harvest Festival中秋節(jié):
It is on the 15th of the eighth lunar month. People gaze at (觀賞) the “Lady in the Moon”(嫦娥)and eat moon cakes for family reunion and happiness.